Roanne Handler, a seasoned domestic attorney at SBW Law, has put together her wise advice for anyone involved in a domestic matter that is employed in the public sector:
Divorce 101
Your therapist is there for you to sort through the tangled web of emotional issues of a divorce. Your attorney is there to help you sort through the business issues involved in a marriage. It can be an exhausting process, and, at times, overwhelming , but by collecting and organizing your finances and important papers in one, coherent system, you will significantly reduce much of the anxiety associated with a divorce and begin to plan for your future.
Visualize the operation of your home as you would that of a business. There are routine monthly expenses: the mortgage, vehicle payments, health care and life insurance premiums, utility and cell phone bills, cable subscriptions, household maintenance expenses, and, hopefully, emergency funds set aside for unexpected expenses.
Settling a Case
"Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser - in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough."
-Abraham Lincoln, Notes for a Law Lecture
I've always loved this quote. It reminds me that being a lawyer is an opportunity to settle disputes and keep peace. It's certainly a lot better than blood feuds and pistols at dawn.
That said, a lot of people get understandably nervous about settlement discussions. They ask: why am I being offered this amount? Is it too little? What will happen if I reject it and I lose? Is my attorney saying I should give up?
I'm Single With No Children, Do I Really Need A Will?
The simple answer is yes, of course! Everyone should have a Will. Obviously, getting a Will is not a subject many people like to talk about, especially young people, but is something that is very important to have done as soon as you can, even if you are single and currently have no children. First, it is important because it gives you control over your assets and what you want done with them in the event of your untimely passing. If you do not have a Will, then the State's laws take over and your assets may end up in someone's hands you never intended, or may even go to the State.
Human Trafficking And Hotel Liability
The Epidemic
Human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, has become a crippling epidemic in our own backyard. Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of victims of human trafficking in this country. These victims are forced or coerced into the illegal billion-dollar human trafficking industry, where they are exploited, kidnapped, drugged, held against their will, and prostituted. The demoralized victims that are preyed on by the human traffickers are predominately women and children.
Am I Being Interrogated?
The Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights ("LEOBR") affords certain protections to officers who find themselves the subject of administrative disciplinary proceedings. While the language of the statute is clear as pertains to what rights an officer retains throughout the disciplinary process, it is entirely unclear with respect to when those rights are triggered. Specifically, the statute states that the LEOBR is implicated in any situation where an officer could face disciplinary action-a simple enough proposition-yet a recent unreported opinion by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals significantly complicates the application of the black letter law.
Maryland Workers' Compensation Basics: Do you know what to do when injured on the job?
On the job injuries often come along with a lot of hard questions.
How will I pay my bills if cannot work?
Who will pay for my medical bills?
What do I do now?
Who can help?
Workers' (no longer "workmens") Compensation is a term that most have heard about, but few fully understand all the details. Most of us only learn about the rules of workers' compensation when we are forced to after an on-the-job injury. If you have been injured on the job, know that you are not alone (Maryland employers reported over 90,000 work injuries last year) and there are a lot of resources available to help you on your road to recovery.
A Personal Reflection
Sidney SchlachmanI started working as an attorney with Sidney Schlachman in June of 1972, a relationship that endured for the next 46 ½ years until his death on January 26, 2018. Sidney told me that an attorney's word is sacred and must never be compromised no matter what happens as a case proceeds to final resolution. In all of those 46 and ½ years, I asked him to do many things to assist me and our Firm in representing our clients and I can state with certainty that he never said no to any of my requests for assistance.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Maryland
Over six million car accidents occur every year in the United States. One third of them involve personal injury to the driver or passengers. If you are involved in a car accident in Maryland, there are certain things that you must do to protect yourself and your legal rights. The following is a list of steps to take following a car accident in Maryland.
Maryland's Red Flag Law and Your Rights
On October 1, 2018, Maryland's extreme risk protective order law took effect. The "red flag" law, as it has been called, was enacted to establish a process by which a petitioner may seek a court order to prevent a respondent from purchasing or possessing any firearm or ammunition for the duration of the order under specified conditions. Principally, the law provides a means to prevent the possession of or to remove firearms from the possession of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others. The law was first proposed as a response to the Great Mills High School murder-suicide and mass shootings at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis and in Jacksonville by a twenty-four-year-old from Howard County, as well as other acts of gun violence by individuals who never should have been allowed to access to firearms
