Not so long ago, administrative law offices would become silent as personnel packed up and made their daily trip to the local bank to deposit client fee income.  While some administrative personnel cursed the time away from productive pursuits, many enjoyed the time away from the office.  They would get to have social interactions with friendly bank staff, perhaps stop by the grocery store on the way back to the office, or maybe grab a bite to eat.  As we all know, a firm must have cash in the bank in order to conduct business.  Thus, many firms found it necessary to sacrifice office productivity in order to ensure deposit availability.

Along came Remote Deposit Capture (RDC).  With the advent of “Check 21” legislation in October of 2004, banks were allowed to clear electronic images of checks. Out of this legislation, RDC was developed.  RDC enables law firms to scan the checks they receive and transfer the images electronically, via an internet connection, to their bank for posting and clearing.

RDC saves time by eliminating the need for a person to physically take checks to the bank.  RDC has also proven to be a great mechanism to assist in arranging administrative personnel workflow and eliminating the “downtime” involved with them having to personally deliver checks to the bank.  It has been our experience that, even though administrative personnel miss the social interaction, they quickly see the benefits of RDC and the time it frees up for them to accomplish other tasks throughout the day.

Generally, the time and resources saved by implementing RDC in your office will more than offset the fees associated with the service.  A quick analysis by Western Capital Bank can show you how this service may make sense for your office.

Please contact  Jeff Banks at 208-332-0718 or Tara Penland at 208-332-0714 if you would like to learn more about Western Capital Bank’s RDC product, “UScan,” and how this service can help your practice run more efficiently.

Western Capital Bank
Member FDIC.

From KTVB.com

MOSCOW — A law student at the University of Idaho is suing the school and claims rules that prohibit him from storing firearms in his on-campus apartment are unconstitutional.

Court records show 36-year-old Aaron Tribble filed his lawsuit last week in Idaho’s 2nd District Court.

The university bans firearms on campus, but students are allowed to store and check out their guns at a police substation on the Moscow campus in northern Idaho.

Tribble, who lives in campus housing designated for students who are married or have children, says the school is violating his constitutional right to bear arms by not letting him store his guns in his apartment.

University spokeswoman Joni Kirk confirmed Monday that the university had received a copy of the lawsuit and was reviewing the complaint.

by Kevin Houchin of Lawyerist.com

Most people screw up niche selection, especially when starting a law firm, by looking first to the money. Finding the right niche is essential to creating a law firm marketing plan. Many lawyers think something like “bankruptcy is hot, I’ll get a bunch those clients.” Or how about “people are always dying, I’ll focus on estate planning”? Wrong move, Bucko.

Following the money first is the wrong move because if you don’t have a passion for the work and the people you will NEVER stick with the niche long enough for the investment of energy, time, and money to pay off. You’ll never attract the perfect clients. If your investment actually does pay off in a bunch of paying work, then you’ll be miserable in your “success.”

Niche decisions are essential in selecting your law school electives, but most lawyers missed the opportunity to start branding themselves as experts while still in law school. They were under the false impression that checking some professor’s law review citations would be of more benefit to their career than building niche expertise. Go figure.

Selecting an “authentic niche” is even more critical when you are starting your solo or small-firm practice. So, how do you do it right? Ask yourself the following 4 questions and answer them honestly.

(Click here to read the rest of this article.)

GRAVES DOUGHTERY HEARON AND MOODY: SELECTIVELY REVEAL THE PERSONAL

Does a client hire a lawyer, a law firm, or both? Graves Dougherty Hearon and Moody—based in Austin, Texas—chooses to reveal personal information about its attorneys which gives prospects and clients the opportunity to know them on a different level.

On the home page, the firm highlights a “Getting to Know Us” feature. One selection is titled “We Are Athletes,” describing downhill ski enthusiast Rick Yeomans, rower Helen Foster, and marathoner David Lein. Another choice is the occasion of founding partner Chrys Doughtery’s 95th birthday and his quote of Frederick Buechner’s vocational description: “The work you are called to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

How much personal information do you share about your attorneys?

To contact Merilee directly click here.

(From the Idaho Statesman)

Joshua S. Evett has been elected managing director of Elam & Burke P.A. Evett replaces James D. LaRue, whose three-year term was completed at the end of 2010. Evett joined the firm in 2002. He also will serve on the executive committee and will continue his practice in business and commercial litigation.

Peter G. Barton has been named a partner in the Givens Pursley law firm. Barton’s practice focuses primarily on environmental and natural resources law, government regulations and administrative law, and technology law. His environmental career began as an undergraduate in civil and environmental engineering at Duke University. After graduating, Barton spent more than four years at a consulting civil and environmental engineering firm designing and managing complex land projects.

After law school, he clerked for Peter C. Dorsey, U.S. district judge in Connecticut. While at the U.S. Department of Justice, Barton drafted successful appellate briefs to multiple U.S. circuit courts of appeals. He joined Givens Pursley after practicing law for several years at a large international law firm in Washington, D.C.

Barton has experience with CERCLA, NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Oil Pollution Act, RCRA, Indian Law, mining law, and Idaho water law. He is admitted to practice in Idaho, New York and the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of International Trade, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. district courts for the District of Columbia, Connecticut and Idaho. He earned his BSE degree from Duke University and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School.

(From the Idaho Business Review)

James Lake

James Lake has joined Idaho law firm Zarian, Midgley and Johnson as Of Counsel. Lake brings more than 20 years of chemical engineering and patent law expertise to the firm.

A registered patent attorney and a chemical engineer, Lake’s practice focuses on client counseling and procurement of intellectual property rights in the U.S. and abroad. He has procured and managed patent portfolios in technology related to semiconductor processing, materials science, nanotechnology, metallurgy, chemical manufacturing, printing ink and toner, and a variety of niche areas associated with basic research.

Prior to joining Zarian Midgley, Lake was a shareholder at Wells St. John, P.S., of Spokane. He also was an associate with Schmeiser, Olsen and Watts of Mesa, Arizona; and also worked for the U.S. Department of Energy Idaho National Lab and Shell Oil Co. in the early 1990s. Though Lake will spend a significant amount of time working in Zarian Midgley’s Boise headquarter offices, he will also maintain an office in Spokane where he currently resides.

From Idaho Women Lawyers

Each year, IWL honors a single recipient with this award. Named for Kate Feltham, an early pioneer for women’s rights and women in the legal profession, the award is intended to honor individuals who have made extraordinary efforts to promote equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities within the legal profession and legal justice system in Idaho. Past recipients include Cecil Andrus, Mary Smith, Susan Graham, Cathy Silak, Debora Kristensen, Betty Richardson, Kelly Miller, Deborah Nelson, Leslie Goddard, and Chief Magistrate Judge Candy Dale. Please send your nominations for the 2011 Kate Feltham award by Friday, February 18th to Jdempsey@bwslawgroup.com.

RUTTER HOBBS & DAVIDOFF: WEBSITE EXAMPLE

Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff, a Los Angeles law firm, has an appealing and deceptively simple website at www.rutterhobbs.com <http://www.rutterhobbs.com> . The right side of the introductory screen features a moving gallery of 23 clients and what the firm did for each client by practice area. One example is “Bankruptcy. Represented Thorpe Technologies Incorporated in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving resolution of asbestos matters.”

The firm separates itself by declaring, “…senior-level attorneys are actively involved in every case from start to finish. The associate attorneys on our staff are not recent graduates, but partner-track lawyers brought on board for their expertise in particular fields of law.”

The website, with achievements that expand on the introduction, reflects the firm’s registered tag line, “Practicing the Possible®.”

To contact Merilee directly click here.

(From The Idaho Statesman)

Pamela Howland elected partner

Pamela Howland has been elected a partner of the Holland & Hart law firm. Heather Brust has been named associate vice president for university advancement at Boise State University.

(From The Idaho Business Review)

Barton named partner at Givens Pursley

Givens Pursley has named Peter Barton a new partner of the firm. His practice focuses primarily on environmental and natural resources, technology, government regulations and administrative law.

His environmental career began as an undergraduate in civil and environmental engineering at Duke University. After graduating, he spent more than four years at a consulting civil and environmental engineering firm, designing and managing complex land projects.

He has experience with the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Oil Pollution Act, Indian law, mining law, and Idaho water law. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Johnson Takes Over Role of Managing Attorney

The law firm of Zarian Midgley has reorganized its management team and created two new practice groups.

As of Jan. 1, Rexford Johnson assumes the role of managing attorney from John Zarian, who has served as managing attorney since the firm’s founding in 2007. Zarian becomes chair of the firm’s new Complex Litigation Practice Group, and Peter Midgley becomes chair of the new Intellectual Property Practice Group. The changes are effective immediately.

The establishment of practice groups is a logical next step for the growing firm, according to Zarian. However, he adds that despite the creation of these groups, the firm’s legal professionals will continue to work in a fully integrated atmosphere.

“The practice groups allow us to present the skills in our key practice areas more clearly and cohesively to clients and prospective clients,” Zarian said. “To varying degrees, most of our lawyers will function in both groups to optimize client problem solving and professional development.”

Amy Holly hired on at Sullivan, Reberger and Eiguren

Sullivan, Reberger and Eiguren has announced the addition of legislative affairs and business development professional Amy Holly as a principal to broaden the firm’s depth in health care services expertise.

Holly served as director of government contracts and public affairs for Business Psychology Associates of Boise for the past nine years. She represented and advocated for BPA in a wide range of state and local governmental venues, interacting with the governor’s office, legislators and elected state, county and municipal officials.

Among other achievements, she played a key role in the creation and strengthening of an annual $25 million contract relationship with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for state substance abuse treatment.

“Amy Holly has an impressive performance record, excellent working relationships with key decision-makers and strong qualifications that will help broaden our expertise in health care issues at a time when they are a top priority,” SRE founding partner Patrick J. Sullivan said.

Sullivan, Reberger and Eiguren is headquartered in the historic Hoff Building in Boise and offers strategic management services.

Joshua Evett elected Managing Director

Joshua Evett has been elected managing director of Elam & Burke law firm. He replaces James LaRue, whose three-year term in that position was completed at the end of 2010.

Evett joined the firm in 2002. In addition to his role managing the firm, he will also serve on the executive committee and will continue an active practice in business and commercial litigation.

FILL THE FUNNEL: THE PIPELINE TO PROSPECTS

Having a niche makes it easier to attract prospects, so narrow your focus to appeal to prospective clients.

Set priorities:
1) Clarify the type and category of clients you want to reach.
2) Search for qualified prospects.
3) Identify 25 top prospects.
4) Look for ways to attract prospects to you and for opportunities to demonstrate your legal ability (e.g., giving presentations and writing articles). Refer to issues important to your prospective clients in a list of Frequently Asked Questions on your website.
5) As with all marketing efforts, follow-up on your approaches.

Rainmakers understand that filling the funnel will create a pipeline of prospects.

To contact Merilee directly click here.

We’re back! Join us Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 from 11:00AM to 12:30PM at Western Capital Bank for our first complimentary teleconference of 2011 presented by Cannon Financial. This month’s topic will be State Income Tax Issues with Trusts. Lunch will be served and participants are eligible for the following credits (1.5):

· Legal (CLE)

· CTFA

· CFP

· CPA/EA


Please RSVP to Tara Penland via telephone at 208.332.0714 or Email Tara