Strength in Numbers - The Class Action Law Suit

Submitted by: leaftech

You know the saying, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. This truism is the concept behind the class action lawsuit. Sometimes the volume of the voice of many is what gets heard.Increasing your knowledge base about legal counsel can truly be an asset to you if you run into a life situation that dictates you need the support of a lawyer. Of course, we all know a little something about the law and that one usually needs a lawyer for such things as: divorce, custody, real estate, drafting wills and trusts, child adoption, business negotiations and estate planning. But there is another area of law that comes into to play from time to time known as "class action law." Many of us have had exposure to this area of law by reading about it in a newspaper, hearing something on the radio or seeing it on TV. For most people, the class action suit will only be an interesting news item. But, what if someday the person everyone is hearing about is you or your family member. Class action law is a specialty unto itself. This type of legal proceeding was developed to devise an efficient and effective legal strategy for handling a common breech of contract or injury that affected a large group of individuals. The key element in class action law is the "large number of individuals" who are being or have been detrimentally affected by the actions of another, quite often a corporation. One might find occasion for the use of class action law is for such things as; product liability, misrepresentation, consumer and competition law, stock fraud, or mass termination of employees. Should you find yourself in any situation where a decision has been made that has detrimental ramifications on a group, then consulting a lawyer would be a wise choice and a good investment. Seeking professional advice to determine whether a personal lawyer or a class action lawyer is of more benefit to your case is essential. The right type of legal counsel can save you time, stress and money.Often the voice of many can break the silence and correct the negative impact of a detrimental decision imposed upon the lives of a group of individuals.
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For more information on this article or London Life Insurance, visit ClassActionLaw.ca. Article Source: Ad-Matrix.net

Law School Scholarships

Submitted by: bcgsearch

A scholarship is probably the first kind of financial aid that comes to a student's mind when he or she contemplates trying to get free money for school. Competition for these privately funded, merit-based awards is fierce; still, most law schools report around half of all first-year law students receive some kind of scholarship.If you want to be in that lucky fifty percent of 1Ls, you have to know how to find the money. One great way to search for scholarships is by using online databases such as EdFed's Scholarship Search. You should also check in with your college or university's financial aid office for school-specific awards and call your state's bar association.As most scholarship recipients know, finding free money for school, like almost every other endeavor in life, is more the result of persistent, hard work than of blind luck. If you want to increase your chances of getting a scholarship, apply to as many scholarship programs as you're eligible for; and apply early.Below is a small compendium of scholarships for law students. You can use this list as a map to guide you to great sources of free financial aid. Thousands of law students have gotten sponsorship from their schools, state bars, and professional organizations in their practice areas. With diligence and some effort, so can you!Scholarships by Practice AreaThe American Intellectual Property Law Education Foundation (AIPLEF) offers two scholarships for students of IP law through its Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Intellectual Property Law Scholarships. This year, the Foundation is awarding a number of $10,000 scholarships to racial or ethnic minority IP law students. The Foundation also finds internships and mentoring programs to assist these students.The Jan Jancin Award is another IP-law scholarship. This $5,000 award is given to a 3L with "demonstrated excellence in the area of intellectual property" and is funded by the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the ABA-Intellectual Property Law Section.The William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholarship is a new award given to five University of Washington School of Law first-year students. The award covers the total cost of attendance and "incidental expenses." These scholars all commit to working in public service law for five years after graduation.UCLA law students who are declared "outstanding...in taxation" by the tax faculty are eligible to apply for the Hochman Scholarship, a $15,000 annual award. For those Northwestern University J.D.'s who chose to focus on tax law, the university awards three $25,000 scholarships to highly qualified applicants for its LL.M. in TaxationScholarships by LocationHarry A. Blackmun Scholarship, named after the SCOTUS justice who penned the majority opinion on Roe v. Wade, is a variable award given to any law student at an accredited U.S law school. Although the scholarship website notes that "preference will be given to applicants with a significant tie to Justice Blackmun's home state of Minnesota," all students are eligible to apply.The Women's Section of the Contra Costa County Bar Association awards at least two scholarships annually to local 2L students who have shown "active community involvement" and a concern for women's issues. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000.Alabama State Bar and the Alabama Law Foundation award the Cabaniss-Johnston Scholarship to Alabama residents who are 2Ls, and the William A. McClain Scholarship from the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati provides $5,000 to African-American 2Ls from Cincinnati.Scholarships for DiversityThousands of scholarships exist to support diversity in the law. Law students of color are eligible for myriad awards. For example, the American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education gives several $5,000 Legal Opportunity Scholarships each year to racial and ethnic minority law students. A great source for information on similar scholarships is the ABA's Commission on Racial and Ethic Diversity, and the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) also has a great list of awards for minority law students.Definitions of diversity in law schools are also beginning to include those of varying sexual orientations. The University of Chicago's Stonewall Scholarship, named for the 1969 Stonewall Riot, is awarded to a UC law student "who is likely to use his or her legal education toward the advancement of gay and lesbian rights." The Stonewall Community Foundation and Eastern Michigan University also offer scholarships of the same name for those who work for GLBT civil rights. The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association also has its $1,000 Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition award for law students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship in GLBT law issues.Scholarships by Law SchoolThe University of California, Berkeley's Boalt Hall offers 12 scholarships annually to its law students, but perhaps no law school outdoes Notre Dame in this department. Its law school grants 44 separate scholarships and fellowships each year!Because each school's programs are different, and award amounts may change from year to year, students are strongly urged to contact the law school's financial aid office to determine eligibility for school-specific scholarships.Scholarships by Law FirmMany scholarships offered by law firms tend to favor a geographical area, practice area, or diverse applicants. Still, it's a good idea to check around and see which firms might be looking for what you have to offer.Dykema Gossett, PLLC, awards its $7,500 Diversity Scholarship to 2Ls and 3Ls at University of Michigan Law School. Scholars also have an invitation to work at the firm as summer associates. The Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, Minority Scholarship Program provides 16 scholarships annually to students at Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Law School.Jackson, MS, law firm Butler Snow O'Mara Stevens & Cannada has supported students and programs at the University of Mississippi's School of Law for more than 30 years. In 2000, the firm gave $150,000 to establish the Butler Snow Scholarship in Law Endowment to grant $3,000 per year to several qualified Ole Miss law students.SummaryNo matter what law school you attend, what organization you end up working for, or what practice area you focus on, you will be able to find scholarships that fit you. Many scholarships are solely based on merit and academic aptitude; other awards consider financial need. Some programs will award you for your non-law specializations or interests.It's important for law students to remember that although the market for free money is competitive, it's not impossible to find a scholarship if you apply yourself with diligence and tenacity. Search long and hard, remember to apply early, and good luck!

LawCrossing: Steady Growth in Attorney Jobs in All Regions

Submitted by: Lawcrossing

LawCrossing, the website with the largest collection of legal jobs in the world, has released a month-end statistical report on the changes in the number of legal jobs by practice areas and job types. This past month's data show previous patterns for growth in attorney jobs have improved drastically with a strong increase in almost every area of legal staff positions. The report reflects changes in the demand for attorneys and legal staff in various practice areas and regions throughout the U.S. for the period between June 15, 2006 and July 14, 2006. With the exception of two regions, attorney jobs in law firms have seen a strong growth in almost all geographical areas. The Southwest district had a small decrease in demand, dropping eight jobs. The South, on the other hand, experienced the greatest drop in job demand, losing 182 jobs in one month and undergoing a seven-percent drop. The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest showed steady growth in jobs, but none topped the Western region's six-percent increase. In-house attorney job market displayed steady expansion in all geographical areas. However, following the trend that occurred in law firms, the Western in-house legal market had the most marked growth at four percent.The government has also been creating a huge pool of jobs this past month, which is a stark difference from last month's dearth of government jobs. The continued growth in demand for law firm and in-house legal jobs reflects J.D.s' ongoing search for summer internships and attorney positions. "June is the month when a flood of law school students and recent grads go out in search of jobs?whether it is a summer internship that will give them legal cred on their resume or an entry-level attorney position that will provide them with a good start in the industry," said LawCrossing CEO A. Harrison Barnes. "Some regions, such as the South and Southwest, which have experienced significant growth in May and June, are beginning to level out and decrease their job demand. Their legal markets are capping off. Other regions, most notably the West and Northeast which have huge and ever-growing legal markets, continue to supply more jobs to meet the ever-increasing demand." Barnes continued, "In direct correlation to increased attorney positions, legal staff positions have also been experiencing a positive hike this past month. Law firms across the nation realize that they need more paralegals, legal secretaries, accountants, IT staff, and so on in order to ensure the firm's running smoothly and efficiently. A good legal staff acts as the lubricant that keeps the firm's wheels spinning." Indeed, the market for legal staff is continuing its growth pattern for the second month running. Information technology, human resources, and accounting all have heightened demands, increasing by 37 percent, 30 percent, and 33 percent, respectively. Legal staff positions that work most closely with attorneys have been slowing in demand. Paralegal positions posted have increased by two percent, while legal secretary positions posted have decreased by one percent. Nonetheless, both remain steady in their demand. LawCrossing's team of 200 researchers and editors monitors the hiring needs of more than 1.2 million legal employers. With more than 75,000 legal jobs in the U.S currently in the database, the website counts tens of thousands of law students, attorneys, and legal staff professionals as members.