No one wants to contemplate the death of a loved one, and for good reason. The sense of loss can be unbearable and the death of a spouse, family member, friend or co-worker can be one of the most traumatic and stressful events any of us will face. It’s a blur of emotion, questions and…
Category: Law Firm Blog
Food Delivery Services Possibly Facing Class Actions
The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on a full range of business sectors. Research on the U.S. travel industry shows spending on travel in 2020 totaled $679 billion, a decline of $500 billion or 42 percent compared to 2019. And with theaters, entertainment venues, college and professional sports shut down for most of…
Forced Arbitration Isn’t Fair: How the FAIR Act Strengthens Consumer Rights
As U.S. consumer protection laws have grown steadily for more than a century, consumers have come to take for granted their right to bring suit against businesses that use unfair practices or sell shoddy or dangerous products, or who provide services that turn out to be less than promised. After all, the Consumer Bill of…
Virtual Mediations: Why They May be Here to Stay After Courts Open
What will the “new normal” look like? That’s a great question, and one that is on everyone’s mind as the effects of vaccinations and natural – albeit temporary – immunity for people who have overcome Covid-19 slowly drive down new case numbers of the virus. After all, the pandemic forced every facet of society, schools,…
Business Succession Planning: Five Things You MUST Keep in Mind
No one wants to think about the “what ifs” in life. But most “what ifs” eventually become real-life issues. So it’s important to have a will, to buy insurance, or to plan for retirement. And if you own or manage a business, it’s important to have a business succession plan. After all, owners eventually retire….
What You Need To Know About Legal Separation In Missouri
While divorce in the U.S. was once rare and carried a negative stigma, it has become increasingly common. From 1960 to 1980 the U.S. divorce rate more than doubled, going from 9.2 divorces per 1,000 women to 22.6 per 1,000 women. This was likely due in part to cultural and societal changes in the U.S.,…
Missouri’s Equal Parenting Plan: A Game Changer for Parents and Children in Divorce
FAMILY LAW Divorce is extremely stressful for everyone, especially in situations involving children. Questions abound: Who gets the children? How often? For how long? All of this creates anxiety for children and increases pressure on already stressed parents. Many parents think that one parent is granted custody and the child or children will spend the…
Changes in Title IX Regulations Make Mediation an Option
It may seem almost incomprehensible in 2021, but there was a time in the not-so-distant past when discrimination in education programs and activities in institutions receiving federal financial support was legally permitted. That meant gender-based discrimination, for example, preventing women from being accepted in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs was legal. It also…
The Three Most Common Real Estate Legal Issues and Why You Can Resolve Them in Mediation
Anyone who has purchased or leased a home, a building or any type of real estate is familiar with the stack of contracts, releases, amendments, disclosures, riders, inspection certificates, title work, deeds and other legal documents that are associated with a real estate transaction. There are good reasons for all of the paper work. Real…
Think Twice Before Opting Out of a Class Action Lawsuit
If you’ve bought a car, consumer electronics, telecommunication services, prescription medications or any of a number of other products, you may have been notified that you are part of a class action lawsuit. The concept behind a class action lawsuit is straightforward: Traditional lawsuits involve one party suing another to settle a dispute or address…