SXSW Legal – Online Legal Advice

Crucial Information For Parents Wishing To Adopt A Child From Overseas

Although child adoption is a matter that family lawyers are sought out for advice and representation regularly, an adoption matter they are asked about that is much less common is overseas adoption. Known as intercountry adoption this is when prospective parents wish to adopt a child that is not an Australian citizen and who lives overseas.

As you might expect, the process and criteria that must be met to adopt an overseas child are somewhat complicated and also have several different eligibility rules compared to adopting an Australian child. This is why adoptive parents must seek the advice of family lawyers who have expert knowledge of intercountry adoption before they proceed.

If you were not aware that intercountry adoption was possible and have no knowledge of it, or are at the start of the adoption process, we thought it would be useful to outline some of the basics which apply so that you have a better understanding of the procedures and criteria that apply.

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How Assets Are Disposed Of When A Business Closes

Businesses can close for all kinds of reasons including a change in the market conditions, substantial financial losses, or simply that the owner is retiring and no longer wishes to continue with their business. Whether it is any of these reasons, or some other reason, closing a business has several legal implications which is why the advice of a commercial lawyer should always be sought when closing a business.

The legalities that must be sorted of as part of the closing process will include settling all the liabilities that the business has, and the disposal of any assets the company owns. The process of disposing of the assets has several steps which include making reference to a hierarchy of the people and entities which are liable to receive payments from any funds raised from the sale of the assets.

The first stage of selling assets is to create an inventory or a list of all the assets that the company owns. These assets can be physical assets such as stock, machinery, or equipment, and they can also be intangible assets such as trademarks, copyrights, intellectual rights, and patents. Once all the assets are listed, and a value placed against them, they can then be sold.

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Why An Amicable Divorce Is Better For Everyone Concerned

The words amicable divorce might seem like a contradiction in terms, and this is no doubt due to us hearing about divorces in the media that turn nasty, and where the respective spouses have gone to war with each other. Despite the fact, that some divorces do turn sour, any divorce lawyer will tell you when applying for a divorce, that the majority of divorces actual end up being calm and reasonable affairs.

It is true to say that inevitably some divorces will end up being slanging matches with either party determined to get a perceived victory over their ex-partner. This can come about for many reasons but the more common are likely to be where one spouse has had an affair, or where one of them has been abusive or violent towards their spouse or their children, or both.

In these kinds of circumstances, it is possible that emotions will tend to guide the actions that each spouse takes, rather than logic. This is often where having a professional divorce lawyer, who will inevitably have had clients in almost exactly the same set of circumstances, can bring some reason to the whole process.

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5 Questions You Must Ask Yourself If You Are Considering Selling Your Business

For any business owner, there may come a point that they are thinking about, or have even decided, that they are selling their business. If so, then one of the first things they need to do is discuss this with their commercial lawyer who will be able to provide some legal advice for them about the legal steps that are necessary for such a sale.

In addition, the business owner needs to consider five very specific questions in relation to selling their business. These questions might not sway his decision, or reverse it, but the answers will help them to prepare for the sale and ensure that it goes as smoothly as they hope it will.

Who Is Buying The Business?

It is likely that if you have made it known that you are considering selling your business that pretty soon you will have one or more interested parties making contact. Depending on the type of business and its size, the range of those interested in buying it may include your competitors, investment companies, a sole entrepreneur, or it could be a partnership.

Depending on how much you want the reputation of the business to be maintained, and its customers and your employees to be treated every bit as well as you have, then you may consider that certain potential buyers do not have fit the criteria you are looking for and eliminate them from your shortlist.

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Choosing the Right Workplace Lawyers for Your Firm

The right workplace lawyers can provide significant assistance throughout the workplace, dealing with things like employment termination, contract review, and harassment claims. If you run a large business, it’s essential to form a relationship with a professional law team to ensure you’re protected from lawsuits and other legal issues.

However, it can be difficult to know exactly which lawyers to use. There are numerous different law firms out there, and finding the right one can seem like an impossible job. With this in mind, we’ve put together the following list of top things to consider when choosing the right workplace lawyers.

Look at Their Experience

One of the first things to consider when you’re choosing a new workplace lawyer to work with your firm is their experience. Although less experienced lawyers are generally more affordable, cheaper isn’t always better.

If you’re dealing with serious amounts of money and are part of a large reputable business, it’s important to use a lawyer who knows exactly what they’re doing. And in the end, a more experienced team will be able to work faster, which generally offsets the higher fees they charge.

In the end, you need to find the right balance between experience and affordability for your business.

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How To Create The Perfect Digital Strategy For Your Law Firm

Creating an effective digital strategy for your law firm can be difficult. Even the best lawyers or legal advisors in the world tend to have trouble with complicated things like digital marketing, and you shouldn’t be too embarrassed to speak to an online marketing expert.

Unfortunately, small law firms and lawyers who are just starting out don’t always have the budget to be able to employ a digital marketing team. Digital marketing experts can be very expensive, especially if you want to see fast results and big returns on your marketing investments.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a short list of our top tips to help you develop your own digital strategy for your legal advice or law firm.

Note that you should always speak with an expert marketer if you’re unsure about what you’re doing.

Make sure you have a decent marketing budget:

The first, and arguably the most important part of your law firm’s digital strategy is your marketing budget and budget allocations. In most cases, your marketing budget will form a significant part of your annual expenditure, and a large proportion of it will be directed towards digital marketing.

You need to decide how you’re going to spend your marketing money, when you’re going to spend it, and how you’re going to build the maximum return on investment possible. Consider allocating money to some of the following:

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Watch Out! Be Careful When Picking Your Divorce Lawyer

The old saying “it’s not what you know but who you know” couldn’t be less accurate when it comes to choosing the family lawyer who will represent you in one of the most significant life experience you will pass through. No, in this case it is exactly “what you know” that makes the difference. True, you may know a great divorce lawyer, but that’s not the kind of knowledge most people need when they embark on a search for someone to guide them through the minefield of divorce.

Here are several tips to help you choose your partner for this journey:

It’s a Job Interview. In real-estate it’s always location, location, location but in hiring divorce counsel it’s interview, interview, interview. Would you buy a car after only looking at one model on one dealer’s lot? Probably not. Would you buy a house without deciding beforehand how many rooms you need, bathrooms, what kind of kitchen you want, etc.? I don’t think so. The same is true with a lawyer. Remember, this is a relationship in every sense of the word. This person will share your sorrow, your dreams, know your finances, and perhaps even spend time with you in court. You have to like this person, trust their abilities, rely on their judgement for monumental decisions.

How many attorneys should you interview? As many as it takes to find someone that you like, trust, and can afford. That might mean 5 interviews, or 20, you just never know. But something you can rely on is your gut. Your gut will tell you if you’re likely to get along with this person. Look for other signals: Are they genuine? Do they look you in the eyes? Do they answer your questions directly or do they avoid honest answers?

As I mentioned, it’s important to trust your gut, but facts are important too. Was the attorney (or their staff) responsive to you when you called to set up an appointment. How were you treated when you arrived? Are you paying for an initial consult or is the attorney offering a few minutes for free to review your case. What does their office look like? Is it clean and organised or a cluttered mess? I’ve known brilliant attorneys who are a complete disaster when it comes to organisation, but chances are you’d rather be with an lawyer who is organised and efficient rather than the opposite.

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Dog Bite Litigation

No matter what side of a dog bite you’re on, it’s true that people love their dogs, there’s no denying it. Some 45% of households have canine pets and the way that people treat their dogs is changing. More are considering them companions, or “emotional support animals” and taking them out in public into areas where traditionally dogs have not gone. The number of travelers who have dogs with them has also dramatically increased. All these facts are supported by the increase in the number of people willing to pay for such things as health insurance for their pets and the amount of money spent on toys, etc. But be careful, owning a pet might put you in the situation where you’ll need a commercial lawyer to give you some legal advice.

There are more opportunities than ever now for something unfortunate to happen such as a bite or an attack. Emotions can run very high when someone is injured and when the dog owner has a strong connection to the animal. If you have been bitten, or attacked by a dog it’s important to make sure you get the facts straight before filing a law suit.

Facts About the Scene

It’s critical to investigate and find out who was at the scene and when each person was there. It’s good to create a list of the people who were present and collect contact information from each of them.

Find out about what agencies, if any, responded when the bite or attack happened. Were the police called? Did animal control arrive and take the dog away? If there were reports filed by any agencies it’s important to get copies or if witness statements were taken you should obtain copies of those as well. As you collect the information about the scene build a timeline using witness statements and reports to build a timeline of what happened.

Facts About the Accident

Try to compile as much information about the pet owner and the property owner as possible;

Who occupies the property?
Are they an owner, renter, relative of the dog’s owner?
Were weapons or drugs present? Was alcohol involved in the incident? Was anyone intoxicated?
What exactly where the injuries caused by the dog? Documenting treatment in the emergency room or doctor’s office with an exact medical diagnosis and treatment it critical.
What is the full description of the dog including breed, age, color, distinct markings?
Is there a prior history of the dog biting or attacking anyone?
Were there any pictures taken of the dog, of your injuries, of the scene?

Whether you are the dog’s owner, or the victim, it’s important to gather as many facts as possible. Law differ among jurisdictions but in some locations the entirety of the circumstances is becoming a strong factor on how courts rule on dog bits, so knowing as much as possible is key.

Learn about whether the dog owner, or property owner has liability insurance for a dog bite claim. Even landlords who do not occupy the premises may (depending on the jurisdiction) still have incurred liability if they knew of the dog and permitted it to remain on the property.

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Getting Your New Business Off To The Best Start With Financial Planning

Starting a new business or buying a business can be an exciting time, but this needs to be tempered with some practical thinking about how you give your new venture the best chance of success. The financial aspects of any business are crucial so the wisest thing to invest in is a financial planner such as Andep. With their guidance and advice, you will ensure the success of your business is built on sound financial planning.

Sadly, many new businesses fail within the first year of opening, and the number one cause is lack of financial planning. Even with the best product or service, the finest marketing campaigns, and a captive audience, without financial planning in place, a business is going to struggle.

The first mistake new business owners tend to make, is to assume the best-case scenario when it comes to sales and profits. They then base the amount of costs they can incur on this figure and then wonder why their business has a cash flow problem before it is barely off the ground. A financial planner will generate forecasts based on several models so that you can see the situation from several different success levels.

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Choosing The Right Accountant For Your Law Firm

When it comes to running a small business, choosing the right employees and contractors to work for you is essential. In the same way, choosing the right accountants to help you manage your business’s finances can help save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

You should therefore think very carefully when you are looking for a new accountant, as choosing the wrong one can have significant ramifications for your business. You need to choose someone who is good at their job, who can be trusted and who can guide you as your financial situation changes. Consider the following when looking for a new accountant:

Their experience

If you want an accountant who really knows what they are doing, then you have to make sure that you consider their level of experience. In most cases, an accountant who has been practising for ten years will be much better at their job than someone who has just graduated from university. Look for someone with a very good reputation that has been built over time. Understand that although you may pay a higher rate for an experienced accountant, they will probably be able to work faster, which means that you won’t actually end up paying any more.

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