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Pennsylvania attorneys will be bound by a new set of ethical rules effective November 21, 2013 as a result of the recent adoption of amendments to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. The changes, adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvan… Read More

According to the 2011 Internal Revenue Service DataBook, a total of 1,564,690 (approximately 1.1%) individual income tax returns were subject to audit in 2011. This rate increased to 3.6% for returns with total positive income of $200,000 to $1 milli… Read More

Recently, I ran across an article written by Debra Nussbaum entitled: “Thank you” cards seem a quaint relic of the past. But do we not even acknowledge gifts? Take a look at this article for a reminder of the importance of the handwritten note: E… Read More

The Sharper Lawyer is a proud exhibitor at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Association of Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA). This is our third consecutive meeting to exhibit and we have already committed for the next conference. As an ACLEA member, I… Read More

Have you taken a look at your website lately to make sure that the content complies with RPC 7.1 – 7.5? If not, you are in good company. While most law firms have developed websites, many have not focused on potential ethical issues that may be… Read More

Nearly one in five attorneys will personally develop a substance abuse problem of some type. The adverse effects of alcoholism and addiction extend not only to the afflicted attorney and his or her family but also to colleagues, clients and the profe… Read More

I returned very early on Saturday morning after speaking in St. Louis, MO on February 9 and Kansas City, MO on February 10. (MOBAR offered TSL programs Take Charge of Your Life: Personal and Professional and The Ethics of Law Practice and Legal Marke… Read More

BE SURE TO INCLUDE A CLEARLY DRAFTED, UNAMBIGUOUS SCOPE OF REPRESENTATION CLAUSE IN EACH AND EVERY RETAINER AGREEMENT YOU DRAFT. This can be one of the most important clauses in a retainer agreement. If a client claims that the attorney failed to com… Read More