A business general counsel attorney serves as the legal compass of an organization. Their multifaceted role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, aiming to safeguard the business's success. In addition, their purpose is to streamline legal operations by focusing on specific legal elements in a given business. Today, we will further explore a general counsel attorney's purpose, functions, and significance in today's complex and dynamic business landscape. 

Unique Legal Knowledge

A limited general counsel attorney brings specialized knowledge to the table. They focus on specific areas of law, such as employment, intellectual property, or regulatory compliance. By concentrating their efforts on these specialized areas, they develop a deep understanding of the legal intricacies within the business industry, enabling them to provide targeted and efficient legal advice. 

Cost-Effective Solution

Engaging a limited general counsel attorney offers a cost-effective solution for businesses. Instead of hiring a full-time in-house general counsel, organizations can leverage the skill of a limited general counsel attorney on an as-needed basis. This arrangement allows businesses to access specialized legal services without the financial burden of a full-time employee, making it an attractive option for companies of different sizes. 

Approaching the end of life is an emotional and challenging time. Encouraging your loved ones to create a will may seem like an uncomfortable conversation, but it is one that plays a crucial role in protecting their final wishes. Today, we will explore practical strategies to convince your loved ones of the importance of making a will, ensuring their legacy is preserved, and providing peace of mind to all involved. For guidance in the creation of a will, contacting an estate planning lawyer is an essential first step to making your estate planning goals a reality. 

Approaching this Delicate Topic

Here is how you should consider going about this topic, including:

• Understand their concerns – When discussing the topic of making a will, it is essential to approach your loved ones with empathy and understanding. Learn about their concerns and reservations regarding the process, such as apprehensions about their mortality or uncertainty about distributing their assets. By actively listening and acknowledging their fears, you can better tailor your argument to address their specific concerns, making them more receptive to the idea of making a will.

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Everyone can benefit from having a comprehensive estate plan in place. In addition to giving a person and their family the peace of mind that their final wishes will be fulfilled, estate planning offers the opportunity for someone to examine their financial needs and assets in order to plan for the future. An estate plan usually includes a last will and testament and can also include a living trust, power of attorney, health care proxy, living will, instructions concerning life insurance, a business succession plan, and more.

At our firm, we have helped hundreds of clients create estate plans with varying degrees of complexity. We have also received many questions from individuals wondering how to approach the topic of estate planning with their aging parents. It is not always easy to initiate such discussions, but doing so is important for the security of your family.

Intestate Succession

If you have parents who are getting older but do not have an estate plan, you may be concerned as to how their end-of-life decisions will be made and how their assets will be distributed after their death. When an individual dies without having executed a valid will, the contents of his or her estate will be distributed to eligible heirs through "intestate succession." The specifics of intestate succession vary slightly by state, and such laws can be quite complicated in certain situations. Put another way, if a person does not make their own decisions about their property, the state will do it for them. Of course, most people would not choose to surrender those decisions to the state, but by not having an estate plan, they are doing just that.

If you have begun thinking about creating an estate plan, there is a good chance you have seen at least a few ads for self-serve estate planning or will creation services. When you first see the advertisements, it is easy to believe that such services will save you money, time, and stress. The ads might even outright claim that you do not need an attorney to develop your estate plan.

The bad news is that online document generators and DIY estate planning services lead many people into serious mistakes. These mistakes can cost a great deal in lost money, time, and frustration not only for the creators of the estate plan but also for the loved ones they leave behind.

Why You Need a Lawyer

There is no law in Texas that says you must work with an attorney to create an estate plan. However, DIY estate planning services try to “help” as many people as possible by being a “one-size-fits-most” approach. A DIY site might offer basic estate planning documents such as wills, powers of attorney, and advance medical directives. Unfortunately, the basics are often insufficient to properly address your needs. When you work with a qualified lawyer, your attorney will help you explore all of your options—including lesser-known and more complicated instruments—so that you can make the best possible decisions for yourself and your loved ones.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress passed a historic bill into law that would forever change business: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law effectively enforces the civil rights and needs of people with disabilities. Before this law was passed, horror stories existed of inaccessible mobility for those bound to wheelchairs. Unfortunately, some people were forced to get out of their wheelchairs and crawl up stairs to schoolhouses and courtrooms. Buses also used to be inaccessible because there were no lifts available. Furthermore, grocery shopping was nearly impossible without someone tagging along to assist, as shelves were stocked to the ceiling. 

Since the passing of the ADA, life has become a bit easier for disabled customers and employees, and business owners are often happy to comply with ADA guidelines. However, sometimes new businesses may not realize the extent of the Americans with Disabilities Act policies and have trouble conforming.

Basics of ADA Laws

A few of basic guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act include: