1. Who Is a Good Fit for a Revocable Living Trust?

  • You want to avoid probate when you pass away and keep your affairs out of court.
  • You want a clear plan for who manages things if you become incapacitated.
  • You own at least $300,000 in home equity or $200,000 of cash and investments
  • You want flexibility — the ability to change your plan at any time.

If most of these describe you, a revocable living trust is likely a strong fit.2. What a Revocable Living Trust Does (In One Sentence)A revocable living trust keeps your estate out…
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1. Who Is a Good Fit for a HEPT?

  • Your home equity is substantially above Arizona’s $437,600 homestead exemption.
  • Your home is paid for or has a low mortgage, and you do not expect to refinance.
  • You are concerned about future liability (professional risk, business ownership, etc.)
  • You plan to stay in your home long‑term and do not expect to tap home equity.

If most of these describe you, a HEPT may be a strong option.2. What a HEPT Does (In One Sentence)A HEPT protects the equity in your home from future judgment creditors while preserving your lifetime…
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A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) can be a helpful way to protect your home and savings if long‑term care is ever needed. Here’s a simple overview to help you understand whether it may be right for you.1. Who Is a Good Fit for a MAPT?

  • You are at least age 55 and plan to stay in your home for many years. 
  • You have a trustworthy adult child who can help manage the trust.
  • You want to avoid spending down your assets if long‑term care is ever needed.
  • Your home has at least about $250,000 in equity.
  • You have

…
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Another post in our series on arbitration evolution in China. This post explores the question of how far should a system move toward internationally familiar arbitration norms while retaining domestic institutional choices? China’s New Arbitration LawSong Lianbin and Huang YiChina’s first comprehensive rewrite of its Arbitration Law in thirty years changes more than technical rules. It expands party autonomy, gives formal recognition to the arbitral seat and online proceedings, cautiously opens the door to ad hoc arbitration, and broadens the preservation measures available while a dispute is pending.The amended law was adopted on September 12, 2025, and took effect on…
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Article Summary

  • Many pedestrian settlements take about 6 to 18 months, while straightforward claims may resolve in 3 to 6 months and more complex cases can take longer.
  • Settlement value depends on injury severity, medical treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, available insurance, and each party’s share of fault.
  • Consistent medical care, organized documentation, limited social media activity, and early legal help can help prevent avoidable delays.

If you were hit by a vehicle while walking, you may be wondering how long it will take to settle your claim. In many of the pedestrian cases we handle, settlement takes approximately…
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There’s an old saying, credited to so many people over the years that I’ve stopped trying to figure out who said it first, that the harder you work the luckier you get. I’d tweak it a bit. Hard work doesn’t make you lucky, but it puts you in the path of luck far more often than sitting still ever will. When I look back at the clients I’ve gained over my career, many of those relationships started with what looked like a lucky break: a referral out of the blue, a phone call at just the right moment, a chance…
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Your website gets two report cards from Google, and they never agree. Google Search Console and Google Analytics look like they do the same job, and they don’t. One measures how your firm shows up in search results. The other measures what people do once they land on your site. Part 1 of this series explains what each tool actually reports, which questions to take to which tool, and why the two will never show you matching numbers.
The post Is Your Law Firm Website Working? Google Analytics vs. Search Console Explained (Part 1) appeared first on LawLytics.
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How Do You Trademark a Clothing or Beauty Brand Name?
When building a modern direct-to-consumer fashion label or beauty line, choosing your brand name and designing your aesthetic is incredibly exciting. But transitioning that creative vision into a legally protected business asset requires diving into the technical layout of the international Nice Classification system.
Knowing how to trademark a clothing brand or cosmetics company isn’t just about protecting a text name in a vacuum. In the eyes of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, your protection is explicitly bound to the specific types of goods you distribute and sell.
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Another blog in our series on Chinese arbitration!Can the Arbitrator Also Mediate?Jialin LiMany mediators and arbitrators are trained to keep those roles separate. A mediator may hear confidential information, test weaknesses, and float possible compromises; an arbitrator must decide on the record and remain visibly impartial. China has long been more willing to combine those functions, including allowing the arbitral tribunal itself to mediate a dispute before returning to adjudication if settlement fails.That practice can make Western neutrals uneasy. But its persistence in China is not simply a cultural curiosity. It offers a useful test of a broader…
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My colleague, Renee Henson, wrote an important new article, My Negotiation Chatbot Toby and Pedagogical Governance, about a chatbot that she developed for her first-year Lawyering: Problem-Solving and Dispute Resolution course at the University of Missouri Law School.Her article provides a thoughtful analysis of how faculty can use AI to improve legal education.  It also illustrates something broader:  AI can be used in a “centaur” mode in which humans and AI contribute complementary capabilities.  Working together, they can produce better results than either could produce independently while humans retain judgment and responsibility.Meet TobyRenee created Toby to give…
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Article Summary

  • Arizona recorded 1,640 bicycle crashes in 2025, approximately 19% more than in 2024, even as overall traffic crashes statewide declined.
  • Liability after a bicycle crash may involve a negligent driver, a government entity responsible for roadway conditions, a product manufacturer, or multiple parties.
  • Arizona law generally gives bicyclists the same roadway rights and responsibilities as drivers and requires motorists to leave at least three feet when passing.

Although cyclists share Arizona roads with cars, trucks, and other vehicles, they have little protection when a collision occurs. According to ADOT’s Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, 1,349 bicyclists…
Continue Reading Arizona Bicycle Accident Statistics: What the Latest Crash Data Shows

Arizona has two separate crimes for lying under oath, and defendants often assume they’re the same thing, but that isn’t the case. Perjury and false swearing are distinct offenses with different requirements and different penalties, and the difference between them can mean the difference between a Class 4 and a Class 6 felony. 
What Is Perjury Under Arizona Law?
Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2702 defines perjury as knowingly making a false sworn statement about a material issue, or a false unsworn declaration, certificate, verification, or statement about a material issue that is signed as true under penalty of perjury. 
 …
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That’s the thing, you walk out your front door and you have no idea what will happen. You don’t know who you’ll sit next to, who you’ll be introduced to, or whose path is about to cross yours for thirty seconds that turn out to matter more than a year of scheduled meetings. Most professionals treat this uncertainty as a reason to stay home, to skip the event, to send an email instead of showing up. I think about it the opposite way. The uncertainty is the entire value proposition. You cannot script who you’re going to meet, and if…
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When a major artist releases a hit album, the merchandise that comes with it can be a lucrative business. T-shirts, hoodies, and accessories let die-hard fans display their support. But when album titles are used on merchandise, it creates a tricky legal situation where the First Amendment and trademark law collide.
Two recent high-profile lawsuits involving Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift highlight this tension and offer an insightful case study for product founders, creators, and brand managers.
Lady Gaga recently secured a full dismissal of a $100 million trademark lawsuit regarding her MAYHEM album merchandise, while Taylor Swift is currently…
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Verbal agreements may seem sufficient when dealing with trusted business partners, but written contracts provide essential protection and clarity in commercial relationships. Understanding why formal written agreements matter can save your business from costly disputes and misunderstandings. Below is a summary of why effectively written contracts are key to the success of your business.  The […]
The post The Importance of Written Contracts in Commercial Transactions appeared first on Harrison Law.
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This weekend, I returned home from the fabulous AALS ADR Section Works in Progress conference at the University of Missouri.  (Not a long trip for me.)As always, I really enjoyed the presentations and conversations with friends and colleagues.  By all accounts, Carli Conklin and Rachel Wechsler did an outstanding job planning and hosting the conference.After I presented my short article, Beyond AI Slop: Preparing Law Students for Responsible Practice in the AI Era, an associate dean asked for my thoughts about developing an AI strategy for her school.  We didn’t have enough time to discuss it, and I thought…
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