Features

- The Act of God Defense: Does It Still Exist?
- Although the Act of God defense – that a defendant is insulated from liability for personal injury or property damages caused by a natural cause – is rarely used, it may become more common in the future if predictions of catastrophic weather events caused by global warming prove true.
- Bankruptcy Basics for Attorneys
- This is the second of a two-part series to familiarize nonbankruptcy lawyers with basic bankruptcy law concepts and practices. This part focuses on specific aspects of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 proceedings and provides practice hints. Part 1 appeared in the March Wisconsin Lawyer.
- Beyond Robo-Signing: Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Basics
- Recent revelations concerning unreliable mortgage-processing methods nationwide have cast a negative light on industry practices but also opened the door to new defenses for homeowners and their lawyers involved in foreclosure actions. This article is a basic key for finding potential mortgage-document mistakes and using this information to help clients keep their homes.

Opinions, Voices & Ideas

Inside the Bar More for Less The new State Bar PINNACLETM Institutes provide focused, in-depth CLE and opportunities to network and socialize and cost less to attend than the conventions of yore.	President's Message Funding the State's Public Defender Program The State Bar is commissioning a study to assess budgetary, caseload, and performance indicators for Wisconsin's indigent-defense assigned-counsel program.
Ethics Determining Responsibility of Local Counsel Determining a lawyer's responsibilities as local counsel depends very much on how the lawyer is being compensated for service.	Marketing 7 Steps to Exceptional Client Loyalty Loyal clients can provide lawyers with a strategic, sustainable advantage.