Feb 22 2011

9:19 am

Job Changes and Recognition in the Treasure Valley

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(From the Idaho Business Review)

Sinclair selected ABOTA Idaho chapter president

J. Walter Sinclair, a partner at Stoel Rives in Boise, has been selected as the president of the Idaho chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates for 2011. Founded nationally in 1958, ABOTA and its members are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Representing the Idaho chapter, Sinclair attended ABOTA’s national leadership conference, held in January in New Orleans.
Sinclair has developed a well-seasoned trial practice with an emphasis on business, corporate and complex litigation matters.

Chris Middleton joins Bridge City Legal

Bridge City Legal, a litigation management and document scanning company, has added Chris Middleton to its consulting department.
Middleton previously worked as a trial paralegal, certified Summation trainer, and adjunct instructor in paralegal studies. In his new role, Middleton will assist clients with electronic discovery, trial preparation, and Summation databases.

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Feb 22 2011

8:31 am

The Latest Tip From Merilee Marsh

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LAWYERS USA: JURY VERDICTS

Lawyers USA recently published the Top Ten Jury Verdicts of 2010. The number one story was Small firm wins $505.1 million verdict. The winner was Las Vegas plaintiffs’ attorney Robert Eglet, a partner in the 12-lawyer firm Mainor Eglet Cottle. “The verdict was the opening salvo for over 100 pending cases against Teva Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the anesthesia propofol, and distributor Baxter Healthcare,” Lawyers USA reported.

Mainor Eglet describes the verdict on the firm’s home page and also gives the link to Lawyers USA. Although it’s a small firm, the verdict packs a powerful punch.

What news would interest the media? What news can you share with your constituents?

To contact Merilee directly click here.

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Feb 15 2011

9:22 am

Enrico Ponzo Headed To Boston – So How Important Is A Changed Life?

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(by Chuck Peterson of the Idaho Criminal Defense Blog)

Reputed Boston mobster Enrico Ponzo is leaving Idaho in the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service, headed to Beantown to face charges arising out of his life before Marsing. United States Magistrate Judge Ron Bush refused Ponzo’s request to remain free and appear voluntarily at his next hearing, finding that he had been too successful at hiding his true identity since disappearing nearly 27 years ago. Instead, he gets that long ride with the Marshals, and the chance to face a racketeering case that was filed in 1994 against he and 13 others for crimes that include murder and attempted murder. In Idaho, he has been a good neighbor, community member and friend.

So how much does that matter? How important is a “changed life” when it comes to facing criminal charges?

It matters – but not always at the point of guilt or innocence. A person either did, or did not commit the charged crimes. Living like a saint for 27 years will not alter whatever criminal conduct a person has engaged in before the change. But change matters. As I recently pointed out, sentencing is all about safety so 27 years of community membership is important to answering that all important safety question.

That Mr. Ponzo had broad community support at his detention hearing shows that at some level, he is just like the rest of us. He has friends. People who will stand up for him today and take him into their homes as a valued member of their community. That membership in the “tribe” is critical in every case. You have to show that you are part of the tribe to gain its protection.

Here’s a little secret – an innocent man who does not appear to be part of the community (the “tribe”) must prove he is worthy of its acceptance. If he cannot do that, he will almost certainly be convicted. I mean it – jurors don’t just try the evidence. They try the defendant. An outsider who cannot be trusted will have a very tough time at trial. The defendant must be like the other members of the tribe – he or she must fit in.

Enrico Ponzo – or Jay Shaw, as he was known in Marsing – understood that. So did his neighbors. When he was arrested they gathered to support him because he was one of them. A member of their tribe. His life in Marsing mattered to them – and if he was being tried in Idaho it would matter to a jury.

So how is your life today? Are you part of a “tribe” that would come to your aid if your freedom was under attack?

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Feb 15 2011

9:18 am

Idaho Courtrooms Offer K-9 Comfort

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(By Josh Gross from the Boise Weekly)

Lawyers were introduced to a new witness-assistance program at yesterday’s meeting of Idaho prosecutors: courthouse dogs. The dogs are intended to help comfort witnesses through the emotional stress of navigating courtroom processes.

Sunday is Ada County’s courtroom dog, who was donated to the court four months ago and, according to Ada County Prosecutor Greg Bower, has been a total success, especially with juvenile victims.

(To see a video of Sunday in action click here.)

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Feb 15 2011

9:12 am

The Latest Tip From Merilee Marsh

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ORGANIZATIONAL DECLINE: RELEVANCE COUNTS

It’s curious to hear similar complaints about decreased membership—in locales as far-reaching as New York, California, and Idaho. The apparent solutions the respective groups have instituted are even more curious. One organization dropped its membership attendance requirement. Another group declared the standards for membership would be changed to appeal to a wider group, taking that association on a road that negates its reason for being. Perhaps the true explanation for the membership drop is: the organizations are no longer relevant.

Apply the relevance factor to your law firm. Do your legal services match the legal issues your clients face? Are you practicing proactive marketing? Are your practice areas responsive to the market’s needs? Is it time to regroup?

To contact Merilee directly click here.

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