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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 

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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”

omar-flores-MOO6k3RaiwE-unsplash network Photo by Omar Flores on Unsplash
Photo by Omar Flores on Unsplash

Networking is the base onto which your business development efforts sit. Who you know matters. The broader your network and reach the better chance it will lift you up towards success.

It seems obviously that you should want to be known by as many people as possible. We all have different ideas of what networking is or should be. You and I may meet at an professional event, but that doesn’t mean our respective networking activities will be a mirror of each other. You may be there with the goal of collecting business cards and meeting as many people as…
Continue Reading Networking and deepening your connections matters

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

Courts often defer to administrative agencies on matters that require the agency’s specialized expertise. Yet even the embattled Chevron deference doctrine[1] puts the brakes on judicial deference sensibly when Congress has spoken on the matter. After all, the statute’s meaning must reflect legislative intent.[2]

Still, in defending the constitutionality of a statute, States will ask courts to read the statute more narrowly than its language supports, to avoid invalidation as applied to common situations. The Supreme Court has supplied advocates with precedent that should overcome these attempts to recast legislative language, particularly where free speech concerns predominate.

For…
Continue Reading Agency deference and statutory interpretation

joey-huang-jg3NTQilepo-unsplash video Photo by Joey Huang on Unsplash
Photo by Joey Huang on Unsplash

Video content is an effective way to connect with potential clients online, and consumers across many industries are responding positively to video content. A compelling marketing video can boost conversion rates for your firm by directly addressing your potential clients’ pain points and highlighting how you can help them with their legal issue. Marketing videos can also be repurposed on your social media pages to reach a broader audience and drive more traffic to your website. But at what point does video content begin to hurt your website’s functionality and conversion capability?

Read on for the pros and cons of…
Continue Reading Pros and cons of video content on your website

claudio-schwarz-PnizH11Bjis-unsplash respect honor reputation Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Your reputation is formed by how people perceive you, good or bad. Online, it is a function of your presence and activities on the internet, making you vulnerable to risks that can tarnish your reputation. A seemingly harmless post may be misconstrued, your brand may be unfairly attacked, or saboteurs may post damaging content about you. These issues can lead to defamation suits and the need for an internet defamation attorney.

Damaged reputations can be costly and difficult to repair. Taking steps to alleviate some of the risks can protect your good name and character. Here are five steps to…
Continue Reading 5 steps to protect your online reputation

kelly-sikkema-et5mfj1eB94-unsplash footnote Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

In the play and movie, Amadeus, Mozart proudly debuts one of his new compositions for the emperor. The emperor’s verdict took Mozart by surprise. The composition was fine, the emperor intoned, but it suffered from “too many notes.” In providing some “helpful” criticism, the emperor advises, “cut a few and it will be perfect.”

While briefs do not approach the timelessness or artistry of a Mozart opera, courts and judges sometimes offer the same critique: “too many (foot)notes.” The judicial critique can have more validity than the emperor’s issue in Amadeus. The federal court in the District of Columbia, as…
Continue Reading Too many (foot)notes

sara-kurfess-O1mej4P-Rws-unsplash youtube Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash
Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash

Legal support is important when operating a YouTube channel, especially given the many legal issues content creators and YouTubers are exposed to. Some content creators may not find it necessary or consider it a priority at first, as many start and maintain their channels primarily as hobbies. However, legal support becomes necessary as a channel grows, gains popularity, and develops into a valuable asset.

Below are five instances in which YouTubers and content creators should consider hiring an internet lawyer to help with their channel.
1. When Negotiating Contracts
Brand deals, affiliate marketing, and partnerships with multi-channel networks (MCNs) are…
Continue Reading When should you hire a YouTube lawyer to help with your channel?

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Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

This topic covers a lot of ground in my mind. Depending on what you’re reading, you may be escaping your day or learning something new. It may be pure fun or investing in yourself and your future.

It means reading news and knowing what’s going on in the world. It means reading books including fiction and non-fiction, which can include books related to my career and business. To me, reading for all of these reasons is important and adds value to my life, whether an entertaining fiction book, an article on an area of the law relevant to my practice,…
Continue Reading Read, learn, and invest in yourself