Articles & Blogs
Find Your Passion and Go For It!
It is hard to believe that I have been an attorney for over 22 years! When I first started practicing I was often asked “why did you decide to become a lawyer?” It seems like years since I have been asked that question. Maybe that is why I asked it of myself lately when reading two recent news stories.
Maricopa County Property Taxes – 2017 Notice of Value
Attention Maricopa County property owners! Be on the lookout for the Maricopa County Assessor’s 2017 Notice of Value. Most were mailed on February 19, 2016. You have 60 days to file a direct appeal to the Assessor from the date the Notice of Value was mailed. In Maricopa County, April 19 is the deadline to appeal the Maricopa County Assessor’s assignment of property value to your home for 2017 directly to the Assessor.
Texting and Driving: A Triple Threat
The odds are that, at some point, most of us will be involved in a motor vehicle crash. There is also the likelihood that the cause will be a driver whose attention was distracted from the road because they were using a cell phone. In fact, the National Safety Council has reported that a quarter of all car accidents involve cell phone use. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2013, 3,145 people were killed and approximately 424,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Texting while driving is particularly distracting because it involves taking your hands off of the steering wheel, diverting your eyes from the road and turning your mind to something other than the task of driving – a triple threat.
Giving Thanks
In just a few weeks, on the last Thursday in November, family and friends will gather around tables brimming with golden roasted turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Between bites of pumpkin pie, sips of hot apple cider, conversation and laughter, many of us will take pause to express appreciation for all of the positive things in our lives and to reflect on what’s really important to us.
Intellectual Property
Having a strong internet presence is crucial in today’s digital world. But, differentiating yourself or your business from the multitude of social media sites, websites, and blogs can be quite a challenge. One technique is to capture your audience’s attention with visual images or sounds. Using search engines, the possibilities are endless and simply a click away.
Life Lessons
Five years ago a distinguished gentleman knocked on our door at home. He said that he worked for an orphanage in Israel and asked if he could speak to me about a possible donation. My oldest son Ari was turning 13 at the time and it was his Bar Mitzvah week.
Assessor Letter
Attention Homeowners!! Just a reminder that April 21 is the deadline to appeal the Maricopa County Assessor’s assignment of property value to your home for 2016 directly to the Assessor.
Avoiding Litigation
Spring has sprung! Each of us has our own way of greeting the season of rebirth. As one of the firm’s trial attorneys, I look at Spring as a way to measure my New Year’s resolutions to see if I am on track.
The Importance Of Written Release Agreements
A well drafted written release agreement can protect your company from a lawsuit. A release is a written agreement where one party releases the other party from potential liability usually in exchange for a payment of money or some other form of consideration. That consideration can take the form of a release by the other party of the first party.
Good News from Congress? Really? Tax Relief for some
For those who have had mortgage debt forgiven in 2014 either by agreement with the lender or pursuant to the provisions of the Arizona anti-deficiency statutes there were worries that there may be income tax consequences on the forgiven debt because the Mortgage Debt Reduction Act
Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”)
Alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”). Those three words may sound great to people who have spent a lot of money in court litigation. But not all ADR proceedings are the same. Depending on the nature of the dispute, one particular method of ADR – arbitration may not be the best method to resolve a claim.
The Joy of Hearing a Book
I have always had a love of reading. Our house was filled with books when I was a child and my mother was always reading. I have continued that tradition and now I am the one my own children see reading all the time. I would choose a book over a movie any day of the week. Most recently I began listening to audio books.
Where There is a Will There is a Way (To Pass on Our Values)
We are privileged to help many of our friends and clients prepare their last will and testament, testamentary and living trusts and associated paperwork regarding the disposition of their money and assets according to their wishes and law. We spend a lot of time to suggest lawful methods for significant planning and savings
OMG AT 2:00 A.M.
At some time or another, most business owners have awakened in a panic – or similar emotion – in the middle of the night thinking about:
• What might happen if I am unable to continue to run my business?
• What might happen if a key employee leaves my business?
• Is my business really saleable?
• What if I lose a key customer?
NFL
The recent actions of the NFL regarding a horrendous domestic abuse incident have come under widespread critical scrutiny and condemnation. Domestic abuse is too nice a phrase for what was a criminal assault and battery of a woman by an NFL player who was her fiancee.
Online Sales Tax
Saying that the internet has changed the way we live is an obvious statement. The internet has transformed our forms of communication and our use of language as well as the way we conduct business.
Fun Facts
As many of us return from summer vacation and students return to school our lives begin to develop a new routine. We drag ourselves out of the summer slump and back to the grind. To keep things lighthearted, I thought it would be entertaining to send you a list of fun facts. Enjoy!
Go Paperless – Do Good
A few years ago our firm made the decision to go paperless. (Yes we are lawyers and we have a fondness for paper and cannot completely eliminate it, but the advantages of going paperless were simply too compelling, so we have digitized all our files and systematized our access to them.)
Snapchat vs. the FTC
Do you or a teen you know use Snapchat? If so, you should know that it may not be as private or temporary as you think. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Snapchat agreed to settle charges that the company was deceiving users about “temporary” usage of photo messaging as well as the collection of user information.
If You “like” Us, Don’t Sue Us
General Mills the maker Betty Crocker, Nature Valley and Pillsbury brands has announced that if you choose to follow their company page, subscribe to their newsletter, or benefit in any way, including coupons, from their company you may be waiving your right to future lawsuits.
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