Sneak peek: Auto insurance law changes highlight October Wisconsin Lawyer
Oct. 11, 2011 – Big changes to automobile insurance laws (effective Nov. 1) highlight the October Wisconsin Lawyer, now available online and in mailboxes soon.
In his article, “Wisconsin’s New Automobile Insurance Law,” Milwaukee attorney J. Michael End outlines the specifics on new auto insurance laws, which will help attorneys “competently represent car owners and anyone who could be injured in an accident.”
End notes a provision, not allowed under previous law, that allows insurers to insert “reducing clauses” in their policies so that uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can be reduced by amounts paid from other sources, like amounts payable under any disability benefits laws.
“Because many consumers are unaware of what reducing clauses are, or of the significance of how underinsured motorist is defined in their policies, lawyers should try to let their clients know about these potential traps contained in the insurance policies they may be getting ready to buy,” End writes.
In “Protected Thoughts?: IRS Threatens Attorney Work-Product Doctrine,” Whitefish Bay attorney Jay Miller says the IRS has achieved at least partial success in persuading court’s to limit application of the work-product doctrine, meaning attorneys have been forced to disclose some work product in certain situations. “That should concern all litigators,” Miller writes. Also, be sure to view Miller’s WebXtra video on this topic.
For those dealing with the new Uniform Power of Attorney for Finances and Property Act, don’t miss “Procedural Gray Areas: New Power of Attorney for Finances,” by Madison attorneys Maren Beermann and Mark T. Johnson. In it, the authors highlight procedural aspects that may directly affect attorneys’ drafting of and practice involving power of attorney documents.
And, in “How to Impress or Annoy a Judge,” U.S. District Court Judge William Griesbach of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, provides useful tips to keep judges happy. From the pretrial phase to conduct at trial, Judge Griesbach’s advice can help attorneys in both state and federal court.
In his practice tip, “Social Security No-Match Letters Resume,” Milwaukee attorney Benjamin T. Kurten explains how to help business clients who receive notification from the federal government about incorrect employee Social Security number information – so called “no-match letters” – a practice that began again in 2011.
In “Switching Firms to Advance Your Career,” gain insight from legal recruiter Adam Weiss on whether a lateral move can advance your career, and the strategies lawyers can use when considering such a move. Finally, marketing consultant John Remsen Jr. provides 10 tips to generate marketing momentum in “10 Ways to Build a Marketing Culture.”
