From Al Pacino’s character John Milton in The Devil’s Advocate, to Gene Hackman’s portrayal of Avery Tolar in The Firm, to Bob Odenkirk’s depiction of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad... lawyers are the characters that we love to hate. Even Shakespeare himself once penned the line: "First, let's kill all the lawyers."

A recent Pew study determined that lawyers rank at the very bottom of all professions in terms of public esteem. Why does this hatred exist?


Jeff Bell, CEO of LegalShield, offers four reasons:

• Lawyers are smarter than us. “They go to four years of college and then three years of law school. Then they spend months studying to pass the bar examination. And sometimes all this education creates a barrier between lawyers and their clients.  It may lead them to think that they know better than people who have succeeded by relying on their common sense.”
• Lawyers have their own language. “It’s called legalese, and it is the thing that causes you to get lost when reading contracts. Seriously, when was the last time you used 'heretofore' in a sentence?”
• Lawyers intimidate us. “They have fancy offices, with giant desks, wood-paneled conference rooms, and maroon leather chairs. They dress in fancy suits and drive fancy cars. To some people, this makes lawyers seem aloof and intimidating.”
• Lawyers are expensive. “They charge us every time we talk to them, often hundreds of dollars by the hour. The clock begins ticking whenever you speak to them or they do work for you. And even if you are on the phone with them for just five minutes, they almost never charge less than a 15-minute increment… and sometimes a 30-minute increment.”

The last of these, Bell explains, is the central problem. “The first three wouldn’t bother us nearly so much if it weren’t for the costs of interacting with lawyers. That is why LegalShield is so disruptive: we flip the traditional financial model for how people pay for lawyers.”

The Washington Post echoed these sentiments in a recent opinion piece entitled, “We don’t need fewer lawyers. We need cheaper ones." The piece explains:

“What we are seeing is a disgraceful failure of our legal system to meet the serious legal needs of most Americans, who are increasingly priced out of the market for legal services. In 70 to 98 percent of cases in America’s civil courts today, one or both parties are not represented by a lawyer.”

To address this failure, LegalShield has disrupted the legal industry through the power of collaborative consumption. By enabling its members to access lawyers without worrying about the clock, LegalShield aligns both its provider law firms and its members around the same goal: finding a fast, efficient, and effective resolution to legal matters.

“This makes for happy lawyers as well as happy clients,” says Bell. “The clients are happy because they don’t have to worry about the running meter, and the lawyers are happy because they just show up and do the work that they want to do… practice law.”

Bell continues: “LegalShield’s disruptive business model has united 1.5 million households in North America to collectively pay for legal services for the entire group. When any individual member calls an attorney, they are treated the way that they should be: like the most important client at the firm.”

“And now, it’s not so bad to have all those smart, intimidating lawyers walking around speaking their own language… because they are working for you and you don’t have to worry about the clock!”

Reprinted from LegalShield's corporate webpage. For more information on LegalShield or to become a member, click here.

Cybercrime and identity theft are out of control. These cowardly acts are at an all-time high, and are costing our economy billions of dollars each year.

Individuals and companies must protect themselves. This means more than having an identity theft protection company such as LifeLock or IDShield monitoring your credit, something most people do only after the crime has been committed.

Sixty percent of identity theft happen to small businesses.

Cybersecurity expert Marc Goodman recently outlined six ways for small businesses to fight back: 

Going to court can be an intimidating experience. It is important to follow the appropriate standards for how to speak, dress and conduct yourself in court. Failing to follow proper courtroom etiquette could potentially have a negative affect on the outcome of your case. If you need legal assistance call your LegalShield provider law firm.

• Listen to your lawyer. Your attorney may have first hand experience working with the court staff and the judge who will hear your case. Some judges may have unwritten rules or preferences about behavior in their court. Follow the advice your attorney gives you regarding courtroom appearance and behavior.
  
  
• Wear business attire. Dressing well shows you have respect for the court and the judge. For men, a tucked in shirt, tie and pants are appropriate. Woman may consider wearing a dress or a blouse with a skirt or pants. Your attire should be business conservative; you are not dressing up for a party. Avoid showing skin or wearing flashy clothing. Some courts even have dress codes and won’t allow you to enter the courtroom if you do not follow the dress code. Failing to meet dress code requirements could make you late or even cause you to miss court. Ask your attorney or call the court clerk’s office to find out if there is a dress code.
  
  
• Do not bring your phone to the courthouse. Most courts do not allow anyone other than attorneys, law enforcement or court personnel to bring cell phones or other electronic devices into the courthouse. Even if phones are allowed, there are few more inappropriate times for a phone to ring than during a court hearing. Also, do not text or play games while you wait for your case to be called.
  
  
• Arrive to court early. Arriving late or failing to appear for court could have serious legal ramifications. If for any reason you are late to court you should be apologetic and present a valid and preferably verifiable excuse. Your best bet is to give yourself plenty of time and to arrive early.

• Wait patiently for your case to be heard. If there are a lot of cases on the court’s docket, you may have to wait for some time for the judge to call you before the court. Do not talk to those around you, appear impatient, sleep or cause any type of disturbance in the court. You may not be interested in the other cases before the court, but it does not hurt to pretend otherwise.
  
  
• Be friendly and cooperative with all of the court staff. The clerks, bailiffs and other court administrators know and work closely with the judges. Being impolite to them will not help your case.
  
  
• Only speak to the judge when directly addressed. Address the judge as ‘Your Honor’ and speak in a polite and deliberate manner. Speaking out of turn or interrupting the judge, attorneys or other witnesses, even when you strongly disagree with what they have to say, will do nothing to help your case. While judges should rule solely on merits of a case, behavior and demeanor may still influence an outcome.
  
  
• Keep your emotions in check. Smile and wait patiently while others speak. Let your attorney argue the case. Do not roll your eyes, make exasperated noises, speak in a sarcastic, aggressive or threatening tone. If the court does not rule in your favor remain calm. Talk to your attorney after court to find out if you have any other legal options.
  
  

Reprinted from Legal News, Issue 8, Volume 4, June 2015

Smartphones contain a staggering amount of personal data, from family photos to emails and bank accounts. In addition to personal information the devices retail for hundreds of dollars, creating a lucrative black market for stolen phones and parts. These tips are designed to help you secure your smartphone and protect your personal information.

1. Practice common sense when using your phone in public. Phone thieves refer to the practice as “Apple picking." These thieves look for easy targets such as people who leave their phone on a car seat or café table or are otherwise unaware of their surroundings. Avoid presenting opportunities by keeping your phone with you and paying attention to your surroundings. 
   
   
2. If your phone is stolen, file a report. In an effort to curb the rising rate of smartphone theft, some mobile carriers track stolen phones and tablets. Tracking systems only work when thefts are reported to your carrier. While you might not get your phone or tablet back, these systems can help disrupt the market for stolen devices. You should also report any theft to your local police department.
   
   
3. Set your phone to automatically lock when not in use. Leaving your phone unlocked is asking for trouble. If your phone or tablet is stolen or misplaced, keeping it locked will help protect your data. Some phones and devices can be configured to delete all stored data when an incorrect password is entered multiple times.
   
   
4. Use strong passwords and update them on a regular basis. Secure passwords include numbers, symbols, lowercase and capital letters. You should not use your name or other easily identifiable information such as a street address or birth date in your password. Do not use the same password for all of your accounts. It is also important to periodically update your passwords.
   
   
5. Beware of free open Wi-Fi hotspots. Configure your phone to only join networks you approve. Scammers sometimes set up free wireless networks in public places to lure users to log on. Joining the network could allow the scammer to track data going to and from your phone. 
   
   
6. Update your device's software. Hackers are continually looking for new security flaws to exploit. Many software updates include important security patches that repair known flaws. Failing to update your software or apps may leave you vulnerable to hackers.
   
   
7. Location and anti-theft applications may help you locate a lost phone or deactivate a stolen phone. There are a wide variety of apps that help users locate a lost or stolen phone. Some apps allow you to delete data remotely or completely disable the device. Check reviews and specifications carefully and test the software before your phone is lost or stolen so you know how to use it when the time comes. 
   
   
8. Use encryption to protect sensitive information. If you use your phone or other mobile device for particularly sensitive business or financial communications, talk to your IT professional about using encryption to protect your data.
   
   
9. Only download reviewed and tested applications. Some apps and websites may include malicious software designed to capture your personal information. Read reviews and research new apps before installation.

Reprinted from Legal News, Issue 8, Volume 4, June 2015