GPSolo eReport July 2020

Practice Technology

Ask Techie: Is a Paid Zoom Account Worth It?

In this month’s installment of our technology Q&A column, our panel of experts answers your questions about whether a paid Zoom account is worth the cost, why Windows 10 keeps changing your default printer, and how choosing the right font can help you be a more persuasive advocate. (6 minutes to read ∙ 1400 words)

Practice Technology

Product Note: Westlaw Edge, the Leading Edge of Legal Research

By Jeffrey Allen and Ashley Hallene

Westlaw Edge empowers you to find the answers you are looking for with a few clicks and keystrokes. (9 minutes to read ∙ 2000 words)

Lawyer Wellness

Mindfulness 101: The Heart of Discomfort

By Scott L. Rogers

As we remember the death of George Floyd, mindfulness practices can help us see things more clearly and stay alert to and vigilant in the face of unpleasant truths. (5 minutes to read ∙ 1100 words)

Professional Development

Defining Moments, Insights into the Lawyer’s Soul: Think Anew

By Melanie Bragg

This month we focus on John Clark, whose advice to Think Anew is particularly valuable in these difficult times. (7 minutes to read ∙ 1500 words)

Solo Practice

A Lawyer Assistance Clinician’s Experience During the COVID-19 Upheaval

By Jeffrey Fortgang

These very strange months have been an opportunity to set limits, find balance, shift our focus from billable hours to feelings, and remember that lawyers are human beings (6 minutes to read ∙ 1300 words)

Women in the Law

Women in Law: How to Prevent Legal Burnout

By Mala Sharma

More and more women lawyers are using mindfulness practices and meditation to increase their productivity and avoid burnout. (3 minutes to read ∙ 600 words)

Immigration

Asylum Seekers Need Pro Bono Lawyers Now More Than Ever

By Jason Dzubow

Representing an asylum seeker pro bono can help change your client’s life. It can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your legal career. (6 minutes to read ∙ 1300 words)

Real Estate

Pandemic Accelerates Adoption of Laws on Remote Notarization and Electronic Wills

By Benjamin Orzeske

The Uniform Law Commission has approved uniform acts to address the need for secure, remote notarization and execution of wills. (6 minutes to read ∙ 1400 words)

Taxation

State Sales Tax Practices Prompt Tampon Tax Advocacy

By Julie Houth

Advocates argue the tampon tax amounts to sex-based discrimination, violating equal protection under both state and federal constitutions. (3 minutes to read ∙ 600 words)

Diversity & Inclusion

Lawyering in Color: The Ethics of Diversity and Inclusion

By Shelly C. Anand and R. Nelson Williams

All employers and practitioners in the legal field should work toward creating inclusive environments, whether in the office, in the courtroom, or at a happy hour. (8 minutes to read ∙ 1900 words)

Real Estate

COVID-19 and Real Estate

By Dale A. Whitman

What are the effects of COVID-19 on the real estate industry and the lawyers who work within it? (12 minutes to read ∙ 2800 words)

Professional Development

New Member Shout-Out: Alton Moore

Welcome to our new column featuring short introductions of new Division members. Up this month: Alton Moore. (1 minute to read ∙ 300 words)

Professional Development

Division Announcements

Official notice of the Annual Meeting of the Division membership; call for nominations for the 2020 Difference Makers Awards; GPSolo Roundtables for learning and networking; COVID-19 resources; promote yourself as an ABA member; GPSolo discounts, offers, and podcasts.

Professional Development

Division Meetings

Get ready for the Division’s events and programming at the ABA 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting.

Professional Development

SoloSez Popular Threads

Find out what your fellow solos are saying about topics including the availability of quality webcams, charging for initial consultations and fee timing, litigators who charge at least X for a court appearance, and the validity of electronic signatures that look nothing like your actual signature.