Category: Legal Branding

Legal Branding

Put Your Logo Everywhere

on September 29, 2018

Getting your company recognized by your logo is definitely a way to draw up more business. People will come to know the logo and that will give them the opportunity to visit the business or go to the website online. In turn, many of these people will become customers that can make profits soar.

A Logo

A logo will be something specific to your company. You should have someone make one for you if you are not able to yourself. It should be clear and easily recognized. Your logo will give you brand recognition. People will come to know it, and you should put your logo on many different things. Many companies put them on their trucks or other vehicles. Equipment that is being used should also carry the company logo. Letterhead and envelopes are other places that logos should appear. Other great places for them are on coffee mugs and matchbook cases. T-shirts are another place that people notice logos, as well as hats and caps. Getting the most advertising out of your logo is a good idea. You will think of other things as you go forward in your business. Make sure that you also look around at other companies to see if they are doing other things that you can try. Make the most of it so that you can attract the business that you want.

Signs For Your Company

Having the right signage for your events is very important. It can make a difference in how much money you are able to bring in. When your company is planning an event, make sure that the signs are clear and concise. They should be in a bold color so that they can be seen from far away. They should also explain what your company does. For instance, if you are a company that deals with counseling, you will want to have the proper signage up so that people know this is what you do.

Having A Direct Mail Plan

As a company, be sure that you are also sending out brochures and flyers so that you can get the awareness of the people in the community. Make sure that the information is correct so that they will know how to reach you or visit your office. You want to convert these people into customers, so the brochures should be attractive too.

Have A Good Online Presence

Another great thing to do in order to increase business is to make sure that you have a good online presence. Have good, clear photographs and concise copy. Make sure that there are not any errors. You will want to make sure all of the links are working properly. Using good keywords will allow your website to be pulled up in the search engines more. That is what you want so that you can get the exposure that you need.

Sales And Promotions

Every company should consider sales and promotions from time to time. Customers like to save money and receive free gifts. This can bring in more business because they will tell their friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors about what is being offered. Many companies have increased their profits by doing these small things. Free delivery is another way they get noticed by prospective customers.

Charity Events

If you want to team up with a charity, this can create a lot of awareness for your company. Make sure that you put the information on your website, and if you are throwing an event, have plenty of refreshments so that people will want to come and contribute to the cause. Companies that do charity events, increase their profits just because they are helping the community. People appreciate the fact that a company cares to assist those that are less fortunate. They tend to give that company a lot of respect.

Knowing how to advertise can make the difference in whether a company survives or not. Make use of your logo. You want the public to become familiar with it. Remember the information above so that you can maximize your company’s potential in the days, months and years to come.

Legal Branding

Why Employers Should Drug Test Their Employees

on September 20, 2018

Drug use in the United States has fluctuated over the years, yet one problem which still arises today is not having a work environment free of the dangers of substance abuse. The problem of drug use in the workplace is still a growing trend and many employers are standing up against the prevention of hiring and eliminating drug-using employees in the workplace through instant drug tests which can be a lifesaving asset for your business.  

The Importance of Drug Tests

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) statistics show about 75 percent of the current illicit drug users in the United States 18 and older are employed – that is an estimated 10 million people. Statistics also show that on a daily basis, at least 42,000 Americans come to work under the influence or even getting ‘high’ while on the job. With marijuana being the most commonly used drug and being legalized for recreational use in many parts of the country, we anticipate the number of drug users in the workplace to only increase unless business owners stand up against hiring any drug user or by cleaning up their current list of employees by enforcing a drug testing procedure in their business plan. The burden of drugs in the workplace will get worse if employers do not take extra measures to protect their businesses to screen new and current employees. It is already estimated that businesses lose approximately $100 billion each year alone from problems arising from hiring a drug user. Not only should drug testing be integrated into the hiring process, but it should also be done every couple of months for pre-existing colleagues. If you’re unsure of which products are best, it’s definitely worth researching various drug test kits, but products similar to the 10-panel drug test are great.

The burden and costs to business owners of hiring a drug user in the workforce include:

  • Higher missing work rates
  • Higher accident rates
  • Higher turnover
  • Less quality and productivity work

Keep the Workplace Safe One Employee at a Time

Drug use can impair one’s judgment, give slow reaction times and is just plain out dangerous and a liability nightmare for some business owners. For some businesses, it can be more of a liability to have a drug user as one of their employees, such as factory worker in charge of an assembly line or an employee who is driving on the job making errands or deliveries, can be disastrous in terms of liability and safety. By incorporating a drug screening plan, your employees are looking forward to staying drug-free and you are helping your business avoid those small mistakes which can cause an accident and lead to serious injury or even death. It’s important for employees to be fully cognizant while on the job and that’s why we’ve incorporated an instant drug screening device to help you and your business.

Employee Performance

Employees under the influence of drugs may struggle to stay on task, come in on time or even do the job right. At the end of the day your business will struggle should you be allowing employees who use drugs in your workforce. A common instant use drug test allows employers to target a strategy to exclude those employees who aren’t reaching their full potential due to illicit drug use, removing weak links and improving their company’s performance by eliminating the weak link. At the end of the day, it’s about your business and you need to protect your asset by only hiring viable workers who can show up on time, do the job as described and aren’t a liability for your company.

Turnover Rates

One of the more common issues is any small business is the amount of turnover rates. By prescreening your employees with an instant use drug test as part of a pre-employment procedure, you are opting in possibly saving your business thousands in extra labor costs in terms of the hiring process, training, and work placement. As big as a problem as turnover rates are for many small businesses, instant use of drug tests are a simple way to reduce the problem prior to any employment agreement between the possible employee and your company. 

A Drug Test Made for Your Business

There is no denying that workplace drug testing offers a careful way to establish the truth of someone’s drug use and as a protection, many business owners have opted in using drug test procedures to screen their new hires and current list of employees. In situations where the employee has a responsibility for the safety and/or welfare of others, and the employer has a responsibility to ensure the employees’ competence is viable for the job, is a strong argument for workplace drug tests to be carried out for both liability and productivity of the business.

However, if a workplace drug test procedure will be carried out, there are some basic ethical principles which need to be taken place to avoid any violation of the rights of the employee.

These include, but are not limited to:

  • Consent: Current and upcoming employees should know, ideally prior to taking the job, that drug abstinence is an expectation to fulfill the job at hand, and the workplace drug test is a planned occurrence in the business and mandatory requirement prior to being hired.
  • Confidentiality: People’s privacy must be respected, including whether workplace drug testing has taken place as well as the result.
  • Disability discrimination: An applicant or employee who is taking medication for a disability is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Prescribed medications may turn up on drug tests, and some drugs that would otherwise be illegal (such as opiates) are legitimately prescribed for certain conditions of users with conditions which are prescribed by a doctor. If an applicant is turned down because of a positive drug test, and the applicant’s medication was legally prescribed for a disability, the company could be liable.
  • Repeat tests should be conducted when a workplace drug test is positive, and your employee should be given the opportunity to explain a positive drug test result to avoid possible discrimination or false positive test.
  • Provide resources on addiction counseling and/or rehab for those who are positive on a drug test.

Beyond the immediate financial impact of reduced quality, productivity, and strict liability caused by drug users in the workplace, there is also the long-term risk of losing market share due to a competitor or a loss in business reputation and credibility. With review sites such as Yelp, Google and Angie’s List to name a few, whatever happens even as a one-time occurrence may have a devastating effect on your business for years to come.

By taking the necessary step to protect your business today, you will reduce a great deal of risk by mandating a drug test on a regular occurrence in your HR department hiring process and current employee roaster. As an investment towards your business, the drug test itself is a minimal cost compared to employing a drug user.

 Article Resource Links:

Disclaimers

*Consult with your local state jurisdiction for further laws on state municipal codes regarding employee drug testing. This website or contents within are not listed as legal advice.

Digital BrandingLegal Branding

Reasons Why It Is Mandatory to Employ the Services of an Expert Graphic Designer

on September 19, 2018

A professional graphic designer is an asset to any business. However, some business owners are unable to understand and appreciate that employing the services of an expert graphic designer would have a positive impact on their business and that they could achieve business success with their help. Many business owners are interested in cost cutting and they feel that using stock images, logo online creator and even charts, and graphs from Microsoft Excel are enough to create an impressive graphic design. This is definitely not true and is actually, an opinion of people who do not have any knowledge or idea about the responsibilities and role of a qualified graphic designer.

Understanding the Role of a Graphic Designer

A graphic designer plays a pivotal role in the success of your business. He is a professional who is known for creating and assembling pictures, motion graphics, or typography with the objective of boosting your business’s aesthetic appeal. They could help your brand to steal the show, make your brand appear really more polished and professional, and expose your products to brand new audiences. Here are some of the reasons why a professional graphic designer must be hired.

Getting Ready for the Future

Today’s restless young audience is increasingly suffering from attention deficit or consistently decreasing attention spans hence, marketing messages require being delivered fastest possible and visuals or images are the best possible way of doing that. With the mobile technology becoming more and more popular, the larger screens of laptops and desktops are losing their significance and modern audiences have no time to invest in reading your marketing messages. You have to realize that the future of all marketing campaigns is reliant on images and visuals. If you need professional graphic design solutions, then you may get in touch with Tayloright.com.

Moreover, wearable technology is no longer a work of fiction. Today this path breaking technology is prevalent and so screens are gradually getting smaller. In this present scenario, a graphic designer comes in handy. He would have sound knowledge to efficiently adapt digital marketing endeavors to diverse screen sizes. He would be playing a critical role as technology evolves. A graphic designer would be ensuring that all your infographics, images, videos, and visuals are of top quality and unique so that Google regards them as quality content.

Giving a Boost to Your Brand

For businesses that face stiff competition, it is essential to opt for top quality branding. They require standing out from the rest and so high-quality branding would be required. Your business logo, your website layout, and marketing materials, your chosen colors and fonts would be helpful in creating the first image or impression among the customers. Only a professionally qualified graphic designer could be manipulating these elements with expertise so that the customers are able to perceive you the way you actually are. A good graphic designer helps to create a robust brand. A strong brand would be a memorable one that would leave a long-lasting impact on the customers’ minds.  It would be building trust and getting positive referrals from happy customers. A weak brand would be forgotten in no time.

Saves a Lot of Time

A qualified graphic designer would be creating appropriate designs for your brochures, logo, or even PowerPoint templates. A graphic designer could create a design in almost a quarter of your time.

Conclusion: Makes You Stand Out of Competition

A graphic designer would be creating a distinctive brand that would be raising your business much above your competition. You must not initiate your business in the wrong direction. Consider making a lasting impression with the perfect logo and most appropriate marketing materials. Employ the services of a competent graphic designer right from the word go.

Author Bio:

Maria Jones is a graphic designer and a passionate blogger based in Boston. She is extremely familiar with the digital marketing scene, and also she recommends ace services such as Tayloright.com on her blog.

Legal Branding

What to Do Before Filing a Personal Injury Case

on September 18, 2018

If it’s your first time getting a very serious personal injury that another party is liable for, you might be wondering what you should do to file a personal injury case. Here are the essential steps you should not forget before you file a personal injury claim.

1. Preserve all evidence

Having evidence of your injury will help strengthen the case so make sure to collect as much of it as you possibly can. File a police report and get copies of it to provide to your lawyer. Take photos of the accident, your injury, and the damaged property, if you still can. Gather copies of medical documents and treatment plans from your doctor.

Also, if you have any witnesses, get their information. In addition, you want to keep records of the income you lost due to missing work. It also helps to keep a written account of the injury while the memory is still fresh in your mind.

2. Get medical treatment and follow your doctor’s advice

The first thing you should do after getting into an accident is to go to a doctor. If you fail to do this, your claim could be drastically reduced. Then, make sure that you follow your doctor’s advice religiously. That means taking medication as prescribed and undergoing treatments and required tests.

If you neglect treatment, you could weaken the value of your case. The defendant’s lawyer will argue that because you only needed minimal treatment, you don’t deserve to get the settlement you’re asking for.

3. Get off social media

Or any public platform where your opponent can potentially find the information they can use against you. Defense attorneys of personal injury cases will scour the internet for any dirt they find proving that you may be exaggerating your symptoms. To be on the safe side, refrain from talking about your personal injury with anyone except your lawyer.

4. Get a good personal injury lawyer

The importance of getting a skilled lawyer cannot be overstated. It doesn’t matter how prepared you are. If your lawyer does not know how to present your case in court, you will get a poor settlement. Make sure to pick your legal representative wisely. You want one who is deeply involved with your case rather than someone who will just pass off your case to a junior associate.

One such firm that understands the importance of personalized service is The Sanders Law Firm. They have handled thousands of personal injury cases and are very well experienced in obtaining compensation their clients deserve. Whether the injury was acquired due to a car crash, defective product, or a dangerous workplace, their lawyers can help get the best outcome for you, especially when dealing with tough insurance companies.

5. Be prepared mentally

Filing a personal injury case is not as easy as showing medical receipts and walking away with your settlement money. Remember, insurance companies do not just pay out willingly. If you ask for a settlement, it is in their best interest to try to reduce the amount, if not, legitimize it. This can be frustrating and stressful on your part. Having a good lawyer around you can make things easier as they do all the heavy-lifting making sure that you win the case.

There’s quite a lot that you should do before filing a personal injury case, but you must remember, to not let it linger longer than you need to. Depending on the state you are living in, there is a certain window of time for when you can file a claim. Find out yours based on the state you are living in and make sure to perform all the steps above before the deadline.

Legal Branding

Drunk Driving – The Worst Way to Mix Business and Pleasure

on September 16, 2018

Alcohol consumption is ingrained in contemporary business culture. Movies like the Wolf of Wall Street glamorize the idea of mixing business with booze. However, socializing after work can have devastating consequences.

Could a DWI End Your Career?

According to Tyler Flood, Criminal Defense Attorney, many professionals aren’t aware of the seriousness of a DWI.

High profile corporate positions require employees to be outwardly reputable. DWI convictions reflect negatively on organizations. For this reason, high-profile positions are only tenable by employees who can pass rigorous background checks.

How To Behave When Mixing Business With Booze

Socializing after work shouldn’t be avoided entirely. Employees who remove themselves from social events, risk the stigma of ‘not being team players.’ All that employees need to remember, is not to let their hair down completely.

Rules for Surviving Boozy Office Socials

Drunk driving convictions can jeopardize the employability of even entry-level workers. The first rule of socializing is, therefore, to always leave car keys at home.

Consider Participating without Drinking

Office socials are a fantastic way to better connect with colleagues. However, socializing doesn’t have to include alcohol. Instead, consider choosing soft drink alternatives. Doing so will often command respect from peers and higher-ups.

Keep Your Professional Cool – Even if You Don’t Want To

Crossed communication wires are the number one reason behind alcohol-fueled altercations. In office contexts, there will always be someone with opposing views to your own. In this case, remember to project the same professional persona you do at work, during even informal get-togethers.

Like it or Not, Your Boss is Watching

There is always someone at the office Christmas party who takes things too far. You never want to be that person. Employers, clients, and supervisors will pick up on poor etiquette. As far as they are concerned, you still represent your company, even when not officially on duty.

What to do When Things Go Wrong

When mixing business with booze, you need to be on your best professional behavior. Sadly, other people around you might not be.

  • If you see a colleague who seems to be testing their limits, politely pull them aside and advise that they call time on the evening
  • Never stand for behavior which would be considered inappropriate in the workplace
  • If you find yourself at a DWI checkpoint after an office social, follow the advice of Tyler Flood, Criminal Defense Attorney, and know your full rights

Drunk Driving and Roadside Sobriety Tests

Intoxilyzer breathalizers used by police aren’t 100% accurate. Also, when submitting to chemical blood tests, drivers have the right to have independent tests performed within 2-hours of the original.

Even if you are sure you are under safe driving limits, police tests may show false positives. In this case, always seek professional legal advice immediately after a DWI charge.

Legal Branding

Houston Drink Driving Penalties – Protecting Your Reputation

on September 15, 2018

Drink driving penalties in Houston vary in accordance with the severity of offenses. Repeat DUI charges are felonies punishable by fines and jail time. Because penalties are severe, it is important to seek legal counsel from a Houston DWI lawyer, as soon as charges are brought forward

Surviving a DWI – Civil & Reputation Consequences

Drink driving penalties in Texas are some of the toughest in the United States. As for why this is, the reason is simple. In 2017, 944 DWI drivers in Texas resulted in 1,018 avoidable road deaths. Those killed in fatal crashes include passengers, other road users, and children.

Legal Advice for a First Drunk Driving Offense

There is a misconception that drink driving penalties for a first DWI offense are minor. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. In Texas, even a first offense DWI can result in up to 180 days jail time.

Drink Driving Penalties in Brief

  • First DWI offenses are punishable by $2,000 fines, accompanying jail time and license suspensions
  • Where intoxicated drivers have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.15, fines start at $4,000. Jail time is often mandatory, and future driving restrictions may apply
  • Drunk driving while accompanied in a vehicle by a minor is a felony. Penalties include $10,000 fines and up to 2-years state jail time.

Hiring a Houston DWI lawyer is Not Optional

When charged with drunk driving, you need to hire a Houston DWI lawyer. Without legal representation, the civil and financial consequences of a DWI charge can be devastating.

  • Suspended licenses and jail time result in employment becoming untenable
  • Fines and jail time can devastate families and family finances
  • Many individuals charged with drunk driving, don’t realize what they are up against until it is too late

How a Houston DWI Lawyer can Help

How a Houston DWI lawyer can fight DWI charges, is always case specific. Where arresting officers can’t prove probable cause, DWI charges can be reduced or quashed. When making arrests, Houston police also need to issue sobriety tests following strict guidelines.

A Houston DWI lawyer will check to see that proper procedures have been followed. Lawyers also review evidence of medical conditions which may result in sobriety test false positives.

Can Road Users Decline Police Sobriety Tests?

It is possible for Houston road users to refuse sobriety tests. However, in Texas, implied consent to testing applies to all road users. When drivers refuse to comply with sobriety tests, fines and driving bans are, therefore, applicable.

Roadside Sobriety Tests are Never 100% Accurate

Contrary to what many believe, police issued sobriety tests are rarely 100% accurate. Drink driving penalties can, therefore, be challenged by lawyers, even when evidence seems stacked against defendants. The most important thing for defendants to remember is that legal advice should be sought as soon as possible after DWI charges levied by police.

Legal Branding

Why ICOs Need to Invest in Professional Legal Advice

on September 13, 2018

Startups planning an initial coin offering, need to start investing in professional legal advice. As well as ICO regulation, startups planning an initial coin offering need to be aware of their full tax reporting requirements.

Legal counsel can help legitimize ICOs and increase fundraising success rates. Here’s how:

Tax Law & Legislation – What Do ICOs Need to Know?

Over the past five years, ICOs have transformed the startup business landscape. By using an initial coin offering to raise capital, startups free themselves from having to pitch ideas to conventional lenders. However, ICOs are coming under ever closer scrutiny by regulators.

Legal Challenges Faced by ICOs

There is a misconception that setting up an initial coin offering is easy. In the United States, there are no laws which explicitly ban ICOs. However, as cited by the likes of the ICO Law Group, ICOs are required to comply with U.S. Securities Law.

“It is generally unlawful to raise capital in exchange for your coins or tokens unless you comply with U.S. Securities Law.”

Why Stricter ICO Regulation is a Good Thing

In theory, anyone can set up an initial coin offering. However, as recently cited by Vitalik Buterin, the gold rush days of the cryptocurrency market are over.

“The blockchain space is getting to the point where there’s a ceiling in sight. There isn’t an opportunity for yet another 1,000-times growth in anything in the space anymore.”

As for why growth in the crypto space is slowing, the reason is simple.

In 2017, fewer than 20% of ICOs returned profits to investors. Some startups failed to use raised capital responsibly. Others were outright scams. As a result, all new ICOs are expected to register with the IRS just like regular startups. Much more importantly, if ICO coins can be considered securities, ICOs must register with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Do You Need a Professional Business Attorney?

Does registering as a business seem like too much hassle? If so, you shouldn’t be running an initial coin offering.

When ICOs fail, they do so due to a lack of basic business acumen. Selling ERC20 tokens is easy. Putting funds to work and setting up a successful business, is an entirely different skillset. The good news, though, is that a professional business attorney can help.

  • Hiring a business attorney can help ICOs identify the best structure for their business
  • A business attorney can help startups get to grips with their true cryptocurrency tax reporting requirements
  • ICO specific legal advice can increase fundraising success rates by lending legitimacy to projects

ICO Laws Still Vary State to State

When setting up an initial coin offering, it is important to remember that ICO laws and regulations aren’t universal. Some U.S. States require a special license when engaging in altcoin activities. Others require startups to hold equivocal fiat cash deposits when issuing ERC20 tokens.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

To date, several individuals have been incarcerated in the United States. Specifically, for non-compliance with cryptocurrency specific anti-money laundering laws.

In May, 24-year old Eldon Stone Ross from Pensylvania found himself jailed for selling cryptocurrency without necessary licensing. Moreover, anyone identifiable as operating an ‘illegal money transmission business,’ is liable for prosecution.

Does the Term Illegal Money Transmission Business Apply to ICOs?

Anyone who raises funds via an initial coin offering without proper licensing can be charged under different State anti-money laundering laws. This being the case, never risk launching an initial coin offering, before understanding your full regulatory responsibilities. Moreover, when in doubt, always make sure to seek out ICO specific legal advise from groups like the aforementioned ICO Law Group.

Legal Branding

VAT Tips for Small Online Businesses

on September 3, 2018

If your taxable turnover exceeds £85,000 you are required to register for VAT. If your turnover is less than this amount, you can voluntarily register for VAT. Sales relating to goods and services that are not VAT exempt are referred to as taxable turnover. Health services, postage, and insurance are some of the exempt supplies. 

It’s important for you to think about the schedule of your VAT quarters before registering for VAT. Lining up the end of your VAT quarter to be on the same date as your year-end will make your accountant’s work much easier.   

Since there are several VAT schemes available, you need to take the time to pick the perfect fit for your business:

  • Standard VAT
  • Flat Rate Scheme
  • Cash Accounting Scheme
  • Annual Accounting Scheme

The cash accounting scheme may be better suited to your cash flow if your customers take longer to pay invoices.  In this scheme, you are only required to pay VAT after customers pay the invoices; while you reclaim VAT after you pay your suppliers.

Businesses with an annual sales turnover under £150, 000 a simplified scheme, flat rate accounting, is a better match. You are only required to cover a flat Value Added Tax rate on the market sector you operate in. However, you do not qualify for any VAT reclaim.

After VAT registration

It’s upon you to maintain accurate purchases and sales records. Investing in a computerized might be worthwhile for you if you have a huge number of transactions to process. You may be charged with a penalty by the HMRC if they find that your records are lacking when they carry out a routine inspection at your business. 

It’s upon you to ensure that each sales invoice you issue should have a unique number. Furthermore, each invoice should come with your VAT number.

You are also required to maintain VAT return copies and proof to back it up. In the event of an inspection, these documents will be checked according to VATGlobal.

If you have any purchases that you will be claiming VAT on, be sure to request for VAT receipts on them. However, you may not be able to claim VAT on some businesses as they might not be registered.

It’s worth noting that you have to abide by a set of special rules for determining the amount of VAT to be reclaimed on staff travel and motor vehicle expenditure, in addition to the fact that you cannot claim VAT entertainment-related expenses.

HMRC payments covering PAYE, Corporation Tax, NIC, and VAT as well as staff wages are all outside the scope of the VAT. As such, they should be excluded from your VAT return form. Other expenses that should not be in the VAT return include MOT costs, road tax, loan repayments, rates, dividends and drawings paid. 

A C79 form will be sent to you on a monthly basis if you are involved in the importation of goods from a country outside the EU and hire the services of an agent when it comes to handling import duty, VAT payments, and declarations. The form captures the VAT paid on the imports, on a monthly basis, that should be included in the VAT return. These forms are used as proof during VAT reclaim and must, therefore, be maintained.

The VAT return form can be used to record purchase and sales figures when it comes to dealing with goods moving within the EU.

Digital BrandingLegal Branding

Technology Disrupts the Legal Industry

on August 28, 2018

Technology is no doubt disrupting several industries, the most affected being banking and finance. While all this was going on, we sort of forgot the legal system. It has seemed invincible for the longest time now but it seems likely that the next time you seek notary services near you, you could be served by a robot. How’s that for progress? Okay, that may not be happening in a long time, but law students and lawyers are already seeing some changes in their area.

– Legal Research

Lawyers spend lots of time in their desks and libraries looking up legal documents and reading up on whatever they can find to attach to a case, but that is being made easy by technology. Instead of spending all this time in actual libraries, they can now access most legal write-up including submissions and judgments online. The only problems with this flexibility are that it strains work-life balance for these professionals even more.

– Artificial Intelligence and Decision making

These days, cases where facts are right there and stakes aren’t so high are decided by software to save time for more emotive cases. Traffic offences where the offender has been to court before are quite easy to decide after looking at the trend. However, murder cases and such that need the presence of a human being to reason and adjudicate are left to human judges. There is still the fact that coders need the help of legal professionals to come up with some of these statistics that enable the software to make its decision.

– Data Mining

Being as the data is available to any lawyer, they can now look up a judge’s reputation and judgments and be able to – almost confidently – predict his or her style and likely outcome if they are presented with a certain case. This knowledge leads to that particular lawyer pushing their case to the judge they believe would be lenient. Data mining is certainly working in favour of lawyers.

– Value Creation with Smart Contracts

78507412 – digital handshake on city background. 3d rendering

Some contracts don’t need too much time to create as they are quite repetitive and so they can be automated. Artists are already making use of smart contracts by automating repetitive services and in the process saving lots of money in legal and accounting fees. Think of a lease document or an affidavit. The message in one is the same as the other with the only difference being the figures and names of parties to the contract. These are being automated to spare time and money.

– Telecommuting

This has been working well for a while now and the future presents even more telecommuting. Law professionals travel so much most of the time but technology has made it such that people holding meetings in different continents feel like they are in the same room. This trend is breaking boundaries – where a lawyer in Africa can represent a client in Europe and vice versa. Less air travel means more work is done and less air pollution. Win-win!

These changes are not all negative. They will add value to the profession and create opportunities for those willing to jump right in.

Legal Branding

Dangers of Road Rage

on August 6, 2018

The definition of road rage, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), includes actions a driver takes that endanger other people or property. It can involve an assault with a motor vehicle or the use of a weapon by either the driver or a passenger in one vehicle against the operator or passengers of a different one. Road rage is against the law, but if your vehicle has been damaged, you’ve been injured as a result, or a loved one’s life has been cut short, Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help you get maximum compensation.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 56% of crashes in the U.S. are caused by aggressive behaviour. Also, the NHTSA has found that 66% of auto accident fatalities are caused by aggression and that aggressive behaviour often results in an aggressive response. The organization found half of the drivers on the receiving end of aggression responded aggressively themselves.

What Is Aggressive Driving?

Various behaviours characterize aggressive driving. Road rage is often triggered by anger or being upset. Drivers under stress may exhibit behaviours such as:

  • Illegal passing
  • Tailgating
  • Honking
  • Failure to yield
  • Going through red lights/stop signs
  • Weaving in and out of lanes
  • Speeding
  • Ignoring traffic signals
  • Obscene gestures

However, road rage isn’t always caused by the aggressor. Driving habits that can trigger an aggressive response include using a cell phone, keeping high beam lights on when there’s oncoming traffic, or failing to use a turn signal when changing lanes or turning. Also, check your blind spot when switching lanes. Cutting someone off, even inadvertently, can trigger an episode of anger.

Getting a Handle on Road Rage

If a driver responds to you aggressively, it is important not to escalate the situation. The following tips can help prevent an incident:

  • Do not react or retaliate.
  • Do not make eye contact.
  • Continue to drive safely.
  • Realize the other driver doesn’t handle stress well.

Road rage starts due to emotions and reactions caused by many stressors in life. These can include an argument with a spouse or partner, getting fired at work, or disciplining children in the car. A driver may be late to work or an appointment and be in a rush. Road rage can happen to anyone but is more common in young male drivers and individuals with certain psychological problems.

Why Road Rage Is So Dangerous

Not having a handle on your anger or emotions can trigger the characteristic behaviours of road rage. Aggressive drivers are dangerous because they are not in full control. They may be unable to avoid a direct collision or hitting something head on. An aggressive driver is also more likely to crash at higher speeds, increasing the likelihood of severe damage, injuries, and deaths.

Consequences

If you’re caught being an aggressor, you may face criminal charges. This might mean going to court, paying legal fees, and even facing imprisonment. The potential for physical harm and death to yourself and others is too high.

A personal injury attorney can help if you’re a victim of road rage. Your attorney will offer advice on what to do immediately after the incident. They will provide expert legal help and representation throughout the case to ensure you’re compensated for head, neck, back, knee, and other injuries or trauma.

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