Friday, February 29, 2008

Ohio Voter Mugging 2008: OEJC Announces Quarantine That Machine Initiative

During its Election Education Forum in Dayton, Ohio this month, the Ohio Election Justice Campaign unveiled its citizen action initiative, Quarantine That Machine, for use during Ohio's primary election this Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Developed by an Ohio pollworker for use by other pollworkers and voters, Quarantine That Machine is a simple-to-follow initiative. As explained by Paddy Shaffer, Director of the OEJC, "If the voting machine you use behaves in an illegal manner, it should be treated as part of a crime scene. The theft of your vote is a crime by the voting machine and its vendors against YOU. Treat it as such." Voters are also encouraged to report problems through the new mobile blogging community, Utterz. With utterz, voters can blog the machine problems immediately from their cell phone with audio, video, images, and text. Utterz provides a phone number for people to call in and "speak" a blog entry, which appears as an audio file. Voters are asked to tag their entry "Ohio Voter Mugging 2008" and to identify the scene of the crime.

Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- During its Election Education Forum in Dayton, Ohio this month, the Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) unveiled its citizen action election initiative, Quarantine That Machine, for use during Ohio's primary election this Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Developed by an Ohio pollworker for use by other pollworkers and voters, Quarantine That Machine is a simple-to-follow initiative. As explained by Paddy Shaffer, Director of the OEJC, "If the voting machine you use behaves in an illegal manner, it should be treated as part of a crime scene. The theft of your vote is a crime by the voting machine and its vendors against YOU. Treat it as such."

As outlined by Ms. Shaffer, voters should watch for the following problems when voting on the touch screen machines:

1. Vote Hopping - This is when you vote for a candidate or an issue, and your vote visually hops and goes to another candidate or issue on the screen. We are generally told it is a calibration problem. For the voter, this means your vote is not recorded for who or what you intended. You have been robbed.

2. Paper Tape Does Not Match Your Vote - Please take the time to read the paper tape when you vote. The paper tape should correspond exactly with your vote on the touch-screen machines. This paper tape is called the Voter Verified Paper Trail (VVPT). In Ohio, the VVPT is your official ballot for an audit or recount.    

Note: If you wear glasses, bring them as the paper tapes are hard to read. The typeface is small, and some tapes are printed very light.

The above problems are not "glitches." There are evidence of significant problems with the machine. As Project EVEREST, the state-sponsored study of the electronic voting machines demonstrated, the machines are extremely vulnerable to sabotage, whether accidental or intentional, http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/info/everest.aspx.

If either of these problems occur while voting, the voter should
1. Tell the poll worker what happened;
2. Inform the poll worker that the machine must be immediately pulled from use in the election;
3. Instruct the poll worker not to manipulate the machine in an effort to correct the problem; and
4. File a police report with local law enforcement. Remind law enforcement to record the serial number of the machine.

As explained by Ms. Shaffer, it is critical that the machine not be harmed or manipulated in any way. It needs to be in the "same condition" for any forensic investigation. In previous elections, pollworker response to these problems has ranged from inaction to shaking the machine, canceling the vote and suggesting a revote, or pushing the reset button. These actions do not correct the problem; in some cases they simply result in more lost votes.

Pollworkers, when informed of the above problems, should
1. Have the voter move away from the machine. Thank the voter for catching the discrepancy and explain what just happened.
2. Place an OUT OF ORDER sign on the machine. Treat the problem voting machine as evidence in a possible crime scene.
3. File a police report with independent law enforcement and notify the Board of Elections of the problem.
4. Restart the voter on another machine or on a paper ballot that will be counted, not a provisional ballot that "may" be counted.

As explained by Ms. Shaffer, "Poll workers are the public guardians of our elections. We are confident they will take the steps necessary to address these severe problems with the appropriate action. These machines should not be returned to local election officials but rather quarantined by independent investigative authorities."

All citizens are also encouraged to report the problems through the new mobile blogging community, Utterz. With utterz, voters can blog the machine problems immediately from their cell phone with audio, video, images, and text. Utterz provides a phone number for people to call in and "speak" a blog entry, which appears as an audio file.

Utterz provides a way for voters to immediately document their machine problems, share them with others, and create a public and transparent archive of voting machine problems. Please tag your entry "Ohio Voter Mugging 2008" and identify the scene of the crime. For more information on this blogging community and to join before the primary, visit http://www.utterz.com.

On December 17th, 2007, the OEJC met with Michael W. Deemer, Chief Deputy Attorney General for Government Affairs of the Ohio Attorney General's (AG) office, and two other legal staff members, informed them of the Quarantine That Machine program, and asked them to develop a plan for law enforcement to follow in implementing this program. As discussed during that meeting, Chapter 3599 of the Ohio Revised Code includes numerous provisions which would authorize such an action by either a poll worker or a voter since the above problems may represent a violation of this chapter.

For more information on the status of the Ohio AG's plan for the upcoming Ohio primary, contact Michael W. Deemer at (614) 728-5462; mdeemer@ag.state.oh.us; Christopher Geidner, Counsel to the Attorney General, (614)-752-4332; cgeidner@ag.state.oh.us; or Ben Espy, Executive Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, bespy@ag.state.oh.us.

For more information on the OEJC or to donate: http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/OEJC or http://www.wakeupandsaveyourcountry.com/oejc.html.

Ohio election justice videos by Jeff Kirkby, Vocab Video: http://www.vocabvideo.com.

Video footage of meeting with AG during Funeral for Democracy by Bruce Duncanson, Redpeacecross Media: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1349662229528021316.

Background info: "Ohio Holds Funeral on Anniversary of 2004 Elections," http://www.prnewsnow.com/TextNews/168067.html; "Lobbyists Hack Your Elections: The OEJC Calls for Voting Systems Recall, Return, and Refund," http://www.prnewsnow.com/Public_Release/Legal%20And%20Law/170544.html; "Thugs Gag Your Vote: OEJC Calls for Day of Silence on Sunday, January 6th, 2008," http://www.prnewsnow.com/TextNews/175189.html.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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CalBizCentral Helps Businesses Comply With New Federal Posting Requirements; Family and Medical Leave Act Amendments Provide Additional Benefits to Military Families

CalBizCentral, the leading provider of human resources and legal information for California businesses, announced today a free update to its 2008 California and Federal Employment Poster to reflect recent changes in benefits for military families. Changes to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed by Congress and signed into law in late January require employers to offer additional benefits to military families and to make all employees aware of such benefits.

Sacramento (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- CalBizCentral, the leading provider of human resources and legal information for California businesses, announced today a free update to its 2008 California and Federal Employment Poster to reflect recent changes in benefits for military families.

Changes to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed by Congress and signed into law in late January require employers to offer additional benefits to military families and to make all employees aware of such benefits.

The expansion of the FMLA permits a "spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin" to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a "member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness."

"CalBizCentral is providing this free poster update through our website at CalBizCentral.com," said Jessica Hawthorne, labor law counsel with CalChamber. "California and federal laws are frequently changed and employers are required to keep their employee notifications updated as well. This easy-to-download update will help California businesses follow the law and inform their employees about these expanded benefits for military families."

To access the poster update, please go to www.CalBizCentral.com and click on "FMLA Poster Update" in the What's New section. CalBizCentral is a division of the California Chamber of Commerce. A Spanish version of the posting will be available on CalBizCentral once the language is finalized.

The new law also permits an employee to take FMLA leave for "any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty) in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation." This provision of the new law will be clarified when the Secretary of Labor issues final regulations defining "any qualifying exigency." The Labor Department is working on such regulations and, in the interim, is encouraging employers to provide this type of leave to qualifying employees.

About CalChamber
The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is the largest broad-based business advocate to government in California. Membership represents one-quarter of the private sector jobs in California and includes firms of all sizes and companies from every industry within the state. Leveraging our front-line knowledge of laws and regulations, we provide products and services to help businesses comply with both federal and state law. CalChamber, a not-for-profit organization with roots dating to 1890, promotes international trade and investment in order to stimulate California's economy and create jobs. Please visit our website at www.calchamber.com.

About CalBizCentral
CalBizCentral is a one-stop site for products that answer California and federal labor law and HR questions, alleviate confusion and allow businesses to focus their time and effort on their work. For more information or to review CalBizCentral's products, please visit www.calbizcentral.com.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Oklahoma Tax Attorney Cautions Against Tax Protestor Movement

Not many people will be excited about filing their income taxes this year, but a few of those people believe that they don't have to file. Clifford N. Ribner, a Tulsa, Okla., tax attorney, discusses the dangers of this belief.

Tulsa, Okla. (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- For the past few years, actor Wesley Snipes has faced serious charges of tax fraud and conspiracy. On Feb. 1, Snipes' trial ended in three convictions, though his tax lawyer helped him avoid the two most serious charges.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole thing was that Snipes was a "tax denier," one of a group of people who believe that income tax is illegal and they do not have to pay it.

Although that idea may sound tempting now that tax season has rolled around, Tulsa tax attorney Clifford N. Ribner (http://www.cnribneratty.com) urges businesspeople not to avoid paying their income taxes.

"I get calls from tax protesters all the time," said Ribner. "When I start telling them it's nonsense, I have to convince them to suspend their disbelief. You can believe this nonsense, but don't live according to it or you'll go to jail. This can seriously ruin people's lives."

According to Ribner, the people who can land in the biggest trouble with the IRS are businesses and self-employed people that fall into a gray area. If they haven't filed returns or haven't paid their taxes, they can owe the IRS a lot of money in taxes and fines.

"A good tax attorney can really help people like that," Ribner said. "I've had dozens of situations where clients have come to me after attempting to represent themselves, and most of my job became undoing the damage they had done."

The first problem many people run in to, according to Ribner, is that they don't understand that everything they say to any IRS employee is being memorialized. It is possible that IRS personnel could mistake what a person says, which could even result in an indictment for making a false statement to a federal officer.

"Without knowledge of the law, taxpayers can easily make seemingly innocent statements that IRS personnel interpret very differently, even if those IRS agents are acting in good faith," Ribner said. "Unfortunately, is not always the case."

Ribner recommends that when people have even an inkling that they could have trouble with the IRS, they immediately consult a tax attorney.

"Tax law is an incredibly complex field of law," Ribner said. "Every action can have serious repercussions. If you don't know the law, you won't know you've made a mistake until it's too late. A tax lawyer can handle all communications with the IRS for you, so you can avoid speaking with the IRS entirely."

For more information about what to look for in a tax attorney, visit Ribner online at http://www.cnribneratty.com

About
Clifford N. Ribner is a tax attorney with more than 28 years of specialized tax law experience. His practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is limited to taxation, and he has helped many clients over the years in their battles with the IRS.

Press release provided by Xeal Inc. (http://www.xeal.com)

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Bell Direct Launches new SMS Share Trading for the ASX

Bell Direct, Australia's newest online share trading platform, has launched SMS share trading for the ASX. This unique offering allows customers to trade shares directly from a mobile phone.

Sydney, NSW (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- Bell Direct, Australia's most innovative and competitively-priced online share trading platform, today launched the first ever SMS share trading service for the Australian Stock Exchange.

From today, Bell Direct customers will be able to enjoy the convenience of buying and selling shares on the ASX from their mobile phone via a simple SMS transaction that is easy, quick and secure.

Chief Operating Officer, Lee Muco, said "Bell Direct's introduction of SMS share trading into Australia will provide investors with a new level of convenience and fast access to the stock market, allowing users to trade shares using their most familiar accessory - the mobile phone."

"As long as investors have their mobile phone handy, Bell Direct SMS share trading enables them to trade shares even if they are away from their computer or without Internet access. Given the recent stock market volatility and downturn this functionality has become even more important for certain investors," Mr. Muco said.

"Whilst Australian investors have previously been able to trade shares via mobile phones, they have had to do so by using WAP internet access, which compared to using SMS, is cumbersome, complicated and can be expensive. Accessing the internet on your phone is still nowhere near as fast and easy as sending an SMS and can carry all sorts of hidden data usage costs, and of course everybody is familiar with how to use SMS," Mr, Muco said.

Bell Direct customers using SMS share trading will pay a fixed cost of only 55 cents per SMS, and benefit from Bell Direct's market-beating online brokerage pricing of just $15 per trade.

Although brand new to Australia, SMS share trading is already extremely popular in South East Asian markets such as China, Malaysia and South Korea.

According to a recent report by US firm Research & Markets, at the end of 2007 there were 1.48 million mobile stock traders in China, a figure forecast to rise to 2.58 million by the end of 2008.

Mr. Muco said Bell Direct was confident that its SMS share trading facility would also be enthusiastically taken up by Australian investors.

"Australians are increasingly comfortable with SMS as a channel for financial transactions, and with the major banks introducing SMS banking, SMS share trading is a logical and exciting innovation for Bell Direct to introduce," Mr. Muco said.

Bell Direct was launched in November last year and is the first new online share trading platform to begin operating in Australia in a decade. The company is part-owned by Bell Financial which listed on the ASX in December last year.

The Executive Chairman and principal architect of Bell Direct is Steven Goh, a true innovator in the online share trading industry. Mr Goh created Australia's first online stockbroker, Sanford Securities, in 1997.

Mr. Goh said that cutting-edge, proprietary technology developed from the ground up and designed to enhance the customer experience was at the core of Bell Direct.

"Our SMS share trading service is an example of how our completely new trading platform is flexible enough to meet the demands of today's investor for ever-more innovative and convenient products," Mr. Goh said.

"In technological terms, and in the service we offer our customers we are streets ahead of our competitors, and SMS share trading is just the first of a raft of exciting innovations Bell Direct will be bringing to the Australian investment community this year," he said.

About Bell Direct - www.belldirect.com.au

Bell Direct is the newest, most user-friendly and discount online share trading service available to investors in Australia , including the lowest cost-per-trade ever offered by an online broker at just $15, Bell Direct was developed by the same pioneering team that created Australia's very first online share brokerage, What makes Bell Direct unique is its world-class, proprietary web 2.0 technology designed specifically for an enhanced customer experience and value proposition which competitors cannot match. Bell Direct is independent and Australian-owned, and has the backing of Bell Financial, the ASX-listed parent of one of Australia's largest and most respected private client stockbroking firms, Bell Potter Securities. Visit Bell Direct to see the future of online share trading in Australia.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Fine Art Registry and Attorney Gail Christensen Provides Art Related Law Lectures to CLE 123 Inc.

Fine Art Registry is working with Phoenix attorney Gail Christensen to create a series of audio lectures on Art and the Law which are suitable for Continuing Legal Education (CLE). These lectures are available for CLE credit through CLE123 Inc., a California approved online provider of Minimum Continuing Legal Education credits which offers downloadable CLE lectures in all aspects of law. The lectures are also for sale as downloads and on CD, without the CLE credit, on the Fine Art Registry website.

Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 29, 2008 -- Fine Art Registry is working with Arizona attorney and legal consultant, Gail Christensen to record a series of lectures on a variety of topics about art and the law. These lectures are available from CLE123 Inc. for CLE credit in New York, CA and AZ as well as being available as stand-alone lectures without CLE credit, both downloadable and on CD, from Fine Art Registry.

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The lectures consist of discussions between Attorney Gail Christensen and Fine Art Registry Founder and CEO, Theresa Franks, with guest appearances from artists and other individuals knowledgeable in various aspects of art law. Fine Art Registry may work with other attorneys in the future as the series continues to expand to cover all relevant areas of art and the law. The lectures are accompanied by written material on the subject, including cites and in-depth articles.

The following are among the lectures recorded so far:

  • Art Auctions at Sea, Part I and II
  • Introduction to Auction Law
  • Introduction to Art Authentication
  • Artist Dealer Relations
  • The Law of Multiples ? Fine Art Limited Edition Reproductions
  • Expert Liability
  • Introduction to Art Theft
These lectures are available for CLE credit from CLE 123 Inc., a website where they can be downloaded and listened to instantly. Those interested in online Continuing Legal Education can log on to CLE123online, purchase and download lectures immediately. At the conclusion of each lecture, the listener will be given a code that is needed to obtain a certificate of attendance. In addition to the Art and the Law Series from Gail Christensen and Fine Art Registry, CLE123online provides a wide variety of current subjects from great speakers covering all aspects of law.

The Art and the Law Lectures are also available, but not for CLE credit, from the Fine Art Registry online store where they can be purchased for download or ordered on CD. Each lecture is accompanied by in-depth articles beautifully designed in PDF form which are downloaded along with the lecture and are included on the CDs.

Natalie Woolever, the Managing Director of CLE123, Inc., states, "Very little material is available to lawyers on the subject of art and art law, and these lectures fill an important gap. We are working to make CLE123online.com the most comprehensive source of CLE lectures and as far as I know, thanks to Fine Art Registry, we now offer more art related CLE courses than any other company. We hope to offer enough art related lectures so that lawyers interested in art and art law can fulfill most of their requirements directly from our site. We have teamed up with Fine Art Registry to help provide this important information. Lawyers will be enlightened by what they hear."

Teri Franks, Founder and CEO of Fine Art Registry, says, "The material is also of interest to artists, collectors, gallery owners, auction houses and others involved in the art market. I am frequently called by lawyers who have art-related cases on their hands and want information about the art industry and market. So we decided that a series of lectures by an attorney with our involvement to provide the art industry information would be of great value. We are also concerned about informing our members and those involved in any aspect of the art industry about the legal aspects which affect their participation in the world of art. This is why the lectures are available from our site without CLE credit, as well as being offered by CLE123 Inc. for Minimum CLE credit."

About CLE123 Inc.:
CLE123 Inc. is a California approved provider of MCLE credits authorized to issue CLE credits in NY and AZ. The company anticipates being able to award CLE credits in numerous additional states by the end of 2008.

About Fine Art Registry:
Fine Art Registry provides a unique, patented, high technology tagging and registration system for art and collectibles, to help ensure authenticity and provide accurate provenance. The system deters art fraud and theft and helps with recovery of stolen art and with insurance policies and claims. Fine Art Registry is a source of useful information on art related subjects. The organization has become an unofficial source of consumer advocacy for artists and collectors and recently appeared on Inside Edition supporting the interests of victims of cruise line art auction fraud.

About Gail Christensen:
Gail Christensen is an Attorney, Author, and Certified Fiduciary. Prior to establishing her own firm in 2007, Ms. Christensen was an associate at a bustling family law practice in Central Phoenix where she assisted litigants with cases from inception through trial and beyond. Based on her more than ten years as a published author, Ms. Christensen has taken a keen interest in the area of Art Law and Copyright Protection, an interest she wishes to share with other artists and attorneys in the field.

About Theresa Franks:
Theresa Franks is the Founder and CEO of Fine Art Registry. After working for many years as a paralegal, mainly in litigation, Ms. Franks, herself an avid art collector, developed and patented a system of tagging and registering art and valuables as a means of protecting artists and collectors from fraud, fakery, theft and other art crime and enabling artists to create a permanent registry of their work. The Fine Art Registry website is a valuable source of information for artists, collectors and anyone interested in the art or collecting.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Japanese Jury System and Law School Curriculum Dependant on U.S. Experience

With changing legal landscape, Japan turns to Colorado-based NITA

Boulder, Colorado (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- Japan is about to embark on a major transformation in the way justice is arrived at in the courtroom by allowing juries to assist in deciding cases. To accommodate this drastic shift the PSIM Consortium--a panel of Japanese law school professors, deans, and representatives from twenty-three Japanese law schools--sought a relationship with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) to help develop and implement an effective law school curriculum that focuses on effective courtroom advocacy.

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On February 9, representatives from NITA and The PSIM Consortium signed the Academic Exchange and Cooperation agreement in Nagoya, Japan. The goal of the agreement is for NITA to provide training to law school professors and translated NITA publications that will help develop a law school skills training curriculum focused on oral advocacy, presentation skills, case strategy, and management. Most importantly it will focus on an overall intellectual approach in trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution.

The new Japanese jury system called "saiban-in" will mimic those systems in the west by making the advocacy role of the attorney critical. Oral arguments will be required as opposed to written arguments, which are done today. Additionally, a graduate-level law school education is now required when just six years ago there were only undergraduate law schools.

"The role of standard [Japanese legal education in enhancing practical skills is considered from multidimensional perspectives," said Ikuo Sugawara, PSIM Consortium Representative and Law Professor at Nagoya University. "We are planning to apply advanced training methodologies for educators and this includes active exchanges with NITA."

With the birth of law schools and a revised approach to the National Bar Exam, Japan will benefit from its NITA relationships because of the experience and support the 37-year-old organization has to offer.

"The Japanese lawyers, judges and law school faculty are concerned that their law training is too theoretical, and not practical enough," said Terre Rushton, NITA liaison for the PSIM Consortium. "They can produce brilliant students who literally do not know how to begin to try a case. This is why NITA started. They can learn from us and our experiences."   

In addition to NITA's work with the PSIM Consortium, trainings and communications are underway with the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations and the Japan Law Foundation as well. Law students and practicing attorneys will both benefit from the NITA learning-by-doing methods.

"Over the last 20 years, since our venture in South Africa began, our teaching method has been utilized in programs for lawyers throughout the world," said Laurence M. Rose, NITA's President/CEO. "We are frequently asked for the use of our materials, and the loan of our teachers, in countries from Azerbaijan to Zambia. The PSIM Consortium relationship extends that cooperation to teach law students in Japan, which will lead to better-qualified Japanese bar admittees and an increased knowledge of advocacy skills in presentations to the new Japanese saiban-in jury system."

About NITA
The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is the nation's leading provider of legal advocacy skills training. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Louisville, Colorado, NITA pioneered the legal skills learning-by-doing methodology over thirty-five years ago and has since remained the ultimate standard in continuing legal education. With an average student/faculty ratio of 4:1 and an all-volunteer faculty drawn from a cadre of judges, law professors, and practicing attorneys, NITA's multi-day "boot camps" deliver unparalleled professional development for nearly 6,000 attorneys each year. As a public service organization, NITA provides, at little or no cost, the same high-caliber training we provide to the nation's largest firms to legal service attorneys, public defenders, and attorneys who have chosen to work in child advocacy, tribal law, death penalty defense, immigration, domestic violence, and other vital areas of public interest. NITA is also the nation's third largest publisher of legal publications. NITA's references, texts, case files, and audio-visual materials are used by thousands of attorneys and are incorporated into the curriculum at over 85 percent of the nation's law schools. For more information, visit www.nita.org.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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American Finasco Selected as One of The Most Dependable™ Credit and Debt Counselors of the US

American Finasco is proud to announce it has been chosen by Goldline Research as one of The Most Dependable™ Credit and Debt Counselors of the US. Since 1987 American Finasco has specialized in helping Small to Medium sized businesses that are facing difficulty with their payables. American Finasco is proud to have been chosen for this great achievement.

Conroe, TX (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- American Finasco, Inc has been selected by Goldline Research as one of the Most Dependable™ Credit and Debt Counselors of the US. The list of the Most Dependable Credit and Debt Counselors of the US is scheduled to be published in the February issue of US Airways Magazine.

After learning of his company's selection by Goldline Research, the President of American Finasco, Gary Milleson had this to say, "American Finasco is honored to have been selected as The Most Dependable Commercial Debt Management Company, by Goldline Research. In over 20 years of service to small to medium sized businesses, American Finasco has always focused on client service as our Top Priority. We are proud of the 1st Class Reputation we have earned in the industry of Commercial Debt Settlement and this recognition is a welcome confirmation of how we run our business."

"We are pleased to have American Finasco, Inc on this list" said Ryan Kluft, Publisher of Goldline Research. He also said, "They exceeded all of our industry criteria and had outstanding client references." Over 2,100 Credit and Debt Counselors were contacted regarding the list and the response was overwhelming.

American Finasco, Inc. provides debt management/settlement services to businesses who are unable to meet all or a portion of their current financial obligations. Established in 1987 as a Commercial Debt Management company in Houston, Texas, American Finasco has served thousands of clients in all regions of the United States.

The American Finasco organization consists of a network of Independent Sales Representatives, a National Referring Attorney Network, and a full-time Account Executive and Administrative staff. American Finasco will assist customers every step of the way when resolving their business debt.

Goldline Research is a list research and publishing company specializing in investigating the credibility and performance of companies in a variety of professional services industries for selective inclusion in their published The Most Dependable™ lists. Goldline Research works closely with leading professionals in professional services industries to develop criterion for each industry, which forms the basis for its selection process.

Goldline Research's lists have appeared nationwide for over four years in a wide variety of print publications such as Southwest Airlines SPIRIT Magazine, Texas Monthly, San Diego Magazine, United Hemispheres Magazine, Delta Sky Magazine, Forbes, Fortune, LA Magazine and Phoenix Magazine. In order to be selected to a Most Dependable™ list, firms must meet all of Goldline Research's industry criteria, have no consumer complaints, lawsuits or disciplinary actions and provide client references that are checked and scored based on a proprietary scoring system.

For more information on Business Debt Management contact American Finasco toll-free at 800-299-2909 or info@americanfinasco.com For more information on American Finasco visit www.americanfinasco.com.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship Updates 39 Forms; INSZoom Responds within 48 Hours

In January, Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship updated 39 immigration forms and booklets, many of them essential immigration documents. INSZoom.com, the world's largest immigration software company, responded within 48 hours.

San Ramon, CA (PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- On January 21, 2008, Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship introduced a series of changes to their immigration forms and booklets. On that date, a total of 39 changes were made to these forms and booklets, many of them essential immigration documents. INSZooom.com, Inc., the world's largest immigration software company updated these forms and booklets in their application immediately, making these new forms available to their Australian and global clients within 48 hours.
   
"INSZoom is dedicated to providing a truly global reach," said Umesh Vaidyamath, Founder and C.E.O. of INSZoom.com. "To accomplish this and fulfill our mission of remaining the world's largest immigration software company, it is essential that we track and respond to changes in immigration legislations throughout the world. Attorneys and corporations managing clients and employees in Australia need access to the latest forms and the latest regulations."

A few of the 39 immigration forms and booklets that were updated include: Form 26 (Medical Examination for and Australian Visa), Form 40SP (Sponsorship for a partner to migrate to Australia), Form 48S (Application to visit Australia as a sponsored family visitor), Form 994i (Settlement information for migrants to Australia) and Form 1129 (Parent migration booklet).

INSZoom's dedication to immediate responses to changes in legislation throughout the world has directly led to the company's phenomenal growth in 2007. New products and services from the global immigration compliance, mobility logistics and case management company include I-9 (E-Verify) software and a range of compliance tools and measures. In addition, the company, which has a strong presence in the U.S., Canada and Australia, has expanded its market to now include the U.K. and India.

INSZoom, Inc., is the world's largest immigration software company, with offices in San Ramon, CA, US; London, UK; and Bangalore, India. Founded in 1999, the company has been helping law firms and corporate immigration divisions in automating and managing their immigration tasks efficiently. As a Microsoft Certified partner, INSZoom provides clients with leading-edge technology, flexible platforms, and superior compliance management tools. For more information, please email sales(at)inszoom.com in the US/India or sales@inszoom.co.uk in the UK.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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InterLegis Will Introduce Visual Analytics to Midwest Legal Market

InterLegis, Inc., a Dallas-based innovator of Web-based litigation and electronic discovery technologies, announced the company is participating as an exhibitor at the upcoming ABA TECHSHOW being held in Chicago, IL March 13-15, 2008. The event, presented by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section, is being promoted as "the World's Premiere Legal Technology Conference and Expo" and will be held at a new location this year, the Hilton Chicago located at 720 South Michigan Avenue.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- InterLegis, Inc., a Dallas-based innovator of Web-based litigation and electronic discovery technologies, announced the company is participating as an exhibitor at the upcoming ABA TECHSHOW being held in Chicago, IL March 13-15, 2008. The event, presented by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Section, is being promoted as "the World's Premiere Legal Technology Conference and Expo" and will be held at a new location this year, the Hilton Chicago located at 720 South Michigan Avenue.

Earlier this month at LegalTech New York, InterLegis launched its new visual analytics review capability of its flagship e-discovery product, Discovery360™ and will be showcasing the new technology at the ABA TECHSHOW. Visual analytics is a unique, visual approach to both search and review of discovery databases that was developed based on the simple premise that people tend to be visual in nature. The application offers graphical mapping of the data, making the entire review process easier, faster, and more enjoyable.

Discovery360 includes every flavor of discovery technology available today including similarity matching, concept clustering and searching, e-mail threading, timeline analysis, text searching, meta data culling, native review and natural language searching, in addition to integrated electronic discovery processing. Visual Analytics can be applied to all of these search and review methods to offer the most unique, comprehensive view of any data collection.

Attendees of the ABA TECHSHOW can visit InterLegis at booth #300 to learn more and receive a demonstration of the innovative capabilities of visual analytics. Those unable to attend the conference but wishing to see how visual analytics can impact their next case are invited to visit InterLegis at www.InterLegis.com to schedule a private meeting.

About InterLegis, Inc.
Founded in 1998, InterLegis, Inc. enables corporations, law firms and legal service providers to reduce the risk, complexity and cost of litigation, regulatory requests and internal investigations. InterLegis uses unparalleled meta data and concept technologies to identify unique document relationships, resulting in faster review and effective coding. The company's flagship product, Discovery360™, includes powerful analysis tools that provide a 360 degree view of all documents based on all possible document attributes and highly advanced analytical technologies. These capabilities help legal teams to drive early and accurate case assessments using multiple analytic capabilities including concept, timeline, and message thread analysis, among others. InterLegis is a privately held company headquartered in Dallas, TX. For more information, visit www.InterLegis.com.

Contact:
Kevin Carr
President
InterLegis, Inc.
Phone: 214-468-8800

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Maryland Tax Attorney Receives National Honor

Robb A. Longman, an associate with the suburban Maryland law firm of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, PA has been honored with one of the six Nolan Fellowships from the Tax Seciton of the American Bar Association. Longman focuses his practice in the areas of tax and business planning. One of suburban Maryland's largest and most prestigious firms, Joseph, Greenwald & Laake has an expanding business planning and tax practice.

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(Vocus) February 28, 2008 -- Robb A. Longman, an associate with the Greenbelt, Maryland law firm of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, tax was recently awarded a prestigious Nolan Fellowship by the American Bar Association in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. One of only six recipients, Longman was awarded the fellowship by the Association's Section on Taxation for his outstanding leadership and participation within the section. Longman was recognized particularly for his dedication to the Section of Taxation by acting as a mentor to young tax attorneys, publishing articles in Tax Section publications, and actively speaking on panels at the Tax Section's conferences.

In awarding Mr. Longman the fellowship, Section Chair Stanley Blend said that Longman's "talent, contributions and commitment to the section has been outstanding and represents the best in our organization's future and our profession." In addition, Mr. Longman is currently a Vice-Chairperson of the Tax Section's Young Lawyers Forum.

The American Bar Association Section of Taxation is the largest professional association of tax lawyers, with approximately 21,000 members nationwide. Its goals include helping taxpayers better understand their rights and obligations under the tax laws and working to achieve a simplified tax system that is equitable and efficient.

Robb Longman is an associate in Joseph, Greenwald & Laake's Business Services and Tax Planning Group. He focuses his practice in the fields of tax litigation and planning, business planning and structuring corporate mergers and acquisitions. Longman also represents individuals and businesses before the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities.

Joseph, Greenwald & Laake is one of the largest and most well respected law firms in suburban Maryland, having provided almost 40 years of quality legal representation to businesses and individuals throughout the National Capitol Area.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Consumers turn to online ratings and reviews, as sites respond to concerns

As online ratings become more important to the success of products and services, critics charge that online rating systems are unfair. To address criticisms, operators of more than a dozen rating and review websites have banded together into a new organization, the Rating and Review Professional Association. The new group will educate businesses, consumers and the press about the online review business, and encourage best practices among its members.

(PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- Recent studies have shown that a majority of consumers turn to online ratings and reviews when making purchase decisions, and even when selecting local services or travel destinations. The studies show that consumers make choices based on online ratings, and will pay more for a higher-rated product or service.

As online ratings become more important to the success of products and services, critics charge that online rating systems are unfair and can be influenced by a small number of biased people. The European Union has even passed legislation prohibiting businesses from posting false reviews of their products.

To address criticisms, operators of more than a dozen rating and review websites have banded together into an organization, the Rating and Review Professional Association. The new group will educate businesses, consumers and the press about the online review business, and encourage best practices among its members. Individual member sites currently employ a variety of means to combat unfair reviews, including automated spam filtering, human moderators, or reviewer reputation systems. The sites stress, however, that they provide a public forum where individuals can share opinions, positive or negative.

The operators of the sites enjoy clear legal protection in the United States, through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed by the United States Congress in 1996, which holds that sites are not liable for third-party content. Elsewhere in the world protections rely on courtroom precedents.

The charter members of the Rating and Review Professional Association offer online reviews and ratings of a wide range of destinations, products, and services.

Rating and Review Professional Association - Charter Members:

ApartmentRatings.com
ApartmentRatings.com is one of the largest and most popular communities of apartment renters in the United States, features more than 600,000 reviews and ratings of apartments nationwide, and offers renters valuable resources, including rent trend graphs, safety information, and maps for more than 55,000 apartments.
ApartmentRatings.com

ConsumerConnection.com
ConsumerConnection.com is a free website dedicated to helping you make smart decisions about which local businesses you can use based on detailed feedback from other consumers who have had experience with those businesses. We provide in-depth feedback consisting of surveys as well as comments by people who have experience with that business. You can Win $100 gift certificates from Amazon for reviewing businesses.
ConsumerConnection.com

RateMDs.com
RateMDs.com allows patients to rate and read about their doctors and dentists, throughout the United States and Canada.
RateMDs.com

Ratingz Inc
The Ratingz Network is the place where you can read and post anonymous, independent ratings and reviews of places and services in your community and across the United States and Canada. The Ratingz Network has a wide range of rating sites - visit Ratingz.net for a complete list.
Ratingz.net

RedPearl.com
RedPearl was established to empower the online shopping community by providing in-depth website information in a unique and powerful way. Using tabulated ratings and rankings of websites in dozens of categories, shoppers can quickly and easily find a website that meets their criteria.

RedPearl relies on the shoppers themselves to share their wisdom via member website reviews. By relating their online experiences with others, members determine which sites rank well and are worthy of online shoppers' consideration.
RedPearl.com

Resource Team Ltd
ReviewCentre.com was launched in 1999 by company founder Paul Nadin and is operated by Resource Team Ltd. The website has evolved into the biggest consumer review website in the UK and receives in excess of 10 million page displays per month. Review Centre aims to provide the very best independent consumer written review content on the Internet and is rapidly expanding to achieve the company's future goals and interests.
ReviewCentre.com

For Additional Information

For more information about the Rating and Review Professional Association and the impact of online consumer ratings and reviews, e-mail info@rarpa.org or visit the organization's website at:
RARPA.org

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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DocuLex Provides 'Instant Document Access' with Archive Studio 4's Goby Capture Update

DocuLex Goby Capture software provide easy to use automated, networked paper and electronic document capture (in any file format, including email with attachments), with organization, workflow-enabling and ongoing management capabilities.

Winter Haven, FL (PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- DocuLex (www.doculex.com), creators of electronic document management software, announces Archive Studio 4's Goby Capture update. "The program's Profiler and Monitor components provide easy to use automated, networked paper and electronic document capture (in any file format, including email with attachments), with organization, workflow-enabling and ongoing management capabilities," comments Tim Nissen, Marketing Director of DocuLex. The program's new Goby Query utility provides the convenience of content export to Profiler from Oracle and SQL databases. XML to PDF conversion is also enabled.

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Goby Capture enhances the walk-up and scan capabilities of networked MFPs, production/desktop scanners, wide format and facsimile units, as well stand-alone units with scan-to-file ability to forward files to a server. The easy to use program provides simplified paper document conversion and electronic document file capture by automating image processing functions at the document server. Distributed capture capability is provided for an unlimited number of users throughout an organization via the program's Profiler document identification freeware, in tandem with the program's server-based Monitor image processing component.

With DocuLex Goby Capture, intelligent cover page technologies allow documents to be profiled and cataloged prior to scanning. Indexing criteria may be added via optical mark recognition or 2-D bar codes created with user-defined content. This allows documents to be scanned, indexed and organized electronically, then forwarded to a PC, file archive and to DocuLex Archive Studio's WebSearch or other document management system.

Goby Capture Profiler is PC-based or MFP-incorporated freeware that initiates the capture function. With paper documents, the user enters the document's key identifying content into Profiler's index fields (client, case or project name, subject matter, fiscal year, etc.), creates and prints the Profile Form cover sheet and scans the document along with its profile form. Output paths direct the scanned document to network folders, email, printer and FTP addresses.

Electronic documents may also be captured and stored in their native formats for workflow collaboration and revision, or converted to PDF for security. Capture, index and deliver a copy of documents to the same archive folders where related files are archived. The uniform Profiler Form is utilized for both for paper and electronic files capture, with the form opening in conjunction with electronic files rather than producing a printed sheet for scanning, streamlining the process.

The program's new Goby Query utility provides the convenience of content export to Profiler from Oracle and SQL databases.

Goby Capture Monitor is server-based and recognizes the Profiler Form, fully indexes the accompanied document, names the file and forwards the fully searchable PDF or native format file to the user-defined destination, including an FTP address, email, printer, network, local folder or a PC. The program's File Transfer feature provides automatic folder creation and custom folder and sub-folder naming based upon document profile values assigned by the user.

Monitor features Profiler Form recognition, providing ease of custom indexing and sub-indexing of nested documents. The update includes enhanced OCR accuracy of 16 prominent world languages, and over 2600 fonts recognized in the master library. 24-bit color and 256 grayscale JPEG and uncompressed TIF and XML to PDF processing enabled, with PDF or TIF files accompanied by a CSV or XML index file, providing support for output to all prominent document management systems. One of note is Archive Studio's WebSearch, featuring secure Web 2.0 based 'Instant Document Access' from any location via the Internet including permission assigning and Active Directory integration.

For additional information on DocuLex Archive Studio 4's Goby Capture update, and to request a convenient online program demonstration, see www.doculex.com.

About DocuLex
Incorporated in 1996, Winter Haven, Florida-based DocuLex creates open-system document management software for use with desktop and production document scanners, as well as digital multifunctional copiers, facsimile and wide format units. Through an extensive reseller channel, the company offers network-enabled document capture and image processing software along with Web-based search and retrieval programs, bundled and offered as Archive Studio. Archive Studio is easy to use, productive electronic document management software for any business environment seeking secure 'Instant Document Access.' See www.doculex.com for program information and demonstrations.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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GMetrix Launches Practice Tests for Microsoft Office 2007 Certification

GMetrix has released its Microsoft Office 2007 practice tests and web-based, skills management system for the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist® Program. Additionally, GMetrix has partnered with Impact Learning to be its North American distributor.

American Fork, UT (PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- GMetrix today announced the launch of their new Microsoft Certified Application Specialist® (MCAS) Practice Tests and Skills Management System for Microsoft Office 2007® in both English and Spanish. The MCAS practice tests are part of the GMetrix Skills Management System (GMetrixSMS), a comprehensive, web-based, skills management environment for teachers and corporate trainers. With the tremendous demand for individuals who can prove their skills in Microsoft Office, there is a growing need for high-quality assessment tools which enable students and business professionals to measure their skill level and preparedness for undertaking the MCAS exam. GMetrixSMS provides both learners and instructors with the tools they need to prepare most effectively for mastering the required concepts and achieving the MCAS certification.

The GMetrix MCAS practice tests and training are currently available for Microsoft Word 2007®, Microsoft Excel 2007®, Microsoft PowerPoint 2007®, and Microsoft Access 2007®. Practice tests for Microsoft Outlook 2007® and Microsoft Windows Vista® will be available soon.

In addition, GMetrix announced that it has signed Impact Learning, a leading provider of corporate assessments in North America, as its launch partner for the GMetrixSMS. Starting immediately, Impact Learning will represent GMetrix as a Platinum Solution Provider for the United States and Canada. This partnership provides an ideal channel for the distribution of the GMetrix Skills Management System to both corporate and academic customers. "We have been working closely with GMetrix for a number of months on developing a product that meets the requirements of our customers," said Vickie Brow, CEO of Impact Learning. "We are very excited about the product GMetrix has created and look forward to helping individuals and organizations measure, improve, and validate proficiency in the Microsoft Office 2007 applications."

GMetrix works with partners throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America to provide educational tools designed to prepare individuals for the effective use of technology in the business environment. Additionally, GMetrix is currently the exclusive distribution partner of Wiley & Sons Publishing for Microsoft Official Academic Curriculum (MOAC) in Latin American and Germany.

Contact Information:
For GMetrix: Thor Christianson, 801-434-8033
For Impact Learning: Vickie Brow, 435-849-1719, info@impact-learning.com

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Bail Bonds 101 and Bail Bonds 201 Sold as a Set for a New Low Price

Bail Bonds 101 and Bail Bonds 201 now selling as a set for a new low price. These new industry career hand books offer everything you'll ever need to know about starting a new exciting career in the bail bond profession.

Orange County, California (PRWEB) February 28, 2008 -- Available now - Bail Bonds 101 and Bail Bonds 201 sold as a set for a new low price.

As more people seek to start their own business in the face of corporate layoffs, the fall of the mortgage and real estate industries one business prospect offers considerable potential with little prior experience required: Bail Bonds. Fueled by popular television shows, interest in the bail industry continues to rise. Until now, the industry lacked a comprehensive guide for potential new Bail Agents.

Sean M. Cook, a 15-year bail industry veteran, has provided the answer: Bail Bonds 101: The Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Operating a Successful Bail Bond Company and Bail Bonds 201 Insider Tips to avoiding common mistakes and Pitfalls of the Bail Industry.

These easy to follow and easy to read handbooks are essential for beginners looking for a new career and are useful tools for experienced industry veterans. The set of both books is being sold together for $39.95 plus shipping.

Over the past year many buyers of the books are from other careers and industries. Many people have or had careers in the mortgage industry and Real Estate Industry. Giving loans to people that want to buy a house is not so different from giving loans to people who want to get a family member out of jail. The biggest difference is that there are often times; no collateral, no credit checks, no 9am-5pm hours (its 24/7) and there are not 400 documents to sign when posting a bond for someone like whe buying a house.

It is not unusual to be called at 3am and have to make a $50,000 decision to bail someone out or not. For a new exciting career change these books are now available as a set.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Nuvio Announces Trademark Infringement Lawsuit against Garmin International, Inc.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) February 27, 2008 -- Nuvio Corporation, a leading provider of on-demand business phone service, today announced that it has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Garmin International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRMN) in the U.S. District Court of Kansas. Garmins recently announced Nuvifone infringes on the prior Nuvio trademark which Nuvio uses on Nuvio phones and its telephony services.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, Nuvio attempted to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution with Garmin. No resolution was reached and Nuvio filed legal action to protect its rights.

News Image While we would have preferred to settle this without resorting to a lawsuit, we felt it was important to ensure that our customers and potential customers are not confused by someone abusing our legally protected trademark, stated Jason P. Talley, Nuvios CEO. Our customers commonly refer to our service as the Nuvio phone.

Nuvios lawsuit alleges that Garmin knowingly and willfully appropriated Nuvios trademark. In addition to a determination that Garmin has infringed on the Nuvio trademark, Nuvio is seeking a permanent injunction that prohibits Garmin from using the Nuvi name.

Nuvio issued a cease and desist letter to Garmin on January 31, 2008. As well as seeking a permanent injunction barring Garmin from using the Nuvio trademark, Nuvio has requested damages for past infringement.

About Nuvio

Nuvio Corporation, a provider of on-demand business communication solutions, distributes its products through direct, indirect and wholesale channels. Nuvio offers a reliable, stable communications platform providing unparalleled uptime for customers. Since 2003, Nuvio has provided PBX services for small to medium-sized businesses in a cost-effective manner. For more information, visit www.nuvio.com.

Nuvio product names and the Nuvio logo are trademarks of Nuvio Corporation. All other products and brands mentioned are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Premiere Bail Bonds Joins Forces with HCC Surety Group Lauds expertise of HCC bail bond expert Scott Anschultz

Sean Cook writes for HCC Surety Group / American Contractors Indemnity Company.

Orange County, CA (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 -- Premiere Bail Bonds is pleased to announce a partnership with HCC Surety Group -- a leading provider of surety bonds. The partnership allows Premiere Bail Bonds agents to partner with clients on larger bail bonds than ever before, increasing the effectiveness and reach of the company.

The HCC Surety Group employs a team of highly trained insurance experts, including underwriters, claim specialists, and client service professionals to furnish impeccable surety services to all of their clients. "The size of HCC allows us to write larger bail bonds and to partner with clients for more bail bonds," says Sean Cook, owner of Premiere Bail Bonds. "This partnership will increase our capacity to serve clients and the efficiency with which we provide a variety of surety bail bonds."

Plus, adds Cook, the partnership joins the forces of Premiere Bail Bonds with the expertise of Scott Anschultz, a bail bonds industry icon that operates the bail bonding department at HCC Surety Group. "We're delighted to have highly reputed resource backing and working with us on a regular basis to ensure that we are able to deliver the best bail bond products on the market."

More information about Premiere Bail Bonds
Through HCC Premiere Bail Bonds has a network of more than 200 Bail Bondsmen throughout the state of California. With 24-hour customer service, 365 days a year, Premiere Bail Bonds focuses on fast, reliable service for clients. Each agent is trained to be knowledgeable about all aspects of bail bonds and payments and provides each client with a personalized approach to affording their bail. Visit Premiere Bail Bonds for more information.

More about HCC Surety Group
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) is a leading international specialty insurance group with offices across the United States and in Bermuda, Spain, Ireland and the United Kingdom. HCC has assets of more than $7.9 billion, shareholders' equity of $2.2 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor's, AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings and A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Bus Driver in Liberty School Bus Crash Escapes Criminal Indictment

The pending civil lawsuits filed by Robb & Robb LLC over injuries sustained by two children and one man's fatality will focus on mechanical failure.

Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 -- A grand jury in Clay County, Missouri has cleared a Liberty woman of criminal wrongdoing in a 2005 crash. Anita Porte Robb, a wrongful death attorney in Missouri, represents the families of David Gleason, Andrew Hubbard, and Renna Yi in a civil lawsuit (Gleason v. Bendix, et al, 7CV105004627; Hubbard v. Bendix, et al, 7CV105005117; Yi v. Bendix, et al, 7CV105005525) following a bus crash that killed two men and injured 23 schoolchildren. David Gleason was one of the two motorists killed in the crash while Hubbard and Yi are schoolchildren who were critically injured. Robb & Robb, LLC has filed civil lawsuits for their clients against multiple defendants in the case.

Robb & Robb LLC has claimed that the cause of the crash was mechanical failure. "Now that the criminal investigation has ended, we look forward to focusing on the mechanical defects which we alleged caused this crash," Robb said in regards to the focus of their upcoming civil lawsuit.

The criminal lawsuit explored the possibility of "pedal misapplication" as the cause, a term meaning that Thomas would have confused the accelerator with the brake pedal, causing the bus to speed up rather than stop. This theory was refuted in part because Thomas is an experienced driver who has no tickets on her driving record, as well as due to a lack of evidence proving that this was what occurred. With the criminal part of the case now closed, Kansas City personal injury attorneys Anita and Gary Robb plan to prove that mechanical malfunction was the cause of the crash.

ABOUT ROBB & ROBB LLC: The Kansas City Missouri personal injury law firm of Robb & Robb LLC was founded in 1984 by Gary C. Robb and Anita Porte Robb. Over the past 24 years the firm has obtained over $750 million in verdicts and recoveries on behalf of victims of personal injury and wrongful death. The firm has handled many precedent-setting, important, high-profile and complex personal injury and wrongful death cases in Missouri and nationwide, including catastrophic truck, bus, and automobile accidents.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Legal Advantage, LLC Appoints Louis A. Charest, Vice President, Document Review

New Vice President for Document Review

Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 - Legal Advantage, LLC announces the addition of Louis ("Lou") A. Charest to its management team to focus on further developing document review services. In this senior business development role, Mr. Charest adds to Legal Advantage's mission of providing timely and affordable document review services to law firms and corporations throughout the domestic and international markets.

Lou Charest is a nationally recognized sales executive with over 25 years of professional leadership experience in the legal support industry. Prior to joining Legal Advantage, he co-founded Recordtrak, a record retrieval company that pioneered a cost containment strategy for mass tort litigation and insurance record procurement, which generated in excess of $250 million in revenue. As Executive Vice President of Recordtrak, Lou executed sales agreements with Fortune 500 companies as well as the nation's top Am Law 100 firms. He oversaw Recordtrak's nationwide expansion into Texas and California that produced $10 million in sales revenue per annum. Most recently he served as a Senior Consultant for Medical Copy Service and Medical Research Consultants. His three decades of senior management experience, proven sales methodologies, and entrepreneurial vision have resulted in transformative growth for the legal support industry.

"I have had the great privilege of working with some of the leading law firms and corporations on large-scale litigation support projects including document review, document coding and other discovery services. My role with Legal Advantage is truly a great fit given the company's commitment to providing the highest level of quality and value for document review services," said Lou Charest.

"We were looking for a business development executive with world-class skills who can lead our accelerated growth in document review. Lou's track record of success with almost every AmLaw100 firm for litigation support business gives us the senior leadership experience that we were seeking. We are pleased to welcome Lou to our growing team," said Mirza Baig, CEO of Legal Advantage.

"We are uniquely situated to provide the highest level of quality legal support and with Lou's addition we will be able to further emphasize that message with the rest of the industry. From the very beginning, we have focused on foundational level training of at least 500 plus hours for our legal associates, state-of-the-art facilities, secure and trusted delivery mechanisms, and a holistic approach to engagement management with local delivery capability. This has enabled us to distinguish ourselves on quality, efficiency, and service" said Ashar Akhtar, Managing Attorney of Operations.    

Managed by experienced US-licensed attorneys, Legal Advantage maintains a staff of over 35 permanent full-time professional legal associates with extensive experience in document review. Every legal associate undergoes an intensive training program on American jurisprudence and is continuously evaluated for advanced comprehension, accuracy, and productivity. With expertise in subject matter coding, substantive privilege coding, deposition summarization, and dedicated first- and second-level quality control teams, Legal Advantage provides comprehensive document review capabilities with unparalleled turnaround times. Currently Legal Advantage has about 150 full time employees with about 80 staff members devoted to intellectual property prior art search, patent design, and patent illustration services. Legal Advantage plans to add an additional 100 full time legal associates by the end of the year.

About Legal Advantage
Legal Advantage, LLC is a leading provider of cost-effective legal support services. Our document review, patent illustration, trial graphics/animation, patent proofreading, and immigration application processing service offerings enable law firms and corporations to work more efficiently and effectively. To date, we have successfully completed over 15,000 projects for law firms and corporations throughout the United States and abroad.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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Legal Advantage, LLC Establishes "Customer Bill of Rights"

"Customer Bill of Rights"

Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 -- Legal Advantage is pleased to announce it has formalized a "Customer Bill of Rights" designed to solidify Legal Advantage's continued commitment to its clients and ensure an enhanced customer experience in all aspects of its business and services. Legal Advantage is the first company in the patent illustration, prior art search, document review, and legal research to memorialize a Customer Bill of Rights.

Legal Advantage's pledge is wide-sweeping and is designed to meet the customer satisfaction needs of both existing and new customers. Your Bill of Rights include;

1. You have a right to expect complete satisfaction from the delivery and the quality of any service that is received from Legal Advantage. As a market-leading legal support services company, we deliver on-time products and services that exceed customer expectations. To surpass these expectations, we will continue to implement quality systems and processes that improve how we address our customers' ever-changing needs. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with the quality of our deliverable, we will not charge you for the service.

2. You have a right to expect Legal Advantage to sustain the highest level of personal accountability, professional commitment, and employee empowerment at all levels of our organization. We treat all customers with courtesy, prompt service, integrity, and respect.

3. You have a right to understand all of our business policies in every aspect of our business practice. We strive to preserve the trust and confidentiality we maintain with all of our customers. We believe it is your right as a customer to fully understand the capabilities and functionality of our legal support and related services before, during, and after the work is completed.

4. You have a right to expect us to lead the way in fostering innovation in our services through an unyielding commitment to patent illustration and patent design services, prior art research, document reviews, immigration processing, and legal research.

5. You have a right to depend on us to provide you with efficient services that maintain confidentiality. As a Legal Advantage customer, it is your right to submit an inquiry to our Customer Support Team with the expectation of receiving a timely resolution in all new, existing, or prior matters, projects and engagements. We will assume complete ownership of your issue and take all necessary actions, including following any appropriate escalation procedures, in order to satisfactorily resolve your inquiry as quickly as possible.

6. You have a right to individual attention and dedication. Not only will our associates provide prompt, courteous, and efficient service in every one of your transactions, but they will also adhere to the highest levels of honesty, integrity, and professionalism.

7. You have the right to know the status of your project, no matter what time of day or night. We will provide secure access to real-time updates and progress reports on the status of your project via our Customer Service Portal 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

8. You have the right to be notified immediately by either phone or email if there will be a delay or a change that could impact the scheduled delivery of your project.

9. You have the right to receive equal availability and access to our renowned customer service no matter what the size of your firm or organization.

10. You have the right to a single point of contact for any major project you entrust to us. This individual will act as your dedicated project manager and advise you of any developments concerning the work we perform for you.

"For over the last four years Legal Advantage's employees have lived and delivered on this commitment. We felt that we needed to document the commitment we make to our clients," stated Mirza Baig, Chief Executive officer of Legal Advantage. "We asked our clients what was important to them, and we incorporated their suggestions into our Bill of Rights."

"While our organizational culture has always espoused these values, it nevertheless took us over five months and countless feedback sessions to formally develop and implement our Bill of Rights. It's an honor and a privilege to be associated with such a fine team," said Harold Pieroway, Director of Account Services for Legal Advantage.

Legal Advantage, is a leading provider of cost-effective legal support services. Our document review, patent illustration, trial graphics/animation, patent proofreading and immigration application processing service offerings enable law firms and corporations to work more efficiently and effectively. To date, we have successfully completed over 15,000 projects for law firms and corporations throughout the United States and abroad.

Legal Advantage was founded by attorneys for attorneys with one driving goal: to provide world-class services that enable law firms and corporations to work more efficiently and effectively. Over the years, we have become a leading provider of a comprehensive selection of legal support services to law firms and corporations across the globe. The real benefits derived from of our legal support services include reduced costs, faster project completion, and a higher quality end-product deliverables.

Legal Advantage has a skilled and dedicated team with extensive experience that will deliver comprehensive search results with insightful analysis. Additionally, we have a number of subject matter experts in several branches of technology, including: Polymer Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Chemistry, Bio-Technology, and Genetics. As a result of our unparalleled dependability, accuracy, and client service focus, we posses one of the highest client retention rates in the industry.

Source: PRWeb: Legal / Law


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