Practice Area Corner Archives

Kevin Federline to Britney Spears: Gimme More’ Child Support

Apparently, Britney Spears is not interested in paying more child support to Kevin Federline for their two sons together. Federline receives $20,000 per month from Spears, and he claims that he should receive three times that amount because Spears’ income…

BASF Welcomes Dean A. Christopherson to the Bay Area Mediation Services Panel

Drawing on more than thirty years of practice in commercial, banking and real estate litigation, Dean Christopherson, Dawe & Christopherson, has a successful track record as an evaluative mediator, using a cordial and attentive approach. After reviewing briefs and holding…

The Privilege and Execution of Search Warrants on Law Offices

The April 2018 raid on the law office of President Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen provides occasion to examine ethical duties to maintain client confidences and California procedures for protecting privileged information in attorney files. In the Cohen matter, the federal…

Interesting News from the World of Estate Planning

Buyer and Owners of Selling Entity Beware of Partner’s Estate Tax Lien Kentucky mining mogul Duane Bennett Sr. died in 2006. The IRS assessed estate tax of $2,783,849. The estate included a 40% partnership interest in two limited partnerships. The…

Don’t Go It Alone: Leverage Business Advice from Experts and Colleagues

A law firm isn’t a “practice”: it’s a professional services business, and should be run like one. But when we start our small firms, most of us don’t put nearly enough thought into learning how to really run a business.…

David Goldstein Memorial Scholarship Fund Honors SF State’s Pat Medina

The sudden loss of San Francisco State’s Paralegal Studies’ (PLS) beloved Program Director Pat Medina was felt by the paralegal and legal community around the world. Palmira “Pat” Medina began her career as a high school English teacher but loved…

Get Certified: The California Certified Paralegal Exam

In February of this year, 30 paralegals from across the state – myself included – took the first California Certified Paralegal (CCP) exam sponsored by the California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (CAPA) This exam tests a paralegal’s knowledge in the…

The Psychology of Impasse – Part 2

In part 1 of my column, I discussed the psychology of mediation, presenting study materials that were developed by a European project for mediators based on my previous publications. Here again are excerpts from the TIME project (the European Project…

Mediation Confidentiality

The statutory framework for California mediation set forth in California Evidence Code Sections 1115-1128 imposes ethical duties on lawyers representing clients (whether or not a lawsuit is filed). Definitions are in Evidence Code § 1115: (a) “Mediation” means a process in…

Plan Ahead If You Want Kids Conceived After Death To Inherit

These days, fertility science can bring the joy of parenthood to those surviving a deceased partner. But what about the inheritance rights for such miracle progeny? Well, there are limits. That’s the decision of the U.S. Second Circuit Court of…

Hot Sauce! Divorce in the Age of Trump

Donald Trump Jr.’s divorce is now getting saucier. Page Six recently reported that Donald Jr.’s wife of 12 years, Vanessa Trump, received an inheritance which emboldened her to proceed with the divorce. Vanessa’s father was celebrity attorney Charles Haydon who…

Use Screenshot Technology for Efficiency and Clarity

Communication in the legal field—as seemingly everywhere in our interconnected world—continues to grow at a breathtaking pace. But communicating more quickly does not necessarily mean communicating efficiently. In a field where every minute is precious, it’s understandable for attorneys to…

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