About Andrew Brandt
Andrew Brandt is an editor on Super Lawyers‘ staff. He serves as the editor for the Illinois, Northern California, Upstate New York, Missouri-Kansas, and Texas magazines, and he additionally writes, fact-checks and proofreads for numerous other Super Lawyers issues (and for the website). He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in English literature and environmental studies, and his byline has appeared in a variety of places, both online and in print.
Articles written by Andrew Brandt
Do I Have To Reach a Collective Bargaining Agreement?
School districts have a legal obligation to engage in good faith during the employment contract negotiation process, but they don't have to sign a binding agreement if they reach an impasse. During collective bargaining, schools have a statutory duty to engage in good faith when discussing negotiable terms on mandatory subjects, including working conditions, benefits, and compensation. If the Board of Education does not negotiate in good faith, the labor union bargaining unit can claim an …
Do I Have To Tell the Father About My Adoption Plan?
A mother has been raising her child for five years. Her husband, who isn’t the biological father, has been helping raise the child for two years. The biological father hasn’t been in the picture since birth, and hasn’t been paying child support. The mother is looking to terminate the biological father’s rights, so the husband can become the legal father. Or, say an expecting mother has an unplanned pregnancy. She knows who the father is, but doesn’t want to raise the child herself, …
Why You Should Work With an Attorney on Surrogacy
In gestational surrogacy, a woman goes through pregnancy for another person or couple. The surrogate carries an embryo from donors or the intended parents. After pregnancy, the intended parents become the legal parents of the child. It's important to know the laws of your state, as well as those of the state where an intended gestational carrier lives and where the baby will be born — each of these will play a role in how the process takes place. This is part of what makes the legal aspects …
What Is Mediation?
Mediation is a non-binding type of alternative dispute resolution using joint sessions and private caucuses to reach a settlement agreement without going through court. Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process using a neutral third-party mediator to lead a facilitated discussion. Mediation provides a faster resolution at lower costs and gives the parties control over the outcome. Court-ordered mediation is common in business disputes and in family mediation. Talk to an ADR lawyer if …
How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take?
A personal injury case can take anywhere from a few months to several years. A claim that settles before a lawsuit is filed may move relatively quickly, while a case involving severe injuries, disputed liability, extensive discovery, a trial, or an appeal can take much longer. No universal timeline exists because every case has its own facts, injuries, evidence, and complications. Use the Super Lawyers directory to find a personal injury attorney in your area and learn what may affect your …
Death and Digital Assets
When our online footprints outlive us, estate planning gets complicated—but you can help simplify itWhile the digital age has made most things easier, estate planning isn’t one of them. The opposite, in fact. “It’s not as easy as it used to be,” says Paul Gantner, an estate planning attorney at Amen, Gantner & Capriano in St. Louis. “People used to draft their will or trust, and that was all they needed.” “As the younger generation—who has grown up with a digital footprint—starts to die, [estate planning] will become more of an issue,” adds Melinda Ward, an …
‘Keep Meticulous Records’
Navigating your taxes in the gig economyIncreasingly, we don’t have jobs; we have gigs. The phrase “gig economy” was coined during the global financial meltdown, when many people lost jobs and got by working several freelance jobs—or “gigs.” Then smartphones and apps made part-time rideshare and hospitality workers out of more and more of us. Meanwhile, contract work gained in popularity in the tech world and other industries. The advantage of being a gig worker is that you often make your own hours. Disadvantages? …
‘Not for the Faint of Heart’
Redeveloping property in a historic districtThere are more than 75 historic districts in Manhattan. They range, alphabetically, from African Burial Ground and the Commons to West End–Collegiate; geographically, from Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill in the north to Frances Tauvern in the south; and chronologically from Sniffen Court and Turtle Bay Gardens (both designated on June 21, 1966) to Central Harlem—West 130-132nd Streets (designated on May 29, 2018). “Historic districts possess architectural and historic significance, have …
Arizona Contaminated Property: Risks To Consider
Phoenix is booming. And Patrick Paul, an environmental litigation attorney at Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, says development has been rapid. So rapid, in fact, that more and more, he’s seeing investors interested in land that’s been contaminated—or, in other words, contains a recognized environmental condition (REC). “Phoenix is interesting,” Paul says. “Most of downtown or metropolitan Phoenix is in or bordering upon either a federal or state Superfund area... We have properties …
How Much Does a Patent Cost?
The filing costs and maintenance fees for a patent cost from $2,000 to $70,000 or more, depending on the patent type, complexity, legal services, and other factors. Utility patents are generally more expensive, requiring a provisional application process, USPTO fees, a non-provisional application, patent prosecution, a patent search, and patent attorney fees. Design patents are less expensive, but still require patent application filing costs, government fees, legal services, and a prior art …
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