Job description: Defense Attorney

The Defense Attorney is an advocate for the client. The client should be presented by the defense in the best possible light. While the defense attorney must zealously seek to help the client, it is important to never misrepresent the case.

To prepare the case, the Defense Attorney should be familiar with the aggravating and mitigating circumstances regarding the charge.

The Defense Attorney will stand when the Judge enters and leaves the courtroom. He will also stand when the jury enters and leaves the courtroom.

While the Prosecuting Attorney is questioning the defendant, the Defense Attorney may object if the prosecutor asks what seems to be an improper question. The Court will rule on the objection either by sustaining or by overruling the objection. The defendant is then required to answer or ignore the question.

The Defense Attorney should never argue with the opposing attorney but should address the bench (Judge) with necessary questions.

After the Prosecution has completed questioning the defendant, the Defense Attorney will stand and ask questions of the defendant that are designed to bring out mitigating factors in the case. These could be questions regarding the defendant's remorse or shame with this involvement in the offense, the fact that he has received some consequences at home for the behavior, or that he did not intend to become involved in this offense. These questions and the answers should justify the Defense's request for a lighter sentence than the one asked for by the prosecution.

After the Defense Attorney completes his questioning, he will rest the case. The Prosecution finishes closing argument, followed by the Defense Attorney's presentation of closing argument. The closing should be supported by evidence. The Defsnse Attorney can point out to the jury the facts which may influence them to consider a lighter sentence for his client.

Please remember to always return paperwork to the coordinator
at the end of each Teen Court session.

Criminal defense attorney

Criminal Defense Attorney Employment ? What You Need To Know

Are you looking for a career as a criminal defense attorney? This is definitely one field which you will never run short of work. With the crime rates rising everywhere in the world, criminal defense attorney employment will always offer a good deal. The criminal justice is a vast field of which criminal defense is only a very small part. Other aspects covered under this field are, criminal law, detectives, paralegals, investigators, criminal justice researchers and so on. There are many highly successful investigators and detectives who are the outcome of a stint with the justice department.

Criminal defense attorney ? the career

A criminal defense attorney is high on the wanted all over the world, not only in the USA. This is because there is no such place in this world where there are no crimes or criminals. In fact the criminal defense attorney is seen as special and highly demanding job both emotionally and psychologically and hence it is paid higher than any other branches of the law.


As a criminal defense attorney your job would be to defend people who are found accused by crimes and thereby prevent their conviction. Since almost always the cases are highly sensitive and involve the risk of extreme punishments the criminal defense attorney jobs are extremely demanding emotionally as it is challenging. This is because a criminal defense attorney is answerable not only to his/her client but also to his/ her peers and society at large.

It is the challenge of the criminal defense attorney employment that attracts some of the brightest minds into this field. Their job starts right after the arrest of the person accused of whatever crime he/ she is supposed to have committed. The criminal defense attorney would first try to release the person on bail while working out the best procedure to acquit his/ her if they would be brought for a trial. However, before the trial the criminal defense attorney would try their best to get the person discharged before a trial is called for. Once the trial starts, then the criminal defense attorney would really have to work hard for his or her salary as defending a person from any crime is quite difficult. The more difficult it is the sweeter is the taste of winning such a case.

Educational requirement for Criminal defense attorney

Any practicing attorney would need to first earn his or her license in order to practice any type of law in the USA and for this the Bar exam must be passed. This exam is also known as the Multi-State Bar Exam or in short MBE which differs from State to State. This means that if you ever move from one State to another and you want to practice in the new State, you would have to pass the MBE again to gain a license to practice there. This is because the law differs in certain aspects from State to State.

You would also need a bachelor?s or master?s degree and of course you would need to pass the law school as per the norms of the ABA (American Bar Association). You could also become a criminal defense attorney without attending the law school, if you are willing to undergo an apprenticeship under a leading criminal defense agency or criminal lawyer. However this option is open in a handful of States.

The subjects you would need to emphasize on to become a great criminal defense attorney would be sociology, composition and written communication in the justice environment, criminology and court procedure, general education requirements, psychology and/ or rehabilitation among others. Some other skills that you would need are police investigative work, security, juvenile delinquency, forensics, criminal investigations, and victim advocacy and so on.


Some of the leading law schools approved by the ABA where you can read about criminal defense are:

University of Phoenix
South University
Kaplan University
Everest College
Capella University
FMU Online
Grand Canyon University
Compensation for Criminal defense attorney

The average salary that criminal defense attorney employment would entail started at US $45,000 upwards. These were the statistics in 2004. This figure is almost double today which show the extreme potential of the criminal defense attorney jobs. This comes with all the perquisites such as medical benefits, retirement benefits and so on.

Criminal Defense Attorney

Company: Robert Half Legal

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Contact Information
Name: Recruiter
Apply to this job now
Job Description
Classification: Full-time

Compensation: $80000 to $130000 per year

A busy Phoenix law firm is looking to add an experienced criminal defense attorney to its team. The right candidate MUST have appellate experience and 3+ years criminal defense experience. The firm offers a competitive compensation package and a collegial work environment. Interested and qualified candidates should submit their resumes, in confidence, to Steven Deutsch at [Click Here to Email Your Resum�] or call 602-977-0505 to inquire about the position.

Located in major markets throughout North America, Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of legal professionals on a full-time, project and temporary basis to law firms and corporate legal departments. We offer our candidates challenging assignments, competitive compensation and benefits, and skills-enhancement training. Robert Half Legal is better at finding you challenging new career opportunities because we come from the legal industry ourselves, with a majority of our staffing executives holding JDs or other legal credentials. Additionally, we were just ranked number one in our industry on Fortune's list of America's Most Admired Companies. Call your local Robert Half Legal office at 1.800.870.8367 to discover more about this position. Robert Half Legal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Apply for this job now or for more information and to view all our job opportunities visit www.roberthalflegal.com.


Job Requirements
Only candidates with an AZ bar license, criminal defense experience and appellate court experience will be considered.

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Consortium News reports that Tim Griffen, Karl Rove's buddy who got the plum US Attorney job when they fired Bud Cummins for no reason, evidently claimed on his resume that he prosecuted 40 cases while working for Cummins. San Diego criminal attorney Scott Pactor gave us the inside scoop on criminal defense attorney salaries and attorney jobs.

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Defense Attorney

How to become a Defense Attorney
Applicants to law school are required to have a bachelor's degree. A multi-disciplinary undergraduate background is recommended with courses that include the skills of communication (both speaking and writing), research, analyzing, and logical thinking. Applicants to law school are screened through their undergraduate grades, quality of undergraduate school, prior work experience, score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and occasionally, a personal interview. State approved schools exist, but as of 2006 there were 195 schools accredited by the American Bar Association. Competition for acceptance into law school is intense, with the number of applicants greatly outnumbering the slots available.

During the first half of law school, students study core courses such as constitutional law, civil procedure, and legal writing. During the second half, students usually select an area of specialty and often gain practical experience in school sponsored legal clinics and moot court competitions. After law school, attorneys must stay informed about developments affecting the practice of law. Forty-eight states currently have continuing education requirements for attorneys.

To practice law in any state or jurisdiction in the United States, an individual must pass an examination to be licensed, or admitted to its bar. Many states also require attorneys to pass a written ethics exam. In most cases, attorneys must pass these exams in each state they wish to practice. Federal courts also set their own qualifications for those practicing before them.

What does a Defense Attorney do?
Defense attorneys act as advocates for their clients within the legal system, which can take the form of offering evidence and arguments on the client's behalf in court. Attorneys also advise clients of their legal rights, obligations and options. They can suggest a particular course of action in a business or personal matter. In all circumstances, defense attorneys research the intent of the law and previous court rulings and analyze them for application to the client's specific situation. Although law libraries are still the mainstay of this research, more and more attorneys are turning to technology to supplement the research process.
What skills or qualities do I need to become a Defense Attorney?
Practicing law requires a high degree of individual responsibility and adherence to a strict code of ethics. Successful defense attorneys enjoy working with people and have excellent interpersonal skills that can win the trust and confidence of their clients and the public. Attorneys often analyze complex legal issues or new and unique problems. This requires creativity, reasoning abilities, and perseverance. Defense attorneys must be able to think quickly and speak in an easy and confident manner. Knowledge of courtroom procedures is also essential.
How much does a Defense Attorney make?
Earnings of defense attorneys can vary widely based on several factors including years of experience, and type, size, and location of their employer. Those who own their own practices generally make significantly less than those who are partners in a large firm. In 2006, the median annual earnings of all attorneys were $102,470 with the middle fifty percent earning between $69,910 and $145,600 per year.
Who are some influential professionals in this field?
Richard E. Wiley has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of America's 100 most influential lawyers in each of the five years this list has been published. He is a partner at Wiley Rien where he heads the firm's Communication Practice. With 80 attorneys, this is the largest communications practice in the United States. In his role as chairman of the advisory committee to the Federal Communications Commission, Wiley has played an instrumental role in relaxing state regulations on mobile phones and creating the technical standards for high definition television. He has been recognized time and again for his expertise and contribution to the telecommunications industry. Some of his recent awards include the Award of Special Recognition from the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation in 2007 and the Chambers USA Award for Excellence in the area of telecommunications regulatory work in 2006.

William H. Neukom is the current president of the American Bar Association and the Chair of Preston Gates LLP in Seattle, Washington. His primary initiative as president of the American Bar Association is the World Justice Project. He spent seventeen years as the lead counsel for Microsoft Corporation, where he led the effort to establish and protect intellectual property rights. Neukom was instrumental in securing a victory in the Apple v. Microsoft Corporation and led Microsoft's defense against anti-trust claims from the United States government and the European Union.


What are some leading organizations in this field?
The American Bar Association was founded in 1878 in Soda Springs, Michigan and is currently headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. With over 400,000 members, this is the largest voluntary professional organization in the world. The mission of this organization is to be the national representation of the legal profession. The influence of the American Bar Association is rooted not only in the size of the organization (roughly half of all practicing lawyers in the United States), but also in its diversity. It provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, programs to assist legal professionals, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.

The National Association for Law Placement, now known as NALP, was founded in 1971 in response to the need for a forum to discuss issues related to placement and recruitment of legal professionals. This organization is dedicated to providing career counseling and professional development aimed at increasing recruitment and retention of lawyers. NALP seeks to provide expert research and education for professional development, to cultivate ethical practices in the recruitment of lawyers, to promote all available job options for those seeking a career in the legal profession, and to advocate for diversity within the legal profession.
What are the top cities for Defense Attorney jobs?
The top cities for aspiring defense attorneys to find employment include New York City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Miami and Fort Lauderdale Florida, and Houston, Texas.

Attorneys To Patent Those Special Inventions56

Not anybody would instinctively know what the laws for patents were. Companies specializing in electronics are very experienced in patents because they need to be able to protect the intellectual property rights of a particular invention or design. Patents are in place and can be acquired from the government by the inventor of the item. The patent stops any other companies from making, using, or selling the product without permission. The changes in the American government laws gives the patent twenty years from the time of application to the expiration of the patent and the product them belongs to freely be use by others.

Getting a patent can be a strenuous job that most do not want to deal with. Patent attorneys are there to help you with all things involved and make it easier for you. A patent attorney is the one assuming the responsibility for you and the invention and this is cause for mounds of paperwork and government dealings.

You might find out just what types of inventions are required to carry a patent. There are three areas of patents. They are:

1. Utility Patents - given to individuals or companies that has invented a new and functional process. This may include a new machine, product, or matter composition, like chemical makeup or ingredients. 2. Design Patents - for individuals who have created a new design or pattern of any kind. 3. Plant Patents - for individuals who have found a new breed or variation that was cultivated or breed on its own.

The normal person would thing a patent can be a complicated and therefore require a patent attorney with experience. Many would not want to be bothered with a difficult duty. Patent attorneys are a precious thing that can come in with a large fee and extra expenses for you to pay for the patent. Before deciding on which attorney to hire, you might want to provide yourself with a little safety and ensure that the fees for the lawyer are not going to cause you any profit cuts. If you are not going to make any money on the product with the attorney's fees and patent cost, you are wasting time. It can be a large and stressful task but if you are certain you have a great idea, call yourself a patent attorney soon. If you really believe, you could be the next great Bill Gates or Donald Trump. Great things worth having are those things you cannot get easily.

Lawyer Salary

It's difficult to pinpoint an exact number for the average salary earnings of a practicing lawyer, since the legal field is such a diverse field. Which field you choose to specialize in, as well as where you choose to practice law, can greatly impact your potential earnings
Average Lawyer Salaries

Another thing to keep in mind about the average salary for a lawyer is the fact that over 25% of the lawyers practicing today do so as self-employed attorneys, either through their own small practices or as partners in larger firms. Self-employed lawyers may be able to earn more outright through their hourly fees, but must also contend with self-employment taxes that go beyond those of traditional employees.

In 2006, the average annual salary of a lawyer was just over $100,000/year. The middle 50% of the lawyer salaries ranged from $70,000/year and $145,000/year, with even more diverse numbers on the lower and higher ends of the salary spectrum.
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With so many people graduating from law school every year, the competition to make it into a high-paying law firm is more intense than ever. The best way to maximize your earnings potential with your law degree is to specialize in a certain legal field and then carve out your niche in a company that needs that specific law degree.

The highest attorney salaries were those who went on to work in the management fields of different companies and enterprises – for example, lawyers providing legal counsel to manufacturing firms or electronics companies. The average salary of these lawyers was close to $130,000/year. However, it's important to note that there isn't always a legal tie-in to the work these lawyers are doing or how they are utilizing their law degree in their current positions.

The next highest group on the legal salary earnings spectrum is comprised of lawyers who work for the federal government and its legal services. These practicing lawyers averaged over $100,000/year, while lawyers who work for either their local or state governments were found at the lower end of the spectrum. In fact, these lawyers earned significantly less per year, with an average of just over $75,000/year. This disparity is enough to make prospective lawyers wonder what the difference between working for the federal government and the state government is – other than the nearly $45,000/year price difference.

The earning spread of those lawyers who are self-employed is far different and is primarily dependent on how long a lawyer has been practicing, what type of law they specialize in, and where the firm is located. For example, a private practice specializing in real estate and probate laws in rural areas isn't likely to have as much of an earnings potential as a medical malpractice firm in an urban area. Lawyers working in rural areas may encounter a resistance to legal interference that may significantly limit their available case load.

However, it's worth mentioning that these high salaries come with a heavy price tag. After spending an intense three years in law school, you may find yourself working long hours as a rookie lawyer. It's up to you to decide whether the joy you take from practicing law is enough to compensate for the physical and emotional stress you'll face when beginning your practice.

Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Announces VP Michael K. Brandt Recently Received Prestigious President's Award from the Illinois Land Title Association

ILTA President Kirk Sterling presented the award at the organization's annual meeting July 10, 2009, in East Peoria, IllinoisEast Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,638 at the 2000 census. East Peoria is part of the Greater Peoria MSA. It is home to many Caterpillar facilities.
..... Click the link for more information.. Founded more than 100 years ago, non-profit ILTA is the state trade association representing title agents, abstractors and underwriters in all 102 Illinois counties.

ILTA's President's Award is a special recognition given to individuals who took on additional work during the year to help the association achieve its goals.

"Mike co-chaired our legislative committee, which bears the enormous burden of reviewing all bills from both the Illinois SenateThe Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818.
..... Click the link for more information. and the House that could impact the title business in Illinois," explained Kirk Sterling, who recently became the immediate past president of ILTA and is vice president/division manager with Old Republic National Title Insurance Company. "Mike's commitment to continue volunteering his extra time even after serving in the capacity as president of the ILTA shows that he is truly dedicated to our business and to our association."

Brandt is both a past president of the ILTA and 2005 winner of the organization's President's Award.

Sterling added, "Through Mike's efforts along with the rest of the Legislative Committee we were successful in introducing a 'Good Funds' Bill that will benefit all title companies doing business in Illinois."

The Good Funds Bill would provide protection for Illinois title insurance companies with respect to escrow transactions. If passed, it would require that all funds over a certain dollar amount originating from a single party to a real estate transaction be wired funds as opposed to personal or cashier's checks, thereby guaranteeing the transfer of funds without delay. It is also a fraud-protection measure. The funds would be unconditionally held in the escrow account for the closing agent to draw upon for disbursement DISBURSEMENT. Literally, to take money out of a purse. Figuratively, to pay out money; to expend money; and sometimes it signifies to advance money.
2. at the appropriate time.

Working from ATG's Champaign, IL office, Brandt oversees title insurance claims and legislative matters for ATG. In addition to his current responsibilities, Brandt has extensive experience in title underwriting. He started with ATG in 1984 after four years as a private practitioner in LaSalle-Peru, Illinois. Brandt earned his B.A. in 1975 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Early years: 1867-1880
The Morrill Act of 1862 granted each state in the United States a portion of land on which to establish a major public state university, one which could teach agriculture, mechanic arts, and military training, "without excluding other scientific , and later received his J.D. (Magna Cum Laude cum lau·de
adv. & adj.
With honor. Used to express academic distinction: graduated cum laude; 25 cum laude graduates. , Order of the Coif An unincorporated national scholastic honor society in law. Its purpose is to foster excellence in legal scholarship and to recognize those who have attained high grades in law school or who have distinguished themselves in the teaching of law. ) in 1979 from the school's College of Law.

About Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.

Through its nearly 4,000 member attorneys across Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northern Indiana, ATG has presided over 2.5 million home closings and provided homebuyers with competitively priced title insurance since 1964. The only bar-related title insurance company based in Illinois, ATG has built a significant market share by providing excellent service at competitive prices. It has a financial stability rating of "A Prime Unsurpassed" from the independent ratings bureau, Demotech.

Statement of Client's Rights

Section 1210.1 of the Joint Rules of the Appellate Division
(22NYCRR§1210.1)
You are entitled to be treated with courtesy and consideration at all times by your lawyer and the other lawyers and personnel in your lawyer's office.


You are entitled to an attorney capable of handling your legal matter competently and diligently, in accordance with the highest standards of the profession. If you are not satisfied with how your matter is being handled, you have the right to withdraw from the attorney-client relationship at any time (court approval may be required in some matters and your attorney may have a claim against you for the value of services rendered to you up to the point of discharge).


You are entitled to your lawyer's independent professional judgment and undivided loyalty uncompromised by conflicts of interest.


You are entitled to be charged a reasonable fee and to have your lawyer explain at the outset how the fee will be computed and the manner and frequency of billing. You are entitled to request and receive a written itemized bill from your attorney at reasonable intervals. You may refuse to enter into any fee arrangement that you find unsatisfactory. In the event of a fee dispute, you may have the right to seek arbitration; your attorney will provide you with the necessary information regarding arbitration in the event of a fee dispute, or upon your request.


You are entitled to have your questions and concerns addressed in a prompt manner and to have your telephone calls returned promptly.


You are entitled to be kept informed as to the status of your matter and to request and receive copies of papers. You are entitled to sufficient information to allow you to participate meaningfully in the development of your matter.


You are entitled to have your legitimate objectives respected by your attorney, including whether or not to settle your matter (court approval of a settlement is required in some matters).


You have the right to privacy in your dealings with your lawyer and to have your secrets and confidences preserved to the extent permitted by law.


You are entitled to have your attorney conduct himself or herself ethically in accordance with the Code of Professional Responsibility.


You may not be refused representation on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.

ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP - The Supreme Court has long held attorneys to stringent standards of loyalty and fairness with respect to their clients. In 1850, the Supreme Court stated:

There are few of the business relations of life involving a higher trust and confidence than that of attorney and client, or, generally speaking, one more honorably and faithfully discharged; few more anxiously guarded by the law, or governed by sterner principles of morality and justice; and it is the duty of the court to administer them in a corresponding spirit, and to be watchful and industrious, to see that confidence thus reposed shall not be used to the detriment or prejudice of the rights of the party bestowing it. Stockton v. Ford, 52 U.S. (11 How.) 232 (1850).

In the same vein, the Idaho Supreme Court has stated:

The relationship of client and attorney is one of trust, binding an attorney to the utmost good faith in dealing with his client. In the discharge of that trust, an attorney must act with complete fairness, honor, honesty, loyalty, and fidelity in all his dealings with his client. An attorney is held to strict accountability for the performance and observance of those professional duties and for a breach or violation thereof, the client may hold the attorney liable or accountable. Beal v. Mars Larsen Ranch Corp., Inc., 99 Idaho 662, 667-668, 586 P.2d 1378, 1383-1384 (1978) (citation omitted).

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that an attorney's subsequent representation of a client, whose interests were materially adverse to a former client in a matter substantially related to that in which he or she represented the former client, was an impermissible conflict of interest, giving rise to breach of a fiduciary duty. Maritrans 602 A.2d at 1282. The Court reasoned that an action at law was available because the common-law fiduciary duty imposed on attorneys prohibited them from engaging in impermissible conflicts of interest. Id. at 1283 (citing Stockton v. Ford, 52 U.S. (11 How.) 232 (1850); Woods v. Nat'l Bank & Trust Co., 312 U.S. 262, 61 S.Ct. 493 (1941); T.C. Theatre Corp. v. Warner Bros. Pictures, 113 F. Supp. 265 (S.D.N.Y. 1953)).

A duty to avoid conflicts of interest may be found in the proposed Restatements of the Law Governing Lawyers Comment c to section 72 which states:

After a client-lawyer relationship ends . . . a lawyer still owes certain duties to a former client, for example, to .. . avoid certain conflicts of interest (SS 213-214). A breach of such duties may be remedied through a malpractice action in such circumstances coming within this section. Id.

It is axiomatic that an attorney cannot continue to represent a client in a lawsuit in contravention of that client's explicit instruction to the contrary. See Model R. Prof. Cond. 1.2 ('A lawyer shall abide by a client's decisions concerning the objectives of representation[.]'); Comment to Model R. Prof. Cond. 1.2 ('The client has ultimate authority to determine the purposes to be served by legal representation[.]'). See Foothills Dev. Co. v. Clark County Bd., 730 P.2d 1369, 1373 (Wash. App. 1986) (attorney must follow client's specific instructions).

Law training contracts – firms with closing date 31st January 09

Here I have collected together links to the relevant careers pages of law firms who are advertising training contract schemes with a closing date of 31st of January, just to help make sure you don’t miss any deadlines. Remember it always helps to get in early, as employers may read them as they come in and pick out outstanding candidates before the date.

•Abrahams Dresden Solicitors - CV + covering letter
•Blacks - CV + covering letter
•Bristows - application form
•BTMK Solicitors - application form
•Clarke Kiernan
•Douglas-Jones Mercer - application form
•FBC Manby Bowdler - CV + covering letter
•Gough-Thomas & Scott
•GSC Solicitors - CV + handwritten covering letter
•Hamilton Pratt
•Harrisons Solicitors
•Lanyon Bowdler - CV + covering letter
•Matthew Arnold & Baldwin
•Punch Robson
Dates have been drawn from LawCareers.net website and The Law Society Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook 2009, and verified on the company website. You can pick up a free copy of The Law Society Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook 2009 at your university careers service.

Please note: This list is not guaranteed to be comprehensive. Other firms who have adjusted their closing dates to the 31st of January 09, or who do not appear in these guides, may not be included, so do check further solicitors you may be interested in.

Your training contract

The Solicitors' Training Regulations 2009 govern all aspects of qualifying as a solicitor. One of your responsibilities under the training contract is to become familiar with the regulations and to check that your firm follows them. You should also take the time to read Training trainee solicitors: the SRA requirements [PDF 146KB], which you will be given access to at the start of your contract.

Offer letter
Once you have been selected as a prospective trainee, the firm must send you an offer letter setting out the terms and conditions of your employment, including:

■any conditions to which the offer is subject
■the dates on which the contract will start and finish
■the starting salary, and how this will be reviewed
■holiday and sickness benefit entitlement
■the areas of law in which you will gain experience, and the skills you will practise
■any arrangements for re-employment when the training contract finishes.
It is good practice and common courtesy to accept the offer in writing.

The SRA stipulates minimum and recommended trainee salary levels for trainees working in Central London and elsewhere in England and Wales.

Registering your training contract
Within three months of starting your training, you and your firm should complete and sign the training contract form, and your firm should send it to be registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) within 28 days of being signed. The registration fee is borne by the firm. Until the contract is registered you are not regarded as a trainee and are not protected by the Training Contract Regulations 1990, so it is in your own interests to ensure that it is done. If your firm refuses or otherwise fails to register your training contract, think very carefully about whether you want to stay with them.

Within thirty days you will receive a letter from the SRA confirming the registration and the date of expiry of the contract. If you don’t get this letter, contact the SRA on 01527 504433.

Training
During your training you should be given experience in at least three distinctive substantive areas of English law, including both contentious and non-contentious work.

If your firm is unable to provide the requisite training, it must arrange a secondment for you to another training establishment, ensuring that the terms of the training code and contract are met during this period.
As well as giving you work experience, your firm must allow you to attend the Professional Skills Course fees: the firm will pay the course fees and grant you study leave to attend.

Recording progress / appraisals
It’s a good idea to keep a record of your daily activities during the training contract, not only because it will document your work and progress but also because the SRA may ask to review it. There is no officially prescribed training record format: some firms have their own systems for this purpose (you may be asked to keep a diary, for instance, or annotate a time sheet), but, if not, you can use the Law Society’s sample training contract record [PDF 40KB].

Your firm is required to conduct at least three formal appraisals with you during the two years of your training contract (one in the first year, one in the second year and one at the end of the training period). Ideally, however, your performance should be reviewed in every seat or every six months. If you have any concerns about your training, you should raise these with your training principal at the earliest opportunity.

Law Society Interest Rate Changes

Law Society Interest Rate
The Law Society interest rate is the "contract rate" in the Standard Conditions
of Sale first published in 1990. The Law Society interest rate is 4% above
Barclays Bank base rate. Rates are as at close of business on the day
indicated.
This information is provided for your use and it is your responsibility to check
its accuracy and application. No liability is accepted to third parties.
Please note: For the current rate ring the Library Enquiry Line on 0870 606
2511. A message giving the current rate is accessible even when the Library
is closed.
06 February 2003 7.75%
08 November 2001 8.00%
04 October 2001 8.50%
18 September 2001 8.75%
02 August 2001 9.00%
10 May 2001 9.25%
05 April 2001 9.50%
08 February 2001 9.75%
10 February 2000 10.00%
13 January 2000 9.75%
04 November 1999 9.50%
08 September 1999 9.25%
10 June 1999 9.00%
08 April 1999 9.25%
04 February 1999 9.50%
07 January 1999 10.00%
11 December 1998 10.25%
05 November 1998 10.75%
09 October 1998 11.25%
04 June 1998 11.50%
06 November 1997 11.25%
07 August 1997 11.00%
10 July 1997 10.75%
06 June 1997 10.50%
06 May 1997 10.25%
30 October 1996 10.00%
06 June 1996 9.75%
08 March 1996 10.00%
18 January 1996 10.25%
13 December 1995 10.50%
02 February 1995 10.75%
07 December 1994 10.25%
12 September 1994 9.75%
08 February 1994 9.25%
23 November 1993 9.50%
26 January 1993 10.00%
13 November 1992 11.00%
16 October 1992 12.00%
22 September 1992 13.00%
17 September 1992 14.00%
16 September 1992 16.00%
05 May 1992 14.00%
04 September 1991 14.50%
12 July 1991 15.00%
24 May 1991 15.50%
12 April 1991 16.00%
22 March 1991 16.50%
27 February 1991 17.00%
13 February 1991 17.50%
08 October 1990 18.00%
30 April 1990 19.00%

Pye Legal

Susan Pye brings a lot of Houston experience and a good group of recuiters together for both contract and permanent placements.

Known for providing the right attorney for a particular position rather than throwing attorneys at a review.

http://www.pyelegalgroup.com/

520 Post Oak Boulevard
Suite 310
Houston, Texas 77027
713.255.1900 phone
713.255.1950 fax

Contract Attorney (Los Angeles)

Contract Attorney – Top Tier School. Excellent writing / law and motion skills required

Two partner (NYU and UCLA Law graduates) Westside civil litigation (largely business and intellectual property matters) and criminal defense firm seeks mid level attorney with excellent research and writing skills to work with on an as-needed contract basis.

Top tier law school and big firm or excellent small firm experience is a must. Excellent research and writing skills are a must. Both partners left big firms to start their own practice and receive significant big firm referral business. Partners are young, fun and probably the two most down to earth attorneys in Los Angeles. But they also work hard and need an excellent go-to attorney for research and law and motion assistance on complex civil litigation matters.

Hourly rate is negotiable depending on experience, and the firm will certainly compensate the right attorney at a very competitive hourly contract rate.

Contract attorney can work from his or her own home or office.

If interested, and if you meet the above qualifications (please do not apply if you do not meet the above qualifications as they are mandatory), please email your resume and a writing sample to admin@vwattorneys.com. Cover letters are optional. All resumes and other application materials will be reviewed at the end of this week, with interviews completed by mid-september.


•Location: Los Angeles
•This is a contract job.
•Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
•Please, no phone calls about this job!
•Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.



PostingID: 1351328917

Lawyers For Your Business

Lawyers For Your Business is a network of 1,000 solicitor firms in England and Wales offering specialist advice to small and medium-sized businesses.

To help firms access business-related legal advice, Lawyers For Your Business offers a free half-hour initial consultation with a solicitor in your area who is a member of the scheme. Advice can be sought on a range of legal issues including finance, taxes, employment law, contracts, company structure and health & safety.

The initial Lawyers For Your Business consultation is free. However, it is important that you clarify estimated costs at the outset before you decide to proceed. You should ask for a forecast of how costs will change in various eventualities, for example, if a matter goes to court.

Often businesses do not consult with a solicitor for fear of large legal bills, by which time any remedy still available is likely to be expensive. Early consultation is advisable if there is legislation to be complied with or important legal documents, such as contracts, to be signed

Lawyer Hourly Rates

Understand Attorney Hourly Rates
This is the most common type of fee where the lawyer will charge you for each hour or every portion of the hour that the lawyer works on your case. Some lawyers charge a higher hourly fee for court appearances than for legal research and case preparation.

Should I Choose a Lawyer with a Lower Hourly Rate?
If you agree to pay a fee based on an hourly rate, you need to take into consideration how much experience your lawyer has. A less experienced lawyer will usually require more time to research your case but charges a lower hourly rate. A large law firm usually has different fee scales depending on the experience of their lawyers. Urban lawyers usually charge more than rural and the same with large firms vs. small firms.

How Specific Should I be about Asking what is Included in the Rate?
You should ask what is included in the hourly rate. Will other staff time, such as law clerks, paralegals, and secretaries working on your case be charged to you? In addition to the hourly rate you will usually be billed costs.

Should I Ask about Billing Method for my Hourly Rate?
Yes, the best way to ensure clear communication between you and your lawyer is to get your agreement in writing specifying how things are billed. For example, you should discuss if your attorney will bill you at 6-minute intervals or at 15-minute intervals for work. Remember all fees are negotiable; there is no such thing as a fixed rate. Your lawyer needs you as much as you need your lawyer.

Should the Fee Agreement Be in writing?
Yes, regardless of the fee you agree upon with your attorney, always obtain proof of the agreement and its specifics in writing. Get in writing what the additional costs are and their price before you hire your attorney. If you feel that your attorney has breached his agreement you may be able to sue for attorney malpractice.

Notary Public

public official whose main powers include administering oaths and attesting to signatures, both important and effective ways to minimize Fraud in legal documents.

The origin of notaries public can be traced to ancient Rome, where a notarius was held in high regard as legal counsel. During that era only the few people who knew how to write were qualified to serve as a notarius. A notarius wrote legal documents, including contracts and wills, and retained them for safekeeping. A small fee was charged for those services, a tradition that continued to modern times.

As colonists settled in the New World, most transactions that required an oath or signature attestation were handled in the courts. During that period the few notaries who existed were appointed or elected in a manner similar to the election or appointment of judges. However, as trade with Europe began, the demand for notaries increased because of the large number of bills of exchange that needed to be witnessed. The authority to appoint notaries was transferred to the states, where the Secretary of State (or another nonjudicial office) usually acted as the appointer.

In 1983 the Commission on Uniform State Laws passed the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (14 U.L.A. 125), which covered nearly all aspects of the office of notary public, from the definition of duties to appointment policies. As of the early 2000s, most states use this model law as a basis for their own notary public statutes. These laws vary from state to state, and the amount of power that a state gives to notaries can depend on its history. For example, Louisiana was a French possession and used a civil code rather than a Common Law. It gives its notaries broad powers—almost equal to those of a Justice of the Peace. In Louisiana notaries' powers include making "inventories, appraisements, and partitions; … all contracts and instruments of writing; [and holding] family meetings and meetings of creditors …" (La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 35:2 [1996]).

California also gives notaries additional powers, allowing them to "demand acceptance and payment of foreign and inland bills of exchange, or promissory notes, to protest them for nonacceptance and nonpayment" (Cal. Gov't. Code § 8205 [West 1997]).

In some cases the notary responsible for a transaction has an invalid commission because of a technicality. If the notary already witnessed and completed the transaction before becoming aware of the problem, the transaction is still considered valid.

Notaries public have two main duties that remain consistent from state to state. Perhaps the most important duty of a notary public is attesting to signatures on documents. This duty is important because it aids in minimizing fraud; signature attestation must be done with the notary and the signatory in a face-to-face setting.

The process of notarizing a signature is simple. The person who wants his or her signature notarized must present sufficient evidence to prove his or her identity and then sign the necessary document with the notary as a witness to the signing. The notary completes the process by stamping or sealing, dating, and signing the document. This face-to-face procedure helps ensure the authenticity of the signature.

A notary public may also administer oaths in depositions or other situations. Even though this type of oath may not take place in court, the witness can still be held accountable and be punished for perjury.

In Ohio a notary can also hold an affiant in Contempt if he or she is a reluctant witness. In the U.S. Supreme Court case of Bevan v. Krieger, 289 U.S. 459, 53 S. Ct. 661, 77 L. Ed. 1316 (1933), a notary public held a witness in contempt because he refused to comply with the requirements of the subpoena he was served. The court ruled that the notary was acting within his powers when he held the witness in contempt.

To become a notary, a candidate must complete several steps. A candidate must fill out an application and submit it to the appropriate government agency, usually the respective state's department of the secretary of state or the U.S. department of state. As part of the application procedure, the candidate must also take an oath of office and submit a bond. The purpose of the bond is to offer a small amount of monetary insurance in case the notary is sued. On average, notarial bonds are less than $5,000. If a notary is sued for more money than the amount of the bond, the notary is still personally liable for the difference between the bond and the sum awarded to the plaintiff.

Once an application is approved and the notary is commissioned, the notary must register in the county in which he or she resides and pay a registration fee. The commission itself has a time limit, which can range from two to ten years, with an average limit of four years. To renew the commission, the notary must repeat the application process.

Most states require that a notary be at least 18 years old and be able to read and write English. However, the latter requirement may change in the future because of the increasing number of transactions that take place in languages other than English. Some states require potential notaries to pass an exam as part of the application process. Others may require a notary to keep a detailed journal of the transactions he or she officiates.

Until 1984 many states required that a notary be a U.S. citizen or a resident of the state in which he or she would serve as a notary, or both. However, in Bernal v. Fainter, 467 U.S. 216, 104 S. Ct. 2312, 81 L. Ed. 2d 175 (1984), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that requiring a notary to be a U.S. citizen was unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. Therefore, even though the plaintiff in the case was actually a Mexican native and longtime resident alien, it was unconstitutional to deny him a notarial commission simply because he was not a U.S. citizen. Despite this ruling many states have kept the U.S. citizenship requirement in their statutes.

Another challenge to the procedure for becoming a notary occurred in the case of Torasco v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488, 81 S. Ct. 1680, 6 L. Ed. 2d 982 (1961). In this case, an atheist objected to Maryland's notary public oath, which required him to acknowledge a belief in God. When his notary commission was denied, he sued. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that, under both the Maryland Constitution and the U.S. Constitution, it was "repugnant" for an oath to require a belief in God.

Notaries can only be held liable for actions they take while performing the notary function. For example, although notaries are responsible for attesting to the validity of a signature, they are not responsible for the validity of the document. It is not considered Malpractice for a notary to attest to a signature on a document that he or she knows is invalid.

A notary must "act as a reasonably prudent notary would act in the same situation." In an action against a notary, the Burden of Proof is on the plaintiff to show that the notary acted negligently. If the plaintiff meets this burden, the notary can be held personally liable for damages to all parties involved, including third parties.

Further readings
Anderson, John C., and Michael L. Closen. 1999. "A Proposed Code of Ethics for Employers and Customers of Notaries: A Companion to the Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility." John Marshall Law Review 32 (summer).

Closen, Michael L., and G. Grant Dixon III. 1992. "Notaries Public from the Time of the Roman Empire to the U.S. Today and Tomorrow." North Dakota Law Review 68.

Kussmaul, Wes. 2001. The Future Needs You: The Notary Public in the Digital Age. Waltham, Mass.: PKI Press.

Rothman, Raymond C. 1987. Notary Public: Practices and Glossary. Chatsworth, Calif.: National Notary Association.

Van Alstyne, Peter J. 1998. Notary Law, Procedures & Ethics: A Complete Reference on Notarial Laws and Procedures in America. Salt Lake City, Utah: Notary Law Institute.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW NOTARY RULES

QUESTION 1: Why wasn't I individually notified before the new rules went into effect?
ANSWER: The new rules were adopted in accordance with the Hawaii Administrative
Procedure Act, Haw. Rev. Stat. Ch. 91. Notices of the public hearing describing the
new rules were published in five newspapers of general circulation on February 29,
2008 (The Garden Isle), March 2, 2008 (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, The Maui News, and
West Hawaii Today), and March 9, 2008 (Hawaii Tribune-Herald) before Chapter 5-11,
Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), went into effect. The duly noticed public hearing
concerning the rules was held on April 14, 2008, at the Department of the Attorney
General, 425 Queen Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Although all legally required notice
requirements were met, we apologize that our notification to notaries was not better -- it
should have been better. We did some outreach, but not enough. We are currently
sending each active notary an informational sheet and these questions and answers,
and we are working with the Hawaii State Bar Association and various professionals
and businesses that regularly use notaries to further disseminate the new requirements.
QUESTION 2: What is the effective date of the new rules? Is there also a new notary
statute?
ANSWER: The new rules became effective on May 5, 2008. Act 175, Session Laws
Hawaii 2008, which also concerns notaries, will become effective on January 1, 2009.
We encourage you to read a complete copy of Act 175 and HAR Chapter 5-11, both of
which are available at our notary website: http://hawaii.gov/ag/notary/.
QUESTION 3: Why do we need rules that change the way documents are notarized?
ANSWER: The Department of the Attorney General and the Legislature received
complaints of fraud in connection with notarized documents, including reports of "jurat"
pages being detached from their original document and then "switched" or reattached to
another document for fraudulent purposes. The Legislature found that "there is an
alarming increase in the alteration of notarized documents for the purpose of identity
theft and fraud." One purpose of the new rules is to help prevent fraudulent use of
notarized documents by, among other things, having the notary list the number of pages
of each notarized document and providing an identification or description of the
notarized document "in close proximity" to the jurat or acknowledgment.
QUESTION 4: I notarized documents using an acknowledgment or jurat, and my
signature, seal, date, venue (City and County of Honolulu), and commission expiration
date, but without separately listing some of the other information specified in the new
rules, such as the number of pages in the document. Are the documents I notarized
valid and validly notarized?
ANSWER: The documents are valid and validly notarized, unless the acknowledgment
or jurat was fraudulent or contained a misrepresentation, or there was a defect in the
document itself. We believe the law on this subject is that defects in the manner of
notarization of a document do not affect the document's validity. We also believe that
if you notarized a document with an acknowledgment or jurat, and your signature,
seal/stamp, date, venue, and commission expiration date, the notarization is valid, and
omitting newly specified information (such as the number of pages in the document or
a separate description of the document) does not affect the validity of the notarization.
Nor does incorrectly counting the number of pages in the document affect the validity of
the notarization.
QUESTION 5: The new notary rules require that my seal or stamp have my
commission number on it. Can I still use my current seal or stamp, which does not have
my commission number, until I get my new one? Why is the commission number now
required on all seals and stamps?
ANSWER: HAR § 5-11-5 requires that you “obtain and keep” an official seal or stamp
which includes, among other information, your commission number. You should order a
new seal or stamp with your commission number immediately, but we understand it may
take some time before you actually obtain your new seal or stamp, and you may use
your old seal or stamp until you obtain your new one. We believe that requiring the
commission number on the notary seal and notary stamp, as many jurisdictions require,
will help fight fraud involving notarized documents.
QUESTION 6: I notarized a document with a seal/stamp that did not have my
commission number on it. Was that document validly notarized?
ANSWER: Yes, we believe it was validly notarized. Although each notary is required to
comply with the new rules, and to obtain and keep a new seal or stamp, nothing in the
rules states or indicates that a document notarized using an old seal or stamp was
invalidly notarized.
QUESTION 7: What should I do with my old seal or stamp?
ANSWER: Neither the law nor the rules requires you to turn in your old seal or stamp,
but you will need to turn it in to the Notary Public Office, along with your new seal or
stamp, once you stop being a notary. If you wish, however, you may mail or handdeliver
your old seal or stamp to the Department of the Attorney General Notary Public
Office, 425 Queen Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Attorney and Legal Logos

Logos are depicted by symbols, illustrative and textual images, emblems and various other signs. All logos serve one purpose in mind; to serve and promote the company image in the international markets of serious level-headed clients and hungry consumers. Businesses try to cut down on cost in coming up with a cheap way of doubling their profits among its consumers.
A logo acts as a silent salesman in not only promoting the company’s services and products in a cost effective way, but makes the company’s presence felt among the consumer community. Consisting of pictorial illustrations and textual images, the logo designs convey unique messages to their clients about the quality and competitiveness of the respective company. Creation of an efficient logo design could result in converting a company into a multibillion organization
Attorney and legal logos like accounting and financial based ones tend to be formal in nature. If one tends to look at an attorney logo closely, they will notice that a lot of the logo designs associate themselves with the initials “LLC”. Attorney and legal logos are designed, keeping in mind that the goals and objectives of the company are highlighted.

Logo Design of Attorney and Law Based Firms
The logo designs of attorney and legal based businesses tend to be on the conservative side. It should clearly be illustrative in the sense that it reveals to its customers and clients what its stands for. Whether elaborating on a view point of the company, through a combination of shapes or colors, or through creative guesswork of the individual designer, the design of legal and attorney based logos should focus on the concept of the company. It is usual to find attorney based logo associated with simple and abstract graphics, and definitely not those complex 3D images.

Versatility of Logos
In the world of Law the company image is very important. Lawyers and well respected Law Firms will feel a sense of pride in the work in they do best, that is support and defend clients. To amplify the traffic of needy clients showing up at their doorstep, they will need to create logos which are perceptible, and which look good in every size and shape whatever the background. It is likely to find attorney firms putting their designed logos on newsletter, brochures and other their business appointment cards.

Color of Attorney and Legal logos
It is usual to find Attorney logos consisted of darker color of yellow, brown black and blue. Clients need to gain the trust of their lawyers, before they can hire them. The application of the blue color helps them in making the right choice, as it conveys a feeling of trust and confidence to the targeted audience. The use of brown also depicts conservatism, and an indication that the work of the law firm is more field-based. A few of the law associates also associate their logo designs with shades of green to instill a positive feeling in the minds of the clients. In other words, the use of such a color in the logo design will guarantee them that their attorney will win their cases for them no matter how intense the situation is.