ABA Publications Information

Information regarding selected publications of the American Bar Association received in February 2008:

Essential Rules for the Deponent You need to prepare your client for a deposition. Preparation is the key to successfully reconstructing what did or did not happen in the case. How many rules are there for a witness in a deposition? What are the essential dos and don’ts for the deponent? Don’t head into your next deposition without reviewing the essential rules.

Individual Responsibilities To be effective in decision-making and oversight activities, a director must understand the corporation’s operations, including its areas of business and the competitive environment in which it operates. This knowledge enables the director to evaluate independently corporate and senior management performance, to provide strategic guidance, to work with management and other directors in developing and evaluating corporate objectives and strategic plans, and to challenge, support, and compensate management as warranted.

Keys to Tax Planning Tax planning is a major part of most estate planning, and one of the first steps in tax planning is to identify those tax decisions or options that may be useful to the client. In compiling a list of possible recommendations, consider the following suggestions.

Can One Partner Be the Dependent of the Other?
Even without a formal written agreement, lesbian and gay couples must be cautious when setting up their household. With life insurance, each will initially own his policy and then assign it to the other and have that person become responsible for all premiums. This is necessary if the parties cannot establish an insurable interest in their partner’s life. Doing so removes the proceeds from the insured’s estate. For one partner to claim the other as dependent, there are five claims to be met.

The Insured Stock Purchase Agreement, Second Edition By Lawrence Brody and Stephen A. Daiker
Complete with the necessary sample forms, this guide explains the types of stock purchase agreements, including stock redemption, cross purchase, combination of redemption and cross-purchase, and wait-and-see buy-sell, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each from a tax planning perspective. It also includes numerous examples and charts plus a chapter on state law considerations, including general information on community property states and a summary of various state laws of an owner.

How to Build and Manage an Estates Practice, Second Edition By Daniel B. Evans
Specifically tailored to the unique needs of the estates and trusts lawyers, this updated second edition of “How to Build and Manage an Estates Practice” focuses on making your practice better. Written as a “book of ideas,” you’ll find guidance on marketing, effective client communications, fee agreements, and ethics, including the updates to the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a lawyer at a large firm, you’ll find the tools you need to make a difference. Includes sample forms, checklists, and questionnaires on an accompanying CD.

The Family Limited Partnership Deskbook, Second Edition By David T. Lewis and Andrea C. Chomakos
This bestselling deskbook provides expert guidance and essential forms for using FLPs and LLCs to address clients’ tax and non-tax objectives. Comprehensive in scope and detail, it explains the key principles involved in planning with FLPs and provides numerous examples of typical situations along with illustrations of the practical application of each technique. It offers in-depth guidance and suggests solutions to potential problems in their use. Twenty-four sample agreements, exhibits, and other documents are discussed within the text and contained on the accompanying CD-ROM.

Computer Forensics Practice In our electronically driven society, there are many reasons for undertaking computer forensic work. From matters involving criminal complaints, through misappropriation issues, to family court matters, computer forensics is a forensic science that can make a difference in a growing range of cases. Regardless of the specific nature of your case, it is important for counsel to understand the nature of the computer forensic process. Failure to follow a documented process can call the work into question. And by understanding the process, counsel can determine how to use it more effectively and efficiently in support of their cases.

For additional information click here.

Contact Information