Miscellaneous

• Law Blogs: Protected Political Speech or Commercial Speech?

  Michael Phelan | October 17, 2011 11:31 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  Here in Richmond, Virginia, a local lawyer is challenging the Virginia State Bar's authority to regulate his blog, claiming that such regulation violates his First Amendment free-speech rights. Like...

• Why Do Pols Support States' Rights Only When it Suits Their Donors?

  Michael Phelan | September 14, 2011 10:08 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  On the issue of tort reform, Rick Perry used to be for States' rights before he was against them. He now believes the federal government should trump the citizens of local communities in determining...

• Romney Picks Robert Bork to Co-Chair His Justice Committee: He must favor frivolous lawsuits

  Michael Phelan | August 15, 2011 2:26 PM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  Former Supreme Court nominee, Robert Bork, was the subject of legal blogs several years ago when he stepped up onto a dais to deliver a speech to the Yale Club of New York City and fell backward....

• Virginia Bus Crash and Coal Company Cases Show Why Tort Reform Would Make Us Less Safe

  Michael Phelan | July 08, 2011 10:04 AM | 2 CommentsRichmond, VA

  Today's Richmond Times-Dispatch contained a spot on editorial about how the horrible Upper Big Branch mine explosion that killed 29 miners might have been averted had Massey Energy followed basic,...

• When Representing Clients with Special Needs, Consider using Pooled Special Needs Trust

  Michael Phelan | June 17, 2011 11:09 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  During the past twenty plus years representing children with disabilities in personal injury cases, I encountered a common problem. After a good settlement or verdict was obtained and a special...

• Illegal Insider Trading Still Popular on Wall Sreet

  Michael Phelan | June 16, 2011 4:26 PM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  The recent criminal conviction of Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam indicates that big money is still being made by Wall Street kingpins through insider trading, the lazy, but fool-proof,...

• H.R. 5: Political Chronyism At Its Best

  Michael Phelan | February 19, 2011 8:56 PM | 5 CommentsRichmond, VA

  My favorite author, Ayn Rand, believed that the enemies of free market capitalism included communists/socialists and politicians who practiced chronyism. The vast majority of Americans agree that...

• Are Lawsuit Lenders Legal Loan-Sharks?

  Michael Phelan | January 18, 2011 10:35 AM | 2 CommentsRichmond, VA

  Yesterday, the New York Times shined a light on the growing business of lending money to plaintiffs in exchange for a lien on thier personal injury lawsuits. This business, which the industry wants...

• Ken Feinberg Urges Oil Spill Claimants to Hold Off Filing Suit

  Michael Phelan | July 13, 2010 11:06 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  Kenneth Feinberg has served as special master following nearly all of America's crises in which compensation funds have been established. From the recent Virginia Tech shooting, to fixing salaries...

• This is why I usually hate socializing with lawyers!

  Michael Phelan | June 17, 2010 11:20 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  The recent edition of Virginia Lawyers Weekly contains yet another piece written by a strategic marketing consultant trying to coach grown up lawyers how to speak to one another at social events....