GPSolo eReport June 2020

Lawyer Wellness

Mindfulness 101: Mopping the Mud Puddle

By Melanie Bragg

Mindfulness practice can help you wake up to your flaws and imperfections—and change for the better. (7 minutes to read ∙ 1500 words)

Practice Management

Juggling Solo Practice and Family Illness: Caring for an Ill Spouse

By Amy H. Martell

The latest installment of this ongoing series tells the story of a lawyer’s experience negotiating the care of her wife while keeping her solo practice afloat. (5 minutes to read ∙ 1200 words)

Career

Women in Law: Small Actions by Male Allies Make a Big Difference

By Natalie Runyon

What does a male ally for gender diversity look like, and what are the small actions men can take on a day-to-day basis to drive greater inclusion? (4 minutes to read · 1000 words)

Practice Technology

Ask Techie: How Do I Set a Virtual Background Picture in Zoom?

In this month’s installment of our technology Q&A column, our panel of experts answers your questions about how to set a virtual background picture in Zoom, whether it’s safe to bring your phone to public protests, and what are the warning signs of social engineering scams. (6 minutes to read ∙ 1400 words)

Practice Technology

TAPAs: Using Technology to Stay Safe During the Pandemic

By Jeffrey Allen and Ashley Hallene

Technological And Practice Advice to help you become more efficient and effective. This month: how to continue serving your clients while reducing your risk of exposure. (5 minutes to read ∙ 1200 words)

Personal Injury

Understanding Delivery Truck Accidents and Who to Sue

By Mala Sharma

When you take a case involving damages caused by a delivery truck accident, your first task is to determine who is liable. (2 minutes to read · 400 words)

Bias & Discrimination

Voter Registration in Today’s Democracy: Barriers and Opportunities

By Terry Ao Minnis and Niyati Shah

What are the barriers and opportunities of voter registration in today’s democracy, and what needs to be considered when seeking to modernize the voter registration system? (12 minutes to read ∙ 2700 words)

Business & Corporate

Court Enforces Arbitration Clause Against Contractor of Customer

By John Ottaviani

A Pennsylvania federal court recently enforced the arbitration clause in an online license agreement where each log-on displayed a link to the terms and stated that use of the system constituted acceptance of the terms. (2 minutes to read · 400 words)

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Assessing the Role and Purpose of ODR in Our Courts

By Doug Van Epps

A longtime court professional looks at considerations that courts can use when incorporating online dispute resolution options into their services. (4 minutes to read · 800 words)

Solo Practice

Financial Exploitation by Agents under Powers of Attorney: It Is a Crime!

By Rebecca C. Morgan and Randolph Thomas

This article illustrates how the crime of financial exploitation might be committed by an agent under a power of attorney. (20 minutes to read · 4600 words)

Professional Development

New Members: Tell Us a Little Bit about Yourself

A new column in GPSolo eReport will feature short introductions of new members. (1 minute to read ∙ 100 words)

Professional Development

Division Announcements

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

Annual Meeting

ABA Virtual Annual Meeting – Convening for Justice will be held from July 29 - August 4., 2020. The virtual meeting will include governance and business meetings, CLE Showcase programs, virtual networking opportunities, General Assembly with the presentation of the ABA Medal, and the House of Delegates.

Professional Development

SoloSez Popular Threads

Find out what your fellow solos are saying about topics including adding a signature image to Word docs; how to respond when asked “how can you as a [_X_] lawyer do this despicable [_Y_] thing?”; outdoor law offices; remote law practice; and what’s your favorite call?