Dodd-Frank 30 Day Countdown: Day 30

A Dodd-Frank Overview According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), “Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) addresses the gap in U.S. financial regulation of OTC swaps by providing a comprehensive framework for the regulation of the OTC swaps markets.” Dodd-Frank goes into effect July 16, 2011 (360 days after it…

The Life and Death of the Billable Hour

The evolution of alternative fee arrangements and value billing. In 1904, George Heber Smith, a recent Harvard Law School graduate, became the head of the Legal Aid Society in Boston. Smith found the lawyers working there overwhelmed with work for the Society’s indigent client base and sought to devise a method to improve the efficiency…

Silicon Valley: Connecting to Israel

Recent moves into Israel by companies from the Silicon Valley are a reminder that there are still many untapped opportunities for economic cooperation between two of the world’s foremost centers of high technology.  Innovative business cultures and common values make Israel and the Silicon Valley natural partners in the world of high-tech and venture capital.…