Is Arbitration Really In Your Best Interests?
The most important substantive difference between arbitration and courtroom litigation is that the court process allows for an appeal, whereas arbitration usually does not. There is a reason that our system of civil justice has full-time courts of appeals: Judges frequently make mistakes. Now, not all mistakes are material or outcome-determinative, but enough mistakes on important issues of law occur that our appellate courts are daily churning out opinions which fix these mistakes, and there is an entire bar of appellate lawyers who do little more than appear before those courts.
AB 150 – California’s Creative Solution to the State & Local Tax Deduction Limitation
The goal of every taxpayer is to minimize their tax liability legally. When federal tax laws repeal or limit deductions, sometimes states step in to provide relief. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) was enacted in December of 2017, individual taxpayers could deduct state and local tax they paid as an itemized deduction on their personal tax returns.
Crypto Turns Out To Be Nothing But A Massive Pump And Dump Scheme Fueled By Widespread Manipulation
We have finally reached the long-predicted "Crypto Winter" where a number of major crypto companies such as Celsius Network, Voyager Digital and Zipmex have filed for bankruptcy protection, major crypto funds such as Three Arrows Capital have failed, and the price of all cryptos has fallen dramatically. To folks who remember the 2000 "dot.com" crash, this probably seems all too familiar. One day, crypto is the next big thing promising unlimited riches; the next, crypto seems like a bottomless pit of failures and the life savings of hundreds of thousands suddenly wiped out. May we then take this moment to reflect objectively, without all the hype of the next super-valuable token, on the crypto sector.
A Drug-Free Workplace: California’s Changing Landscape
Review your company’s policy regularly. It is important to clearly spell out the organization’s position on medical and recreational marijuana use. Make sure there is a statement that reads “Subject to Federal, State, and other applicable law.” An example of a policy statement should read, “In accordance with federal, state, and local law, the company prohibits any employee from the use, possession, cultivation, manufacture, distribution, dispensation, sale or storage of marijuana/cannabis under any circumstance, including being under the influence of marijuana/cannabis while on company property or engaging in company business, regardless of whether the employee has a medical marijuana/cannabis card or a prescription for medical marijuana.”
Islamic Estate Planning: The Law & Other Considerations
A brief overview of the inheritance rules under Islamic Law (Shari’a Law) is helpful to better understand the challenge of estate planning for Muslims. Shari’a sets out strict inheritance rules that determine how a Muslim’s estate will be divided between his or her heirs on death. In Islam, after a person is deceased, his/her property will be distributed according to fixed portions or shares. Under this law, testamentary freedom is restricted to just one-third of the deceased’s net estate after deducting all debts and funeral expenses. The remaining two-thirds share is divided in accordance with Shari’a. The specific inheritance rules for this two-thirds share are dependent on the Islamic sect the deceased belongs to and the number and type of his or her surviving relatives. Accordingly, when Muslim clients seek assistance in drafting their estate plan, their first inquiry is usually whether they can have the documents prepared in a way that would allow them to comply with Shari’a law and California/U.S. probate and estate tax laws. The simple answer is yes!
CONNECTING WITH A JURY
Jurors are human beings. As a trial attorney, it is essential to remember that jurors are always watching you -- whether in the courtroom, in the hallway outside the courtroom, or the elevator. Throughout the trial, jurors make judgments on you, your client, and your case. Jurors who are bored or disrespected are not listening. If they are not listening, they will unlikely side with your client. A lawyer who is mindful of the above guidelines and engages with jurors will connect with them and increase the chances of success for their clients.