ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Unless they find another case in the next few weeks, the argument Tuesday in Bartenwerfer v. Buckley will bring a close to this term’s encounters with the Bankruptcy Code. As I explained in my preview of the argument, Bartenwerfer presents a statutory puzzle: whether the language of the code permits a person in bankruptcy to discharge a debt incurred through the fraud of her husband.

The question comes from the language of Section 523(a)(2)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code, which  protects – and thus preserves from the discharge – any creditor’s claim for “money … obtained by … actual fraud.” The claim in the case was incurred through the fraud of David Bartenwerfer; Kate Bartenwerfer, who did not herself commit fraud, is nevertheless liable for that fraud because David was acting as her partner (in selling the house that

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Do your professional new year resolutions include writing and engaging with other FCIL research enthusiasts? Consider contributing in 2023 to DipLawMatic Dialogues! The blog offers an informal venue to share your expertise with your colleagues – and one that also requires only a limited time commitment! A few series for which we welcome either periodic (ex. quarterly) or guest columnists include the:

  • Teaching FCIL Research Series: Share your perspectives on teaching FCIL-related research topics – whether in single sessions or for-credit courses, whether you are teaching FCIL research for the first time, or are an experienced instructor teaching in new ways, and whether you teach JD students or other audiences;
  • New FCIL Librarian Series: The SIS loves to hear from new FCIL librarians – whether you are new to the profession, or an experienced librarian serving in an FCIL-focused role for the first time (irrespective of job title!)
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More than 200 million active users now rely on Microsoft 365, and they create more than 100 petabytes of new content each month within the platform. The market for collaboration tools such as Teams, Zoom and Slack exceeds $17 billion, with a projection to more than double in the coming years. As these tools have grown in user adoption worldwide, their features and capabilities have also expanded at a rapid pace.

One of the latest collaborative features within Microsoft Teams is Loop, a tool that was released for early access in August. It allows users to synchronously create, capture ideas and share content with others in real time, from anywhere. The features in Loop are a boon for productivity and remote work collaboration. Yet, when information created in or modified using Loop comes into scope for a legal or regulatory matter, these features also introduce several

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Thanks to Thanksgiving, the regular Friday Legaltech Week panel has not met for two weeks. But we are back today at 3 p.m. ET to discuss the latest developments in legal tech and legal innovation, and there is a lot to talk about.

Attendance is free, but, if you have not already done so, you need to register, which you can do here. Register once and you are signed up for all future sessions.

Our lineup changes from week to week, but our regular panelists include:

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apps-ga1d3c25ac_1920Rebranding your law firm? You’re probably wondering if it’s better to use the term “attorney” or “lawyer” for search engine optimization. Often interchanged, Google may prefer one over the other. It’s important to distinguish which term is best for your law firm and your practice and use the term that will drive the most traffic to your website. Continue reading to learn which terms rank higher in SEO for law firms.

Why is SEO so Important?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is at the core of online marketing. This method helps websites rank higher in Google and other search engines. Most potential clients search for law firms online. Many will not look past the first page of search results.

An effective marketing strategy involves using keywords that prospective new clients will use when they search, so they will find your firm on that first page of results when looking for a

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ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Wednesday’s argument in Wilkins v. United States was a quiet one, with several of the justices saying so little that it is difficult to discern what they are thinking. Those who spoke extensively, however, seem ready to reject the government’s argument that the statute of limitations at issue here is a strict jurisdictional rule, as opposed to a “mere” claims-processing rule, which could be waived in an appropriate case.

The dispute involves the Forest Service’s decision to permit general public use of a road near the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana. Larry Wilkins and his neighbor Gene Stanton (who live near the road) filed suit under the federal Quiet Title Act, arguing that general public use exceeds the terms of the easement that authorizes the road. Wilkins and the government fought in the lower courts over whether the

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The Foreign, Comparative, and International Law Special Interest Section (FCIL-SIS) of AALL needs your leadership and vision! 

The Nominations Committee hereby welcomes submissions for Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Secretary/Treasurer of the SIS for 2023. 

FCIL-SIS Annual Nominations For: 2020
Deadline: December 16, 2022
  • The position of Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect requires a three-year commitment, as Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, Chair, and Immediate Past Chair, and will be expected to attend the AALL annual meeting the first two years.  
  • The position of Secretary/Treasurer requires a two-year commitment, and the holder of this office is expected to attend the AALL Annual Meeting both years. More information is available in the FCIL-SIS Bylaws.

Please consider nominating yourself or one of our outstanding colleagues for these important positions. (If nominating someone other than yourself, please communicate first with that person to ensure their interest in serving.)

Nominations will be accepted through December 16th, 2022. Results will be announced in the Spring newsletter.

Please submit your nominations and any questions to:

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The 2022 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report: Technology Basic & Security is now available for purchase!

The ABA Legal Technology Survey Report is the most comprehensive study available of lawyers’ actual technology use, spanning a vast range of topics from security and basic office software to technology budgets, marketing tools, and much more. The survey has been published annually for more than 20 years.

The 2022 edition features five volumes, each with detailed charts, tables, and trends: 2022 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report: Combined Volumes I-V

Vol. II: Technology Basics & Security

  • Technology Budget & Goals
  • Technology Training & Support
  • Technology Policies
  • Security Tools
  • Security Breaches
  • Viruses/Spyware/Malware
  • Backup





Check Also



Cybersecurity

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Josef, an Australia-based, no-code software platform that enables legal professionals to automate common tasks, today said it has raised AU$5.2 million, or approximately $3.5 million in U.S. dollars, which it says it will use to further bolster its presence among enterprise customers. 

The company previously raised $2.5 million in 2021 and a seed round of $1 million in 2019.

“We’ll be using the new funds to further expand our U.S. presence and to reach more in-house legal teams, cementing our role as the infrastructure layer on which the future of automated legal service delivery is being built,” CEO Tom Dreyfus told me in an email.

This latest funding round was led by OIF Ventures, with participation from Carthona Capital, Flying Fox Ventures, Jelix Ventures and Saniel Ventures.

Josef was founded in Australia in 2017 by two lawyers, CEO Dreyfus and COO Sam Flynn, and engineer Kirill Kliavin,

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yale dbU.S. News & World Report began ranking law schools in 1990. Every year since — a period of more than three decades — Yale Law School secured the No. 1 spot on the U.S. News list.

Yale’s reign at the top of the U.S. News rankings may be over, however. On November 16, Yale Law School announced that it would henceforth opt out of U.S. News & World Report’s list of top law schools.

Other highly ranked law schools quickly jumped on the bandwagon. As I write this, nine of the T-14 law schools (the most highly ranked schools on the U.S. News list) have pledged to stop submitting the internal data the publication needs to compile its list.

There are a lot of good reasons to detest the U.S. News law school rankings. Even so, it’s not exactly clear what gave rise to the big pullout now, after

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