Here are four surprising ways to protect yourself in a law suit and keep legal fees to a minimum. Kevin Daum at Inc. advises:  "Shakespeare said, "First kill all the lawyers." Maybe this seems a tad aggressive, but then again, for most people the last thing you look forward to is someone showing up at your door with a subpoena. Whether a lawsuit is business related or personal, the thought of engaging an at ...

New IBA Market Database Tools Empower Valuators to Provide More Concise and Accurate Results: Here’s How. The IBA Market Database includes close to 40,000 comparables, a valuation analyzer, and lots more. Paul French’s review, from the National Litigation Consultants’ Review (NLCR), explains the depth of data now available on the web, and explains how to leverage this exciting new tool. ...

There’s a Maze of Standards Out There. Here’s a Guide to Key Provisions in The Most Important Ones *AUTHORS NOTE* This article was written in May 2010.  In December 2010, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, section 26(a)2(b) were updated such that drafts and attorney communications are now specifically recognized as work product and not discoverable.  The exception to this is correspondence as it relates ...

The Definition of Risk is Standard Deviation of Returns; Here’s What it Means, and What it Has to Do with “Total Beta” Is the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) superior as a valuation modeling tool to Total Beta? Peter J. Butler and Gary Schurman think not. Here’s why: ...

Why Experts Working from the Same Facts Generate Varying Opinions Financial experts can differ wildly in their opinions and findings because of differences in their underlying financial and economic assumptions, differing legal interpretations, differing theories on damages, and different access to information. Jim Gravitt explains. ...

Willamette Management Author Explains: What You Need to Know About DLOMs Aaron Rotkowski explains why it’s appropriate to apply a DLOM to a controlling ownership interest—and how to figure it—and why it doesn’t make sense to rely on restricted stock studies and pre-IPO studies to estimate the DLOM for that interest. Find out more. ...

Understand the Critical Distinction Between a “Testifying Expert” and a “Consulting Expert.” Brad Eldridge and Rebekah Smith explain how the requirements for a “testifying expert” in litigation work vary considerably from those for a “consulting expert.” Learn more about this distinction and find out how consultants can develop a checklist of best practices for courtroom preparation. ...

Learn How the Pros Take Down an Embezzlement Scheme and Gather Tips on How to Best Defend Your Own Practice. Mark S. Warshavsky reviews Stephen Pedneault’s Anatomy of A Fraud Investigation. The book combines a step-by-step recounting of best practices with real-life drama as investigators discover, investigate, and resolve a fraud incident—a fantastic guide to how to defend against and uncover fraud. ...