In This Issue...

1. Storm Damage?
2. Marketing Legal Services in a Down Economy
3. Geek Speak: Surfing the Web for Evidentiary Gems
4. Ohio BMV Update
5. Work Smarter with Your Cool New Handheld
6. New Lawyer Success
7. Chief Justice's Speech Highlights Beauty of the Law
8. Supreme Court Seeks Public Comment
9. Outsourcing Legal Services Abroad
10. Riding the Bus: It's Not That Bad
11. Bar Insurance Services Enhanced
12. Blawgging
13. Local Documentarian Featured on The History Channel
14. Looking to Cut Costs? Order Office Supplies Online for Less

Storm Damage?

The Ohio Department of Insurance has issued some practical advice on filing an insurance claim and how to avoid unscrupulous contractors trying to make a quick buck off your household repairs.

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Marketing Legal Services in a Down Economy

Times are tough for the U.S. economy. Even if your law firm hasn’t experienced a decline in business, you’ve undoubtedly heard about other businesses that are taking a hit. Some law firms have laid off attorneys. Partners are taking pay cuts. Other firms want to merge in an attempt to save themselves.

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Geek Speak

Surfing the Web for Evidentiary Gems

~by Troy Henley, Columbus Bar Association

The growing practice of trolling the web for evidentiary material was put in the spotlight again with a recent DUI lawsuit. Prosecutors used Facebook and Myspace photographs to demonstrate a DUI defendant’s lack of remorse for the life changing injuries he caused to a 20 year old student. This had a profound impact on the defendant’s case.

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Ohio BMV Update

~by Kathy Wiesman, Columbus Bar Association, and
Mike Rankin, Ohio Department of Public Safety

Ohio has a new way to help notify family members more quickly whenever there's an accident or other emergency involving a loved one. Effective September 8, the state launched one of the nation's first statewide registries for next-of-kin information, and residents may start providing the names of people who should be contacted.

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Work Smarter with Your Cool New Handheld

~by Troy Henley, Columbus Bar Association

You know how to check email and calendar dates on your phone, but would you like to learn how to use more of your SmartPhone's features or just learn how to use the basics even better? The Columbus Bar Association is offering a new SmartPhone series of classes.

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New Lawyer Success

Michael Heintz, Columbus Bar member and Editor of Better Lawyer, talks about what makes him successful in the most recent issue of The Complete Lawyer.

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Chief Justice's Speech Highlights
Beauty of the Law

~Courtesy of The Supreme Court of Ohio

Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer delivered his annual State of the Judiciary address before the Ohio Judicial Conference on September 11, 2008. He spoke of the inspiration judges take from the beauty of the law and updated Ohio’s judges on major developments in the court system.

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Supreme Court Seeks Public Comment

The Supreme Court has issued a draft publication intended to promote the public’s confidence in the integrity of the legal profession in Ohio by providing general, practical information about the lawyer–client relationship. “A Consumer’s Practical Guide to Managing a Relationship with a Lawyer” provides easy-to-understand information about the lawyer-client relationship, including how to find a lawyer, what to expect after hiring a lawyer, and how to avoid problems in the lawyer-client relationship.

The draft guide is now available for public comment until September 24. Click here to review the proposal and share your comments.

Outsourcing Legal Services Abroad

Since the late 1980s, many law firms have outsourced some of their basic administrative work, such as duplicating documents and messengering mail.

Over time, outsourcing has increased in popularity, especially with client demands to reduce costs. Today, firms are outsourcing these services, as well as more complex work, to companies in developing countries such as India and the Philippines.

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Riding the Bus: It's Not That Bad

~by Sarah Curran, Columbus Bar Association

When you think about public transportation, specifically buses, what images come to mind? Crowded seats, noisy passengers, standing in the rain at a bus stop? This is how I imagined it would be, two years ago, before I started riding the bus downtown each morning, from a Park & Ride near my home in Worthington. I’m here to tell you that it’s not that bad.

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Bar Insurance Services Enhanced

Hilb Rogal and Hobbs announces new HRH Employee Benefit Account Executive, Char Bigelow Sutak. Char will work with Mike Turney to continue to provide Columbus Bar members with the finest insurance plans at the best prices. Char will be focusing her efforts on law firms with 2-50 attorneys.

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Blawgging

For the bloggers among us, check out the ABA’s website – there is an entire library of law-related blogs categorized by subject, author, law school, and region.

(ABA's Blawg Directory)

Local Documentarian Featured on
The History Channel

Greg Jacobs, son of Columbus Bar member Fran Jacobs, recently produced “102 Minutes that Changed America,” a documentary capturing the moments surrounding the devastating events of September 11. The film was recently featured on The History Channel.

(View a "sneak peak"...)

Looking to Cut Costs? Order Office Supplies Online for Less

Columbus Bar members receive special pricing on office supplies, printer cartridges, paper, promotional items and furniture through an exclusive arrangement with Office Depot. Save time and gas money by shopping online. Placing an order is fast and easy, and supplies can be delivered to your door.

(Click here to place an order now...)