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joakim-honkasalo-GZa4QFmv0Zg-unsplash Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on Unsplash
Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on Unsplash

Curiosity is an essential human trait that drives us to learn new things, explore the world around us, and seek out new experiences. Being curious and having a desire to learn makes life more interesting and can help you to go far in life. Curiosity drives us to ask questions and seek out new information, which can lead to new insights and understanding. It can also help you to stay engaged and motivated, and can lead to new opportunities and experiences. Encouraging a sense of curiosity in yourself and others can be a great way to foster a love of…
Continue Reading Endless curiosity will take you far

Old Library at Trinity College
Old Library at Trinity College

Have you seen a picture of this library?  It is one of the most iconic historically preserved libraries in the world.  The Old Library at Trinity College was one of many pictures that I’d downloaded as part of a “Library Wallpapers” image bundle for my computer’s desktop when I started this job years ago.  When I am not working in a library, I dream of visiting famous libraries all around the world (which is how you know I’m made for this job). My wife and I had the opportunity to visit Dublin, Ireland last year, so I’m going to share…
Continue Reading The Old Library at Trinity College

amy-hirschi-uwpo02K55zw-unsplash Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
contract agreement Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

As businesses grow, the number of contracts they need to create tends to increase — as does the potential for legal errors and other risks. A useful way to manage risk is to use a variety of contractual tools that specifically address the issues of a particular business.

Types of Contract Risks
Before considering the various options for tools, it is important to consider the types of contract risks businesses typically face.
Lack of Consistency
Consistency achieves much more than cohesion among contracts. When contracts are inconsistent, there is a greater likelihood they will fail to be compliant with local, …
Continue Reading Contractual tools to manage risk

glenn-carstens-peters-npxXWgQ33ZQ-unsplash typing Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Pending before the Arizona Supreme Court is a petition to change court rules and dispense with the table of citations in state briefs. According to the full petition,

The Table of Citations is no longer needed to help a reader navigate to a particular cited source because most briefs are filed in electronic format with searchable text. Cumulatively, appellate litigants spend an unjustifiable amount of time and resources creating Tables of Citations.

The authors claim that readers now use “searchable text and hyperlinks to navigate the brief and locate cited authorities,” rather than the table. The tables, are incredibly…
Continue Reading Should courts dispense with the Table of Authorities?

jackie-boylhart-x4Ln13R0c4c-unsplash Supreme Court SCOTUS Photo by Jackie Boylhart on Unsplash
Photo by Jackie Boylhart on Unsplash

In the novel Guy Mannering, Sir Walter Scott wrote that a “lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect.” As lawyers and especially as appellate advocates, we aspire to creating an edifice where the rule of law governs and not simply the politics of the day. We seek to design the law to withstand political winds while capable of change though remaining true to rules and standards that sensibly apply regardless of the ascendant ideologies.

It is not an easy task,…
Continue Reading A call for law over politics

morgan-housel-PcDGGex9-jA-unsplash wealth Photo by Morgan Housel on Unsplash
Photo by Morgan Housel on Unsplash

When accumulating a valuable portfolio of assets, investments, and money, it is essential to ensure the wealth passes to future generations. An estate plan protects your legacy by leaving that intergenerational wealth to your loved ones. With these plans, children and grandchildren will not have to worry about housing, medical care, or educational needs. Many individuals have carefully invested and saved their money throughout their lives. Now is the time to think about intergenerational wealth and your estate plan. Contact Harrison Law, PLLC to learn more about planning options by calling (480) 320-2310.
Estate Plans Can Benefit All Families
According…
Continue Reading Intergenerational wealth and your estate plan

chris-liverani-dBI_My696Rk-unsplash medical chart Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

Beginning in 2014, many of you probably read my blog regarding having a checkup for you and, if you have one, your business. This does not involve the doctor, but it does involve all the other professionals in your personal and business life. Based on the positive feedback, I have made this an annual tradition.

Some of you said “What a great idea. I am definitely going to do that.” Others said “Sounds like a good idea, maybe I will look into that.” Another response was “I wish I had thought about this before the end of the year or…
Continue Reading Annual checkup time for you, your company

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Photo by Melinda Gimpel on Unsplash

On October 31, 2022, Forbes released its list of “Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2022“. The list is riddled with tongue-in-cheek remarks (it was released on Halloween, after all), but this kind of information is truly fascinating.

Of the 13 named in this list, just one is an athlete – Kobe Bryant. The remaining are authors, musicians, and writers, or some combination of the three. Even Kobe Bryant was getting his reps in on becoming a filmmaker prior to his tragic death, winning an Oscar in 2017 for his animated short film “Dear Basketball”, which he wrote and produced.
Continue Reading Timing is everything, even after you’re gone

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Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Moore v. Harper, No. 21-1271, on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. To suggest that democracy in America depends on the outcome of this case does not overstate its importance. The notion that the likely outcome might render voters irrelevant in many jurisdictions ought to scare every reader, regardless of political leanings.
Moore v. Harper
The issue, as set forth at SCOTUSblog, is:

Whether a state’s judicial branch may nullify the regulations governing the ‘Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives … prescribed … by the Legislature thereof,’ and replace them with…
Continue Reading Who decides elections?

yasin-aribuga-i1lmsclrL3Y-unsplash jaywalk Photo by Yasin Arıbuğa on Unsplash
Photo by Yasin Arıbuğa on Unsplash

Pedestrians in Arizona have a responsibility to obey traffic laws. Despite being the road’s most vulnerable users, pedestrians still have an obligation to protect others and prevent accidents. This includes only crossing the road when they have the right to do so. If a pedestrian is hit by a car while breaking a traffic law – such as while jaywalking – he or she may still have the right to recover financial compensation (damages). However, the settlement value may be reduced. An experienced Scottsdale pedestrian accident lawyer can help you determine the value of your case.
Is Jaywalking Illegal in…
Continue Reading If a pedestrian is hit while jaywalking, can they still claim damages?

alex-boyd-6-H23dfH7Qo-unsplash old person undue influence Photo by Alex Boyd on Unsplash
Photo by Alex Boyd on Unsplash

According to The American Bar Association, undue influence is defined as a fiduciary or confidential relationship between two people where one person influences another person to enact their will instead of the influenced person’s will. In other words, undue influence is when someone close to a person uses coercive tactics – such as affection or intimidation – to financially exploit someone else. For example, a con artist might try and befriend an elderly person online and trick them into wiring them large amounts of money, or a caretaker might isolate and then convince their dependent to leave their estate…
Continue Reading 5 ways to identify undue influence

drahomir-posteby-mach-n4y3eiQSIoc-unsplash law library Photo by Drahomír Posteby-Mach on Unsplash
Photo by Drahomír Posteby-Mach on Unsplash

No matter how glorious your resume or how many glowing recommendations you collect, you have to know a lot about a job opportunity to let a potential employer know that you are the right person for the position. Success in the legal job market, as in law school, takes a lot of homework.

And we at the Ross-Blakley Law Library are here to help! Our Law Employment Research Guide compiles resources to help you get tabs on law firms, land a clerkship with a judge, or just build essential lawyering skills such as networking and compiling contacts.

The Researching Law …
Continue Reading The law library can help with homework on employers 

jason-blackeye-XYrjl3j7smo-unsplash drone Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash
Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash

Registering your drone with the Federal Aviation Association. The FAA has actually made the process rather smooth and straight forward.

Why is Drone Registration Necessary?

Plain and simple, the FAA wants every drone registered to increase the safety of people both in the air and on the ground. With more than 1 million drones registered with the FAA they have their hands full trying to keep people safe.

“Registration is all about safety,” says FAA spokesperson Jim Peters. “It provides us with a key opportunity to educate the new generation of airspace users that as soon as they start flying…
Continue Reading How to register your drone with the FAA

colin-lloyd-SQZtpwXnY1Q-unsplash courthouse Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash
Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash

A good reputation is one of the most valuable assets a lawyer can have. Establishing and maintaining credibility as an appellate advocate is especially important. In addition to generally wanting an appellate court to think well of you, credibility plays an important part in being persuasive.

Appellate advocates often appear in the same courts over and over. So, what are ways you can ensure that you have credibility with those courts?

1. Be a zealous advocate. Make a substantive effort for your client. Within the bounds of ethics and professionalism, use tools of persuasion. Use confident language and seek to…
Continue Reading Credibility as an appellate advocate

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Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash


Two recent additions to the Ross-Blakley Law Library collection have attorneys looking within, honing skills and reversing destructive thinking. Understanding and Overcoming Cognitive Biases for Lawyers and Law Students and Negotiation Essentials for Lawyers are driven by practicality: they hope to instill lessons that can make lawyers better at their job by identifying and neutralizing fallacies and other mental lapses and by developing a solid strategy at the bargaining table.

Understanding and Overcoming Cognitive Biases for Lawyers and Law Students, E. Scott Fruehwald, 2018

The heart of this book on cognitive biases is active learning—it contains numerous exercises to…
Continue Reading Mind Games: Train your mind for optimal lawyering

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Photo by veeterzy on Unsplash

Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $392 billion of federal investments in energy and climate policies, reflects a complex political evolution over recent decades, as described in this Washington Post article.

Multiple Political Changes

The bill was adopted on a purely party-line vote, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans opposed.

There used to be bipartisan support for environmental policies.  President Richard Nixon signed the bill creating the Environmental Protection Agency.  President George H.W. Bush “signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and created the U.S. Global Change Research Program.”  Senator and presidential…
Continue Reading Inflation Reduction Act: A long, hard road to “Yes”