Category Archives: Professional Skills

New Title! Knowledge Management & Innovation: A Manual for Law Firms and Other Legal Services Organizations

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PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new practice guide Knowledge Management & Innovation: A Manual for Law Firms and Other Legal Services Organizations.

This book is a comprehensive resource for knowledge management and innovation (KM&I) professionals in the legal industry. It offers best practices for achieving common KM&I goals and includes several checklists and other practice forms which can be used to help organizations and law firms implement beneficial KM&I procedures.  The book presents its knowledge management concepts within a broad framework and historical context while also covering the most recent developments.

Notably, the manual covers the following important topics:

In addition, the book gives guidance on how to leverage collaboration tools (see Chapter 11), configure document management systems (see Chapter 5), improve organizational processes (see Chapter 14), and more.

We are excited to share this new title with you!

PLUS Subscribers can access this title with their subscription.

Order a print copy today.

Is your library interested in subscribing to PLI’s Standing Order Plan (SOP)? SOP subscribers automatically receive print copies of new titles to review upon release.  If you decide to keep the title, you will receive a discount up to 25% off the title and all future supplements. Call 877.900.5291 or email libraryrelations@pli.edu to learn more.

Treatise Update – Corporate Legal Departments: Practicing Law in a Corporation

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Corporate Legal Departments: Practicing Law in a Corporation provides invaluable guidance on a wide range of responsibilities and dilemmas in-house attorneys face.  It advises on matters such as detecting and preventing internal legal problems, developing corporate business plans, pursuing new business opportunities, using cost-effective litigation strategies, and managing corporate crises.  The treatise features a unique In-House Counsel’s Handbook covering some of the key areas of corporate law and compliance.

Highlights from this expanded and updated release include:

  • Technology management: A new section discusses the role technology plays in promoting remote communications, data privacy, and cyber security, especially in the COVID-19 era, and whether current technology fully supports legal entity management (see section 6:4).
  • Organization: A new section illustrates four types of reporting lines that are critical for promoting communication and transparency between the general counsel and the chief executive officer as well as the board of directors (see section 2:8).
  • Privileged communications: A memo from the Department of Justice in a recent case involving Google explains the need to properly educate in-house counsel and nonlawyer employees on the practice of copying counsel on requests for legal advice where no advice is requested in order to shield business advice in the cloak of legal advice offered by counsel (see revisions in sections 12:1 and 14:15.11).
  • In-House Counsel’s Handbook: This release includes extensive updates to Appendix A, which is designed to help in-house lawyers understand pertinent points in key areas of their practice.

The Index has also been updated for this release.

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PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Title!  Sports Law: A Practical Guide to Protecting the Interests of Athletes

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PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new treatise Sports Law: A Practical Guide to Protecting the Interests of Athletes.

The book provides lawyers, player agents, marketing agents, financial advisors, and other members of athletes’ management and advisory teams with the tools and understanding they need to protect their clients’ interests before, during, and after the athletes’ professional playing careers.  It offers a first-hand, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the unique complexities athletes face in their careers and daily lives. Packed with practice tips, sample documents and agreements, and unique insights, Sports Law is an essential resource for anyone who counsels or represents athletes, as well as for athletes themselves.

Notably, the book offers guidance on:

  • Athlete representative and advisor selection, management, and agreements (see Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7)
  • Financial and estate planning for athletes (see Chapter 8)
  • Name, image, and likeness (NIL) and other intellectual property considerations (see Chapters 10 and 11)
  • Athlete-nonprofit partnerships, business deals, and public appearances (see Chapters 9 and 12)
  • Athlete privacy (see Chapter 14)
  • E-sports (see Chapter 15)

The treatise also contains sample marketing and endorsement agreements and discusses topics such as race and sports, athlete decision-making, and athlete identity foreclosure (see the Table of Contents).

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Title! Running Legal Like a Business: The Fundamentals of Legal Operations for Law Departments

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PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new treatise Running Legal Like a Business: The Fundamentals of Legal Operations for Law Departments.

For legal professionals looking to drive operational excellence, this highly accessible handbook provides actionable advice and a single source for developing a metrics program, securing better budgets, improving your approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, and leveraging playbooks for greater efficiency. Delving into the drivers of the evolution of legal operations as an in-house function and as a profession, the book covers key elements of effective legal operations management, including:

Order a print copy today. PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Treatise Update – Faber on Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting (Seventh Edition)

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Faber on Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting spotlights proven claim drafting practices and techniques that have been firmly established by patent authorities and custom. The treatise provides full coverage of U.S. Supreme Court and other court decisions critical to claim drafting. It is an indispensable guide for patent specialists/intellectual property attorneys, corporate counsel, patent agents, patent officials, and inventors.

This new release updates and expands the treatise with practical information and commentary on a variety of issues affecting patent claim drafting. Highlights include:

Chapter 1

  • Abstract ideas: For complete analysis and implications of XY LLC v. Trans Ova Genetics, see §§ 1:4.8 and 1:5.7.
  • Software Inventions: See §§ 1:4.2[A] and 3:29.7 for treatment of Rain Computer, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Chapter 2

  • Claiming contrary positions: See new § 2:15 for a discussion of Infinity Computer Products, Inc. v. Oki Data Americas, Inc., and how inconsistent statements by the patentee in the prosecution history could limit the scope of the claim language or render the claims invalid.

Chapter 3

  • Words of approximation: Section 3:19 is updated with a discussion of Par Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Hospira, Inc., in which the Federal Circuit said that “about” means approximately and is determined by using a functional approach, avoiding a strict numerical boundary, and confined to what one skilled in the art would consider to be “about” in the current case.
  • Singular and plural elements: § 3:11 discusses the meaning of the phrase “a plurality of.”
  • Means plus function: See new § 3:29.7[A] for a discussion of the implications of claiming elements in terms of function performed rather than physical structure in order to cover a broader range of structures.

Chapter 5

  • Product-by-Process Claims: Section 5:2 looks at Biogen MA Inc. v. EMD Serono, Inc., noting that the Federal Circuit is expanding product by process to cover a method of treatment claim that includes a product-by-process limitation.
  • Design claims: Section 5:4 notes that the patent office is considering whether design protection should extend to digital designs that do not require a display screen or other tangible article to be viewable.

Table of Authorities and Index

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New Edition! Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer’s Guide to Effective Writing and Editing

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PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer’s Guide to Effective Writing and Editing (Fourth Edition).

A longtime favorite among PLI customers, this book provides practical advice to help lawyers strengthen their writing skills by “thinking like a writer” as effectively as they already think like a lawyer. It highlights guiding principles for writing clearly about complicated material and establishing credibility with demanding readers, and then turns those principles into specific techniques that apply to many types of documents and audiences.

  • Part I introduces the approach and principles that can guide lawyers in “thinking like a writer.”
  • Part II applies the guiding principles to a document’s organization.
  • Part III applies guiding principles to specific types of legal writing: letters, memoranda, and emails; briefs; and judicial opinions.
  • Part IV applies the principles to the smaller scale of paragraphs and sentences.
  • Part V applies the principles to the editing process, for both self-editing and editing the work of others.

Throughout, chapters include before-and-after examples to demonstrate how writing and editing can be improved by following the advice offered in the book.

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PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Title! Stepping It Up: A Guide for Mid-Level Law Firm Associates

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PLI Press recently published Stepping It Up: A Guide for Mid-Level Law Firm Associates, the latest title in the career development series.

Aimed at associates in their third to sixth years of practice, this book provides guidance on how people in large firms can successfully make the transition from junior associate—by “stepping up” their performance to meet the increasing expectations that partners have of associates with several years of experience. Chapters are written by various legal professionals, including law firm chiefs, in-house counsel and senior associates, who share their experiences and perspectives, along with clear examples, of what is expected of mid-level associates.

This book addresses a broad-range of skill development, including:

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PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Title! Succession Planning and Retirement Strategies for Law Firms and Lawyers

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PLI Press is pleased to announce the publication of a new treatise on professional skills:

Succession Planning and Retirement Strategies for Law Firms and Lawyers showcases the perspectives of both law firm management and individual partners in order to mitigate the discomfort of retirement conversations and help develop effective transition plans that meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Written by a certified career/life management coach with more than three decades of experience working with the legal profession, this book is designed to help all participants address assumptions, thoughts, and emotions around aging and retirement to influence transition outcomes in a positive manner. It contains numerous tools and exercises to help guide discussions and planning.

Among the specific topics covered are:

  • Strategic plans designed to launch retirement discussions
  • Aligning talent management strategies with life cycle
  • Impact of compensation and culture on succession planning
  • Mindset of aging partners
  • Designing post-practice life
  • Tending to physical, mental and emotional well-being
  • Collaborating for better outcomes

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PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Title! An Associate’s First Year: A Guide to Thriving at a Law Firm

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An Associate’s First Year: A Guide to Thriving at a Law Firm is a new published title from PLI Press.

There is more to thriving as a new law firm associate than doing great legal work. Associates must also demonstrate commitment to law firm values; capably manage up and down within their firm; successfully interact with people of different generations, cultures, and backgrounds; champion diversity and inclusion; work smartly and efficiently; contribute to innovation within their firms; manage their workloads; continually learn about their clients’ businesses; and so much more.

An Associate’s First Year, edited by Jennifer L. Bluestein and featuring contributions from more than a dozen experts—including partners, professional developments directors, law firm associates, and other legal industry professionals—provides new associates first-hand insights and guidance on:

Each chapter is full of practical suggestions to help new associates navigate their first year of practice at a law firm.

If you would like to order a print copy, please email libraryrelations@pli.edu.