About Steph Weber
Steph Weber is an award-winning journalist specializing in healthcare, business, and law. She has written for Physicians Practice, Medscape, and Rheumatology Network and created content for several other industry publications, companies, and colleges. As a frequent Super Lawyers contributor, she enjoys drilling down complex legal topics into bite-sized, actionable advice for readers and interviewing the nation’s leading attorney voices, highlighting their most memorable achievements and lessons learned. She lives in Northern Indiana.
Articles written by Steph Weber
The Price of a Ticket
How routine traffic violations can snowball into much bigger legal problemsA traffic ticket may feel like a momentary inconvenience or annoyance, but ignoring it has become even riskier since New York increased penalties for repeat suspended-license offenders, raised point values for moving violations and stepped up enforcement of unpaid tolls. “People [sometimes] throw the ticket away, or say they’ll deal with it later but don’t,” says Amel Spahija, a criminal defense attorney and founder of Spahija Law. If you fail to answer to the DMV for a ticket, they can …
Breaking Down the Medical Aid in Dying Act
Who does—and doesn't—qualify under the new state law, and what it means for end-of-life planningEnd-of-life decisions can involve difficult conversations about personal wishes and medical care. But, since the Medical Aid in Dying Act took effect in August, some New Yorkers now have another option to discuss with loved ones and care teams. Under the new law, qualifying adults with a terminal illness can self-administer medication to end their lives. Here’s what you need to know about how the process works, the safeguards in place and how it may affect your estate and assets. Who …
After the Accident
How to know if you have grounds for a workers’ compensation claim, and what to do nextGetting hurt on the job encompasses everything from bumps and bruises to life-altering trauma. Workers’ compensation laws can help, but many workers aren’t sure what qualifies for coverage or how to obtain the benefits. The first step, though, attorneys say, is reporting it to the employer as soon as possible and seeking medical attention promptly. “Minor injuries, even a bump on the head, are worth reporting,” says Judson Pierce, a workers’ compensation attorney at Pierce, …
What Matters Most in Custody Cases
A child’s best interests are paramount, but other factors can shape parenting plansWhen parents separate, divorce or otherwise split, determining custody can be one of the trickiest factors to figure out. It’s crucial to create a parenting plan that establishes where children will live and how other major decisions affecting their well-being will be made. “There’s a lot more focus now on being creative with parenting plans so they work for each family,” says Boston family law attorney Emily Weber of Bowditch & Dewey. Whether parents reach an agreement …
An Unconventional Defense
Former prosecutor Lance Kennedy bucks tradition with his criminal defense practiceDrones buzzed overhead as law enforcement broke through the gate of a suspected gang leader’s home—a key figure in a double homicide investigation. Lance Kennedy, then a Texas prosecutor, watched nearby. “It was like Al Capone. We couldn’t get the guy on capital murder because we didn’t have the weapon, but we got him on engaging in organized criminal activity,” Kennedy says, noting that he secured a bond of more than $1 million, the highest the judge had set at the time. Years …
Maximizing the Public Benefit
How Paul Novak’s time in the attorney general’s office secured wins for consumers statewideWhen Consumers Power Company abandoned construction of a $6.2 billion nuclear plant in Midland in the 1980s, it sought to recover roughly $4.2 billion of those costs from Michigan ratepayers through higher utility bills. “If it had been approved, it would have increased people’s monthly bills by at least 30 to 35%,” recalls Paul Novak. At the time he stepped into the rate dispute, Novak was still early in his career and new to Michigan’s Department of Attorney General, …
When Childbirth Doesn’t Go as Planned
What to do when a mom or baby is injured during birthEvery two minutes, a baby is born in Florida. While most births result in a healthy mom and baby, some are complicated by injuries that carry lifelong consequences or, in rare cases, lead to death. Figuring out who—if anyone—is at fault isn’t always clear to parents. Not every complication is preventable, but certain injuries that occur during labor or delivery may raise questions about the care provided. Common Injuries Injuries like shoulder dystocia, caused when a …
Hurt on the Job? Here’s What to Do
California workers’ compensation benefits cover a broad range of injuriesIf you’re hurt at work, time is of the essence. “The first thing is to report the injury,” says attorney Keith More, of Bentley & More in Newport Beach. “The second thing is to obtain medical treatment, if needed.” A quick comment to a co-worker isn’t enough. A verbal or written report needs to be submitted to a supervisor, manager or HR representative. Regardless of whether you choose to hire a lawyer, says More, “if you are injured on the job, you have a work comp …
Fighting Workplace Discrimination
Employee rights and protections under California’s robust employment lawSeveral federal laws protect authorized workers from discrimination based on characteristics such as race, sex and age. But some state laws offer even more protection. “California law is more favorable to employees than federal law in a lot of ways,” says Samuel Nielson, an employee rights attorney at Elite Employment Law APC in Laguna Hills. The state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits workplace discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, and other …
Faster, Cheaper and In Control
Settling business disputes through ADRHaving a shipment of decaf instead of regular beans show up at a coffee shop might sound like a very specific problem, but for attorney Linda Klein of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in Atlanta, it’s a handy way to explain how a business owner can fix an issue through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). “The first thing you can do is engage in the simplest, most common form of ADR—negotiation,” she says. “You call the salesperson at the vendor’s company and talk …
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