Phoenix Legal Networking Group - May 6th

May 6th will be the inaugural launch of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group. This brand new monthly meeting is specifically designed to help attorneys and their staff in small law firms and solo practices discover how to effectively market and grow their business.

We will meet each month for 2 hours to enjoy networking with other attorneys at small law firms and participate in a 45 minute practice building workshop.

Call 888-816-8935 to Register or go here: http://www.therainmakerretreat.com/network

When Thursday, May 6 from 4-6pm (4-5pm networking, 5-6pm seminar)

Where Country Inn & Suites
808 N Scottsdale Rd
Tempe (www.CountryInns.com/airporttempe)
By 202W and 101N.
15 mins from downtown & airport

The topic for the first meeting is:
7 Strategies to Recession Proof Your Law Firm
By Stephen Fairley, CEO of The Rainmaker Institute

Why are some attorneys having their best year ever when others are struggling to even survive? Join us and discover:
• The secrets top Rainmakers are using in this economy
• Learn what's working now and what's not...
• The #1 thing you need to do right now that will fix your cash flow problems
• Why you need to market differently
• The importance of emphasizing benefits, value and results
• How to easily track all your marketing efforts

Cost $15 per person (includes drink, hors d’oeuvres, networking event and workshop)
Please RSVP to attend. Be sure to bring your business cards. Dress is Business casual"

Carter Law Office

Congratulations to Tempe attorney Carol Coghlan Carter on the release of her firm's new website, www.carterfamilylaw.biz

With over 20 years of experience, Carol's firm takes a child centered approach to the cases she handles and always works towards a solution that promotes the best interest of the child.

And the winner is...

RESTON, VA, April 12, 2010 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. In March 2010, Americans conducted 15.4 billion core searches, with Google Sites accounting for 65.1 percent search market share.

March 2010 U.S. Core Search Rankings

Google Sites led the U.S. core search market in March with 65.1 percent of the searches conducted, followed by Yahoo! Sites (16.9 percent), and Microsoft Sites (11.7 percent). Ask Network captured 3.8 percent of the search market, followed by AOL LLC with 2.5 percent."

Police Power Expanded As Miranda Warnings Are Scaled Back

This is a very interesting article that revisits the 1966 Miranda v. Arizona, in which the Supreme Court established the rule that police officers must notify suspects of their right to remain silent and to have an attorney present. Another layer of protection was added for suspects in the 1981 case of Edwards v. Arizona and most recently and the reason for this article is the 2003 Maryland v. Shatzer ruling which was recently revisited this year in February. This case has to do with the requestioning of a suspect, Miranda protections and what constitutes a break in custody.

This Miranda rights article was provided by The Baker Law Firm. Michael Baker is an experienced phoenix drug charge defense attorney capable of handling many types of drug charges including simple possession, possession with intent to sell, drug importation and many other drug crimes.

Suzuki Law Offices, LLC Expands

Suzuki Law Offices, LLC has added Attorney Matthew Bartz to it's firm. Mr. Bartz joins phoenix criminal defense attorney Richard Suzuki at the firm and brings a tremendous amount of experience as he has handled thousands of criminal matters ranging from complex felony kidnapping and aggravated assault cases to simple shoplifting cases.

Matthew Bartz is an experienced criminal law attorney who handles criminal defense cases in the City, State and Federal Courts.

FindLaw Wins Five WebAwards!

Congratulations to FindLaw as they won five webawards for law firm web site design and development. These 2009 awards brings FindLaw's total webaward count to 22. What a great honor and achievement to be recognized by the Web Marketing Association so many times.

To read more about this years awards and view the web sites that were awarded please follow this link, http://company.findlaw.com/pr/2009/092109.awards.html.

Congratulations!

STATE BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTIONS ARE MANDATORY IN ARIZONA

Arizona Bankruptcy Attorneys

This article is provide by the Gilbert Bankruptcy Lawyers at Wilson-Goodman & Fong, P.C.

Many practitioners may be surprised to find that Arizona debtors are legally precluded from electing to use federal bankruptcy exemptions when they file. While the lingering effects of your old ConLaw class may induce an immediate “preemption!” argument, federal bankruptcy code actually allows for this.

11 U.S.C. § 522(b) allows states that have adopted their own exemption laws to “opt-out” of the federal bankruptcy exemptions. This means that, depending on the state, a debtor may have to use the federal bankruptcy exemptions, may have to use the bankruptcy exemptions of their state, or may be permitted by the state to choose which they prefer.

Arizona, for whatever reason, has decided to prevent its debtors from using the federal bankruptcy exemptions. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1133 provides that “residents of this state are not entitled to the federal exemptions provided in 11 U.S.C. 522(d).” Note that this only applies to debtors that qualify for using Arizona's set of exemptions. The debtor must have continuously lived in Arizona for the two years immediately preceding filing. If the debtor hasn't, then the applicable state law will be of the state in which the debtor resided for the greater part of the six months prior to the two year period before filing.

Presuming it is Arizona that applies, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona has explained the restriction: “Arizona is an “opt-out” state and has taken advantage of a provision in the bankruptcy law that permits each state to adopt its own exemption law, in place of the federal exemptions. Thus, those debtors filing bankruptcy in Arizona are allowed the exemptions as set forth in the Arizona statutes and federal non-bankruptcy statutes. Check the second box on the top of Schedule C, because Arizona law does not allow debtors to claim the exemptions provided by 11 U.S.C. § 522(d).”

The upside to this restriction? Arizona’s exemptions are generally much more generous than the federal exemptions and, while § 33-1133 prohibits the use of federal bankruptcy exemptions, it does not prevent Arizona debtors from claiming exemptions under other federal law. This includes Veterans’ benefits, Social Security benefits, and other proceeds for government or military employees. For more information, visit the Court’s website at http://www.azb.uscourts.gov/.