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Monday, July 28, 2008

Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

Food industry bitten by its lobbying success
Alvarado Post - Alvarado,TX,USA
By LARRY MARGASAK AP Writer WASHINGTON (AP) _ The food industry must drop any remaining opposition to electronic record-keeping and back an effective system ...
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Indian Americans lobbying hard for N-deal approval in Congress
Hindu - Chennai,India
... Indian-American community leaders have started lobbying decision-makers here to ensure smooth passage of the historic accord in the American Congress. ...
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John Hagee`s CUFI Conference Mixes End-Times Prophecies With With ...
Israel e News - Herzilya,Israel
Even though televangelist John Hagee barred reporters from the conference of his Christians United for Israel (CUFI), reporters for JewsOnFirst.org covered ...
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Lobbying expenses criticized
Charleston Post Courier - Charleston,SC,USA
By Yvonne Wenger (Contact) COLUMBIA â€" In the lobby between the stately chambers of the House and Senate, they stand, 200, 300 of them, packed in like ...
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Lobbying on taxpayers' dime
Charleston Post Courier - Charleston,SC,USA
Mark Sanford has banned Cabinet agencies from contracting with lobbyists, but his restriction unfortunately hasn't been emulated by other public agencies. ...
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Delegate Who Supports Such an Option in Virginia Announces ...
RedOrbit - Dallas,TX,USA
School Choice Virginia is being set up as a 501(c)(4) organization that can lobby on issues but cannot support candidates. Whitney Duff, who previously was ...
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CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Lobbying expenses criticized

Lobbying expenses criticized

State agencies defend using public money

The Post and Courier
Sunday, July 27, 2008


COLUMBIA — In the lobby between the stately chambers of the House and Senate, they stand, 200, 300 of them, packed in like freshmen at a frat party. Each waiting, watching with an agenda.

They want money. They want say-so. They are power brokers.

These are the Statehouse lobbyists, and the salary for about 100 of them is paid for by taxpayers.

In 2007, Charleston-area public agencies and organizations sustained, at least in part, by taxpayers were on pace to have spent about $400,000 on lobbying elected officials, according to information from the South Carolina Policy Council, which compiled the most recent data available.

The nonpartisan think tank asserts that in 2006 taxpayers spent almost $3 million on publicly financed lobbyists, up 15 percent since 2005. The information is based on disclosure forms filed at the State Ethics Commission and includes national and state lobbying efforts.

"Instead of spending public dollars on core functions of government, South Carolina counties, cities and school districts are paying high-powered lobbyists to fight for more public money and thwart accountability and transparency," Bryan D. Cox, the council's communications director, said in a statement.

Ask the agencies spending the money on lobbying, and they'll argue dozens of reasons why it's a sound investment, why it makes sense to have someone on hand to answer questions and provide information to part-time legislators.

The term "lobbyist" has a bad connotation, but lobbyists function more as advocates or government affairs liaisons, the organizations say.

The Medical University of South

Carolina spends about $100,000 a year on its "legislative liaisons." MUSC President Dr. Ray Greenberg said the school uses nonstate funds when possible to pay for its three liaisons, two of whom are full-time. Greenberg also said that MUSC is a $1.7-billion-a-year enterprise that relies on only about 7 percent in state funding.

To point to "big wins" to prove the worth would be misleading, Greenberg said. The the liaisons help legislators, for example, address constituent concerns such as referrals for medical care and questions about applications for degree programs.

Further, the legislators, who earn $10,400 and work in Columbia just half a year, often need information on short notice, Greenberg said. Since MUSC is about 115 miles from the Statehouse, having the liaisons in the capital also helps guide regulatory and administrative tasks through the government processes, he said.

Charleston schools got into a flap in 2006 over hiring a contract lobbyist. That session dealt with high-stakes issues for districts as lawmakers were changing the basis for school funding. At the time, at least three districts had hired lobbyists in addition to the dues paid to advocacy groups, including the S.C. School Boards Association and the S.C. Association of School Administrators.

House Majority Leader Jim Merrill of Daniel Island said that he's introduced bills every session to outlaw the practice among agencies or quasi-government groups.

Gov. Mark Sanford banned his Cabinet agencies from contracting lobbyists. Merrill said, though, stopping the practice by legislation gets tricky; he hasn't received the needed support, and agencies can slip around a potential law's language. It's common for groups to change the title to reflect a different job description, even if the functions are essentially lobbying, Merrill said.

The Charleston County School district does not have a lobbyist per se but hires Clara Heinsohn, director of public affairs and volunteers, to work closely with the local delegation. "I wear a lot of hats, but I am definitely not a lobbyist," she said, adding that she had been to Columbia only twice during the legislative session.

Heinsohn said the majority of her time is spent engaging the public in the education process. She also works to keep the delegation apprised of district happenings and its needs.

"It's very important that every district develop a relationship with their delegation," said Heinsohn, who previously worked for the Senate Education Committee. "Public education is integral to the community. These are representatives appropriating money."

Howard Duvall, executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, views its lobbying efforts as critical. The association spends about $245,000 a year on lobbying, which includes salaries for three staff members and the cost to put on receptions.

"Without having people to defend the powers of local elected officials, I think they would be quickly taken away by the General Assembly," Duvall said.

For example, he said, the association this year helped influence a new law to offer incentives to get fire sprinklers in more homes and businesses, an effort prompted by last year's Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston.

Municipal dues make up less than 7 percent of the association's budget, Duvall said. He also said that lobbyists are banned by the State Ethics Commission from trying to gain influence by providing elected officials with campaign contributions, entertainment, food and drinks or other perks.

Lobbyists help the lawmakers learn the difference between good and bad legislation and unintended consequences in a system that takes on about 2,000 bills every two-year session, Duvall said.

"Part of the function of the lobbyists is to give accurate, reliable information, to answer the questions of the part-time legislators," he said.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control is one state agency that employees lobbyists, spending $37,551 for the first part of 2007.

During the last session, an agency lobbyist was able alert lawmakers of the potential impact of a seemingly innocuous bill that would have cost the state an estimated $10 million and required pharmacists be stationed at all county health offices and clinics, said Thom Berry, director of the agency's media relations division.

"What we deal in is information, providing information to members of the General Assembly," Berry said.

Ashley Landess, president of the Policy Council, does not buy that argument. She said an elected official can get the same information for the good of the state from any local mayor, school board member or agency executive by picking up the phone.

"The public needs to be aware," Landess said. "They are paying the salaries of lobbyists who work to convince the General Assembly to spend more money."


Lobbying costs

The South Carolina Policy Council asserts that taxpayer-funded lobbying cost the state $3 million in 2006, although the impact on the budget is measured in exponential growth because the aim is for the lobbyist to bring more back to the agency or organization.

The agencies and organizations argue that the positions are needed, in part, to ensure that accurate and timely information is presented to the part-time Legislature. The following information also includes money spend on lobbying efforts in Washington.

The Policy Council released this data for the first five months of 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively:


2007 2006 2005

MUSC: $48,227 $104,808 $103,174

The Citadel: $33,023 $39,702 $51,965

College of Charleston: $0 $31,394 $82,579

Charleston Water System: $15,000 $20,000 $20,000

Berkeley Electric Co-op: $3,501 $17,414 $14,791

Edisto Electric Co-op: $3,655 $8,293 $0

City of Charleston: $44,000 $68,000 $140,000

DEPT. OF HEALTH & eNV.: $37,551 $47,537 $46,393

DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES: $9,414 $15,687 $17,444

S.C. Judicial Department: $55,000 $55,000 $29,167

State Ports Authority: $46,879 $124,772 $115,468

Municipal Association: $124,269 $244,104 $245,997

Association of Counties: $63,589 $97,519 $151,502

School Boards Assoc.: $27,516 $68,237 $69,554

Assoc. of School Admin.: $53,220 $123,635 $97,620

Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-799-9051 orywenger@postandcourier.com.



CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

AP: Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

AP: Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

 

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In this June 9, 2008 file photo, Mark Roh, U.S. Food and Drug Administration's acting regional director, holds a bag of tomatoes being tested for salmonella bacteria at FDA's southwest regional research lab, in Irvine, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)

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AP: Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

By LARRY MARGASAK – 2 days ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the worst outbreaks of foodborne illness in the U.S. is teaching the food industry the truth of the adage, "Be careful what you wish for because you might get it."

The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press.

The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records that could be reviewed easily during a crisis to search for an outbreak's source. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods.

The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million. So far, nearly 1,300 people in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada have been sickened by salmonella since April.

Investigators initially focused on tomatoes as a culprit. Now they are turning attention to jalapeno peppers.

A former member of Bush's Cabinet and three former senior officials in the Food and Drug Administration told the AP that government food safety experts did not get the strong record-keeping and trace-back system originally proposed under a bioterrorism law to cope with a major foodborne illness.

"In retrospect, yes, if they (the regulations) had been broader and a bit more far-reaching, it could have helped with this," said Robert Brackett, senior vice president of the Grocery 

 


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Miners stage election-year lobbying at conference

Miners stage election-year lobbying at conference

Miners are mounting a major lobbying campaign in the run-up to the general election and calling for a re-think on support for exploration.

"It's an election year, and that always means that parties take another look at what they are doing and where they stand on issues," said Minerals Industry Association chief executive Doug Gordon.

The campaign will be given a high public profile at this year's Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) conference, which starts in Wellington at the end of August. It will be formally opened by Associate Energy Minister Harry Duynhoven on September 1.

The conference was at a pivotal time for the mining sector, said Mr Gordon.


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

New biofuels lobbying group formed by some of the biggest players in agribusiness

New biofuels lobbying group formed by some of the biggest players in agribusiness

ST. LOUIS: The argument over using crops to make biofuels is about to get a little louder, courtesy of a new group formed by some of the biggest agribusiness companies in the world.

The new group — formed by Monsanto Co., Archer Daniels Midland, Deere & Co. and DuPont Co. — announced Thursday it will use national advertisements and lobbyists on Capitol Hill to build the case that new technologies can make it feasible to produce crop-based fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, even as grain prices climb worldwide.

Just a niche market three years ago, the biofuels industry has blossomed because of federal mandates requiring the United States to use 9 billion gallons (34 billion liters) of alternative fuel annually by 2009.

The mandates are under attack from a wide variety of groups that blame the new industry for rising food prices that have sparked riots and hoarding everywhere from Haiti to southeast Asia.

Organizers of the newly formed Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy said Thursday they want to change the debate about biofuels. Their plan is to convince consumers and politicians that both goals can be met at once by increasing agricultural productivity.

"I think the only path forward is one that meets both food and energy security demands," said Monsanto's Chief Technology Officer Robert Fraley. "I think we can add a component of science and technological perspective to the discussion."

Monsanto hopes to double the yield-per-acre (yield-per-hectare) of crops like corn and soybeans by 2030, he said. Pioneer Hi-Bred, a division of DuPont, plans to boost yields of its seeds by 40 percent within a decade.

The alliance plans to lobby federal lawmakers to keep current ethanol mandates while increasing funding for agricultural research and development that could increase crop yields. It also plans to try to sway consumers by telling them new technologies will make it possible to grow enough food to affordably fill gas tanks and grocery carts.

Companies behind the alliance stand to benefit from any increase in farming and grain consumption, whether it be increased use of Archer Daniels Midland's new ethanol plants, Monsanto's seeds or Deere & Cos. farming equipment.

The alliance didn't say how much it will spend on the campaign, beyond saying the project has a budget worth several million dollars. But even that kind of cash doesn't guarantee Congress won't revisit the wisdom of biofuels mandates.

The alliance faces opposition from well-funded agricultural interests that are suffering under rising in food costs, including the American Meat Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The GMA is already funding a campaign to highlight the negative effect of rising grain costs for average consumers, and it wants Congress to reconsider the federal ethanol mandates.

The GMA isn't swayed by the idea of waiting for agricultural productivity to improve, GMA Vice President for federal affairs Scott Faber said in a statement.

"While improvements in global agriculture are vital, this work must not distract us from the fact that while we wait, millions of people will be pushed deeper into hunger and poverty because we are diverting more and more food and feed supplies to producing ethanol," Faber said in a statement. "Congress and the administration can take immediate action to curb hunger by revisiting these flawed policies."

About 22 percent of the U.S. corn crop went to produce biofuels this year, which is virtually the same as last year, according to the National Corn Growers Association. A full 33 percent of this year's harvest, or 3.9 billion bushels, is expected to go toward ethanol production.

While virtually all experts agree that using crops for biofuels drives up the price of grain, opinions vary greatly as to how much.

White House economic advisers said the ethanol industry accounts for just 2 percent to 3 percent of the recent jump in grain prices, which are up more than 40 percent this year over last year. Estimates cited by the International Food Policy Research Institute and others say biofuels account for more than 30 percent of the increase.

Cutting back U.S. ethanol mandates would badly damage a booming U.S. biofuels industry that is just now starting to deliver domestically produced fuel to consumers, said Archer Daniels Midland Vice President Todd Werpy.

The newly built infrastructure could be used in future years to blend and deliver biofuels that are not crop based, such as ethanol made from grass or wood chips, he said.

"We will lose valuable ground that will take years to make up," Werpy said.


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Leading Lobbying Firm Celebrates Growth and New Name: Troutman Sanders Strategies

Leading Lobbying Firm Celebrates Growth and New Name: Troutman Sanders Strategies

Comtex

ATLANTA, July 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group (TSPAG), Georgia's leading lobbying firm for healthcare, taxation, banking and developer issues, has changed its name to Troutman Sanders Strategies.

"The name change reflects the firm's substantial growth since its founding in 2002 and its expanding business and geographic presence," said Pete Robinson, Chairman of Troutman Sanders Strategies.

"We've chosen a name that better defines a national firm that impacts government through advocacy," said Robinson. He noted that Troutman Sanders Strategies has grown from a single office into a comprehensive, bi-partisan, national-issue management firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Richmond, with more than 20 federal and state lobbyists.

Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group was founded six years ago by Troutman Sanders LLP, a 111-year-old international law firm with more than 650 attorneys and 12 offices in North America, Europe and Asia. In addition, Troutman Sanders LLP recently announced it will merge with Ross, Dixon & Bell LLP, a 100-lawyer firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Diego and Orange County, California.

The rapid growth of Troutman Sanders Strategies has been partially fueled by the acquisition of veteran, top-notch talent and practices. Robinson said the firm's lobbyists are executing on everything from Capitol Hill's major federal legislation battles to state procurement issues, coalition building and grasstops advocacy, while also leading the way in public-private partnership initiatives. This has helped the firm develop into a "truly full-service practice."

"We have always followed the philosophy that average and ordinary are not good enough, and we intend to showcase that in 2008," said Robinson. "This is an incredibly talented and focused group of veterans with proven expertise across the board as shown by our many satisfied clients."

For more information on Troutman Sanders Strategies, visit their new Web site, http://www.troutmansandersstrategies.com and call Robb Willis, Principal, at 404.879.6501 or Pete Robinson, Chairman, at 404.885.3699.

Keywords: government relations, state government affairs, federal government affairs, procurement, coalition building and grasstops advocacy, agriculture, natural resources, energy, environment, insurance, healthcare, finance, taxation, trade, appropriations, project funding, public-private partnerships, telecommunications, technology, transportation, infrastructure, Atlanta, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Troutman Sanders LLP, Troutman Sanders Strategies.

SOURCE Troutman Sanders Strategies

FOR MORE INFORMACIÓN:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/leading-lobbying-firm-celebrates-growth-new-troutman-sanders-strategies/-1822635270#

 


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

legal blog watch


The Cravath System and the Demise of Large Firm Business as We Know It

Professor Bill Henderson of the Empirical Legal Studies Blog has opened an interesting discussion with his recent analysis of the bimodal distribution of law firm starting salaries.  Essentially, Henderson's salary charts reflect the current "winner take all" nature of the law firm marketplace, with a small percentage of talent collecting enormous salaries.  While this type of distribution is typical for industries like professional sports or celebrity entertainment, Henderson says that he's never seen this type of distribution for "a normal labor market involving tens of thousands of people and not just a handful of superstars."

But what's more interesting is Henderson's observation that law firms still have no interest in deviating from "the Cravath model" of paying top dollar for elite grads, even where they lack the mix of business to support it.  Henderson's research shows that:

Partners in marquee practices like white collar crime, securities enforcement, M&A, private equity, emerging markets, and intellectual property litigation are disproportionately moving upstream to more profitable firms. Partners specializing in regulatory compliance, real estate, public finance, project finance, and trust & estates are disproportionately moving downstream....In the long-run, firms without an optimal mix of premium practice areas will have a hard time sticking with the Cravath system.  Increasingly, corporate clients are refusing to have their cases staffed by expensive first- or second-year associates who don't know very much and tend to leave.  Hence, the training the clients are allegedly paying for has little or no future payoff.   

In other words, for many large law firms, the wheels of their hallowed business model are falling off.  During this period of denial, every firm's short term strategy is to work harder, promote fewer lawyers to equity partner, and de-equitize as needed.

Bruce MacEwen offers this take on Henderson's data:

The bimodal distribution of starting lawyer salaries is not, economically speaking, an equilibrium condition. It will change.

The last great associate salary spike, from $125Kto $160K, took place roughly 18 months ago when times were flush. Even then, some firms began panting at the effort to keep up. (Recall that the instigator of that spike was Simpson Thacher, which didn't have to raise its resting pulse to manage the spike.)

The next spike—I won't predict when it will be but I will predict it will be to $200K—will leave a lot of firms crying "Uncle." They will stop struggling to keep up with the receding red lights moving on down the highway. And it will be economically rational, geographically defensible, and culturally unifying.

At the end of the day, perhaps it's not discontent with the lack of meaningful work or work/life balance that will bring change to -- or the demise of -- the current large firm business model. Yet again, it's the economy, stupid.

Sphere: Related Content

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 21, 2008 at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Presidential Campaign Roundup

Presbadge
With the Democratic and Republican party conventions fast approaching, it's time for another presidential campaign roundup.

Summary of Campaign Positions -- Not sure of who to vote for yet?  Then take a look at this summary from Reuters on each candidate's position on legal issues like the death penalty, immigration enforcement, the Supreme Court, wiretapping and civil rights.  Not surprisingly, the candidates are farthest apart on the question of who they'd nominate to the Supreme Court.  Throughout the campaign, McCain has promised that if given the opportunity, he would select jurists in the mold of Roberts or Alito, while Senator Obama voted against these two appointees.

Preferential Press Treatment for Obama? -- Drudge Report says the New York Times rejected an editorial written by McCain as a rebuttal to Obama's op-ed article entitled, My Plan for Iraq, published by the Times less than a week earlier.  Does the Times' decision reflect  media bias, as many top Republicans charge, or what the Times claims is a reasonable exercise of editorial discretion? (H/T to Volokh.)

Sphere: Related Content

Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 21, 2008 at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lawyer Translator Helps Associates Understand How Firm Is Different

Minneapolis law firm Halleland Lewis Niland & Johnson wants to make absolutely sure that its prospective hires understand how the firm differs from its competitors... so much so that the firm has created The Lawyer Translator, an online recruitment Web site that translates the jargon behind law firms' promises of hefty salaries and meaningful work.   From the firm's press release:

[T]he Lawyer Job Interview Translator features an online "talking head" law firm interviewer who provides pat answers to questions on topics ranging from work environment to professional development to salaries. Using this tool, Halleland Lewis distinguishes its own competitive compensation program, for example, from other firms' salary-matching practices by emphasizing its own opportunities for significant performance-based bonuses.  After the virtual interviewer has given his jargonistic response, viewers of the site can click a "Translate" button to decode the jargon, then learn about the "Halleland Way" of responding to these same questions directly.

The press release also notes that the firm's associates played a significant role in developing the Translator recruitment campaign.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 21, 2008 at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microsoft Willing to Pay for Diversity

Well, if law firms won't increase the number of women and minority hires because it's the right thing to do or even because it's what clients want, then by golly, maybe they'll do it for cash.  That's apparently the theory behind Microsoft's new diversity initiative that will award bonuses to outside counsel based on their inclusion of minority and women attorneys, reports the National Law Journal.  Firms that participate in the diversity initiative can earn an extra two percent bonus on top of the three percent increases that all seventeen of Microsoft's preferred firms are eligible to receive in FY 2009. 

Firms that choose to participate in Microsoft's diversity initiative -- which is strictly voluntary -- must agree to allow Microsoft to track diversity progress.  Firms can demonstrate improvement and qualify for bonuses by either (1)showing a two percent increase in hours worked by diverse attorneys on Microsoft matters over the previous year; or (2)showing a .5 percent increase in total diverse attorneys as a percentage of the firms' total attorneys.  Oh, and by the way, firms can't use contract attorneys, whose ranks are  disproportionately comprised of minorities,to meet diversity requirements.

Microsoft's diversity goals don't seem very demanding but then again, firms may not find a two percent bonus worth changing business as usual.  What do you think? Will the Microsoft initiative succeed?  Or are firms better off achieving diversity not by extending a golden carrot but by wielding a big stick and dumping those firms that fail to meet diversity requirements.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 21, 2008 at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sending Judges to Medical School

Marcia Oddi at Indiana Law Blog shares this interesting piece from the AMA Med News about the National Judges' Medical School, a program designed to equip judges with better knowledge of medical science to help them interpret complex health care cases. 

This year's 2008 program focused on medical malpractice, where judges observed staged trials, reviewed clinical studies and learned about the differences between "standard of care" and "medical necessity."  Judges are also offered training to help them ask the right questions about an expert's qualifications or a peer-reivewed study, so that they can cull irrelevant evidence from the record and determine whether evidence is scientifically reliable and ultimately helpful to juries. 

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

FROM LEGAL BLOG WARCH


Lawyers Being Rendered Obsolete?

Though $1,000/hour billing rates aren't scaring off large firm clients, the high cost of lawyers' fees, particularly in recessionary economic times, is a major factor driving the growth of pro se representation, reports USA Today.  Though many individuals handled legal matters without lawyers, particularly in small claims court, what's really changed, notes the article, is the increase in family law and domestic cases where lawyers aren't involved.  For example, in San Diego, the number of unrepresented parties in family court cases went up 70 percent in 2004 from 54 percent in the early 1990s.  And a 2004 study by the New Hampshire Supreme Court task force said 85 percent of civil cases in district court and 48 percent in superior court were tried without lawyers.

Courts have grown more responsive to the needs of self-help litigants.  Today, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have set up self-help centers to assist pro se's with forms.  Many courts also offer training to judges on dealing with unrepresented litigants. 

Cost isn't the sole reason that people choose to proceed without lawyers.  A study by the National, a Canadian Bar Association magazine, also found that the Internet has made it easier for people to research legal matters on their own. 

What do you make of the pro se  trend?  Are these unrepresented litigants clients who could never have afforded lawyers anyway?  Are they better off handling these matters completely on their own, or would they be better off with low-cost services like DivorceDeli.com, which I blogged about last week?  Or perhaps, will certain types of legal services eventually be rendered obsolete?  I welcome your comments below.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 15, 2008 at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Doctor Rating Site in U.K. Sets Off Controversy

You might call iwantgreatcare.org the Avvo for doctors. Just as Avvo allows clients to rate their attorneys, iwantgreatcare.org invites patients to grade their general practitioner. And just as Avvo has generated its share of controversy and lawsuits, so too has iwantgreatcare.org. Pulse.net is reporting that Carter-Ruck solicitors, which represents a group of 37 doctors, has written a cease-and-desist letter to the Web site's founder, "expressing grave concerns about the potential for inaccurate, irresponsible and defamatory allegations being published on the website." The letter concludes by warning of the firm's intent to file a lawsuit if any of its clients are defamed on the site. 

Does rating doctors raise the same concerns as rating lawyers?  Your thoughts are welcome in the comment section.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 15, 2008 at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Legal Blog Watch Scooped by New Member, New York Personal Injury Attorney

Oh man! Eric Turkewitz joined the Law.com Blog Network just a few days ago, and already, he's scooped me on getting the word out.  But then again, what do you expect from one of those aggressive, pushy New York Personal Injury Attorney types?

Actually, expect plenty.  Unlike other personal injury lawyers who use their blogs solely for soliciting clients, Turkewitz covers a wide range of topics.  One day, you might find him helping unveil Flea, a pediatrician who blogged pseudonymously during a malpractice trial and was eventually outed.  The next, he's fooling law professors and the legal media with a story about the Supreme Court Justices recusing themselves from a certiorari matter involving rotisserie baseball to avoid a conflict of interest due to their own participation in the league.  In fact, Turkewitz is such an energetic and varied blogger that he relaxes by running the New York marathon

Welcome aboard, Eric!

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 15, 2008 at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marginally More Family-Friendly Options for Lawyers Than MBAs

A recent study by UC Berkeley associate professor Catherine Wolfram, a member of the Haas Economic Analysis and Policy Group, found that MBAs are more likely than MDs, and marginally more likely than JDs to leave the workforce and stay home with their children. Wolfram's study, based on surveys of nearly 1,000 Harvard undergraduate alumni, found that 15 years after graduation, 28 percent of the women who went on to get MBAs were stay-at-home mothers, compared to 21 percent of JDs and only 6 percent of MDs.   One explanation offered for the disparity is that businesswomen work longer hours and must often travel, while doctors who work in private practices might have an easier time working part time.  In addition, the study also found that:

[L]awyers do appear to have more family-friendly alternatives available. JD mothers who remained in the labor force were more likely to switch careers while MBA moms were twice as likely to merely quit.

Since the study reflects only a seven percent difference in the opt-out rates of MBAs and JDs, the conclusion that law offers more family-friendly alternatives seems shaky.  At the same time, at least it's good to know that as gloomy as the prospects for work/life balance at law firms may seem, it could be worse.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on July 15, 2008 at 12:21 PM | Permalink


CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02-  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES  ,   y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile