News: The Alabama Lawyer Articles
FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Tips Regarding Appeals to the Alabama Supreme Court in Civil Matters
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When appealing to the Alabama Supreme Court, practitioners must comply with the Alabama Rules of Appellate Procedure. Those rules set forth the steps for filing an appeal, information regarding time limitations
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Hanging a Shingle (Some Practical Pointers)
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Congratulations! By making the decision to enter the world of solo or small firm practice, you have embarked on a career that will provide you moments of unspeakable personal and professional satisfaction, punctuated by periods of uncertainty, self-doubt, great frustration, and, yes, sheer terror. Not to worry–you are not the first person to choose this path. Help is available. Read on.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Top Five Traits of Legal Professionals
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Lawyers of my generation are fond of reminiscing about what we term “the good old days.”
Back in our day, we say, we knew how to pick up the phone and take care of business; we had no need of snarky emails. Back in our day, we say, we knew how to fight fair.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Practical Considerations for Opening and Running a Plaintiff’s Litigation Practice
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Starting a new firm, despite the area of practice, can be a daunting challenge. When I left a firm and decided to open my own practice in 2010 (before eventually teaming up with my current senior partner), I knew practically nothing about how to open or run a law office.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Employment Law for the Solo and Small Firm Lawyer
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Alabama is an at-will employment state. An employer can terminate an employee for any reason, for no reason, or for a bad reason. The employer doesn’t have to have a reason, and he doesn’t have to give a reason.[1]
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: 30 Faces of Pro Bono -Part 5 of 6
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This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Alabama State Bar’s Volunteer Lawyers Program. As a way to thank all of our volunteers, we have selected 30 representatives and will be sharing their stories over the coming year. Each volunteer represents hundreds of others who have made the program successful. That success is not confined to the program, but is shared with every volunteer and every client who received assistance.
Read MoreFROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Alabama Local Government Procurement Law Basics
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There are two procurement laws in Alabama that apply to nearly every purchase made by county commissions and other local governmental entities. Commonly referred to as the Competitive Bid Law and the Public Works Law, these two sets of statutes contain several requirements that must be satisfied in order for local governmental entities to properly expend public funds on certain projects, goods, or services.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Municipal Liability Cap on Damages and UIM Insurance
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No matter which side of the fence you find yourself on in litigation involving a municipality and allegations of damages, there are some basics you need to first familiarize yourself with before you can appropriately advise your client.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Alabama Municipal Law 101 (A Primer on the Basics)
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Alabama has 463 incorporated municipalities located in 67 counties. These entities are designated by state law as either cities (population of more than 2,000) or towns (population of fewer than 2,000) and range in size from the state’s largest city, Birmingham (population 212,247) to the town of McMullen (population 10).
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Private Judging – A Means for Expediting Justice for Litigants
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The pandemic of 2020 has certainly posed challenges for our Alabama court system and contributed to a backlog of cases. This backlog creates a hardship for litigants in civil matters seeking resolution to their legal matters. Private judging offers a means for litigants to have their day in court while avoiding a potentially lengthy period of time.
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