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
Using Collaborative Divorce in California
Sacramento family law attorney Hal Bartholomew hasn’t taken a litigation-based divorce case (traditional divorce) in more than 10 years. He’s instead focused heavily on collaborative divorce, an alternative dispute resolution option he began trying in 1998. “The collaborative process has a lot of long-term benefits to clients,” he says. “It helps the parties do a better job of communicating and educates them on what are the best interests for their children. It reduces the …
What Is Unauthorized Practice of Law?
When you hear the phrase ‘unauthorized practice of law,’ you may think of someone in a courtroom pretending to be a lawyer, doling out legal advice or legal services. “That can come up,” says Christopher E. Roberts, an attorney at Butsch Roberts & Associates in St. Louis. “But it most commonly comes up with preparing certain documents, like debt settlement companies acting like they’re law firms by charging retainer fees.” Missouri Has a Statute Penalizing the Unauthorized …
Not Everything Is a Pearl
Charles Stern on a hard lesson learned at the U.S. Supreme CourtThere was a hotel in New Orleans called the Fountainbleau Hotel, built on the site of a former minor league baseball stadium in the early ’60s. It had been through a bankruptcy sometime in the late ’80s, and was then sold to a company for redevelopment into a storage facility. The new owner, out of nowhere, got sued in a foreclosure action based on an old mortgage that was in existence at the time of the bankruptcy. That suit was filed at the end of 1994, and I got involved shortly after. …
Navigating the Complexities of International Family Law
Even compared to other areas of the law, when it comes to international family law, there is no cookie-cutter solution; every single case — whether it involves a divorce case, a child custody dispute, or potential relocation — hinges entirely on the finer details. Figuring Out Which Country Has Jurisdiction Over the Family Law Issue “When you get into international law, there’s never one answer that’s going to apply,” says Jay P. Dahlin, a family law attorney in Chicago. “You’re …
What Makes a Good Estate Plan?
Many people have a will and think that's all they need for their estate planning. However, a will is only part of what makes a good estate plan. With proper estate planning, you can provide for your family members and loved ones without burdening them with estate taxes and the probate process. A good estate plan can include trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents. For legal advice about what makes a good estate plan where you live, contact an experienced estate planning …
The Fight for Victims' Rights
The horrific crime that made a lawyer out of Steven KellyBack in 1988, my sister was sexually assaulted and murdered, we believe, by someone we knew, but the guy was never prosecuted. He was a local in the [Harford County] community, who had been suspected in other murders and had an alleged history of violence against women—including attacks on his own mother. The local prosecutor didn’t think there was enough evidence, and it didn’t hurt that this guy was adopted into a very wealthy, connected family. The dad hired a very good defense lawyer, …
Can You Sue for Elder Financial Abuse?
You have a case for elder financial abuse and can recover compensatory damages if the elder adult is a victim of theft, fraudulent transfers, or conversion of assets. Civil litigation gives victims standing to sue for breach of fiduciary duty, undue influence, caregiver liability, power of attorney abuse, and vicarious liability. Freeze assets and get an accounting demand during the discovery process. Compensation in financial abuse includes double damages, statutory exploitation damages, …
Does My Life Insurance Policy Cover Suicide?
If you or someone you know is struggling, consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support. Call or text 988, or chat online at https://988lifeline.org/. Life insurance policies help provide for your loved ones if you unexpectedly pass away. Life insurance plans pay a death benefit to the beneficiaries after the policyholder dies. Life insurance will cover the most common causes of death. However, there are challenges when the policyholder dies by suicide. Some insurance …
Upholding Animal Welfare: California’s Law on the Treatment of Confined Farm Animals
California's confined farm animals law requires primary enclosure minimum square footage for breeding pigs, egg-laying hens, and veal calves for animal welfare. Proposition 12 and Prop 2 space requirements phase out battery cages and gestation crates for chicken, veal, and pork producers. The humane treatment law's sales ban also limits market access to commercial distributors in other states unless they meet California's regulatory compliance. Farmers who fail confinement standard enforcement …
An Uphill Battle
Fighting medical malpractice isn’t easy, but Mike End is up to the taskAmong the numerous medical malpractice cases that have come and gone from his plate over the past five years, Mike End has one that just won’t, well, end. In 2011, his client, a woman in her 40s, had lower back surgery. After the operation, the surgeon left the operating room to tell the family how well the procedure had gone, leaving in place the two drainage catheters—which simply drain blood by gravity—at the site of the incision. The surgical assistant, upon sewing up the wound, …
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