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
Shelter from the Storm
Humaira Mirza helps victims become survivorsWhen she enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law, Humaira Mirza knew she wanted to spend her career in the service of others. But it wasn’t until she took a family law class with Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, a longtime UNM professor and current New Mexico state senator, that she figured out how. “My professor, also my mentor, was a domestic violence survivor, and she was doing a training for people who wanted to represent domestic abuse victims,” says Mirza. “I gave that a …
Can I Refuse To Take a Breathalyzer Test?
There are many ways to get charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated), and numerous fines and penalties that result from them. For example, you can get a DWI on private property, in a parking lot, and in a drive-thru. You can even get one if you’re sleeping in a motor vehicle that’s in park. But whether you should refuse a breath test is not as clear-cut. This article explains the factors that go into making that decision on a case-by-case basis. …
How Much Cybersecurity Does My Business Need?
The level of cybersecurity your business needs depends on whether you have personally identifiable information (PII), trade secrets, or other sensitive information, and on the risk of data breaches based on industry regulations. Under data privacy laws, businesses have legal liability for financial losses from data breaches that expose customer data due to a lack of regulatory compliance, a lack of data encryption, or a failure to address risk assessment threats. Develop strong privacy policies …
Does My Business Need Cyber Insurance?
According to Shawn Tuma, a data privacy and cybersecurity attorney at Spencer Fane in Plano, Texas, more than 80 percent of his work involves responding to a data breach incident (cyberattack) and then managing it. “We meet a lot of clients through this process, and then after getting the incident behind them, they realize they don’t want to go through this again,” he says. “Usually, you have about three to six months to get something moving, or the feeling is going to wear off. …
Going Forward
Uswah Khan on serving justice one family at a timeMy father was a lawyer in Pakistan. When he immigrated to America, he had to support the family, so he didn’t pursue law. He did accounting work, and he stayed with the same company until retirement. Growing up, I wanted to be just like my dad. I said, “I’m going to be a lawyer.” I took a family law class in my second year, and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t feel like I was working, even when I would read the case law in textbooks. I remember applying to three clerkships that summer, …
What To Do If Workers Fail Drug Tests From CBD
One of the things we’ve recently seen in Kentucky is how CBD is impacting the workplace. Employers need to be thinking about what their policy is going to be with respect to its use, as you can get CBD at Kroger now—and pretty much any pharmacy around the state. I’m sure there are people who use it because a doctor has said it might be helpful. But you don’t need a prescription, and other people may be using it based on some personal preference. That presents some complications, because …
The Front Line
Lorena Rivas on her week at the Karnes detention facilityWhen I was a young child, my father was hurt in a very bad accident while working in the oil field. He was disabled—MedFlighted to a hospital and in a coma for a few days. This is when I realized how important it was to have an attorney represent you. With him being out of work, we were struggling financially, and the attorney allowed us to survive. Throughout school, I knew I wanted to have a profession that helped people who are struggling and left with little options, and this was one that …
A Parental Rights Primer for New York
Few parents want to involuntarily lose the rights to their child — even if the child is in the foster care system. “There’s basically a fundamental right for a parent to raise his or her child,” says Jacqueline Newman, a family law attorney at Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein in New York City. “The general presumption is that the best interest is to be raised by your parents. But if that puts you in danger, the state is going to jump in as a last resort.” What Are the Grounds for …
Tips for Writing Effective Nondisclosure Agreements
A nondisclosure agreement (NDA) is an important tool to protect your company's trade secrets and proprietary information. An effective NDA should define the types of information included and confidentiality obligations. NDAs must also comply with federal and state laws. Using a general NDA template may not offer much legal protection for your individual business. The following provides tips and common mistakes to avoid when drafting an NDA. For legal advice or a review of your company's NDAs, …
Wayne Parsons' Contribution to the Apollo 11 Mission
Remembering the mission on its 50th AnniversaryI was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and my dad was a physicist. I followed in his footsteps, getting degrees in physics, engineering and math as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. And then I went on to graduate school at Michigan in physics. They were building an astronomical observatory on the island of Maui, and I got a job in Ann Arbor helping with building and designing equipment that was going to go on the telescopes, and getting ready to transfer everything out there. A year …
Find top lawyers with confidence
The Super Lawyers patented selection process is peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.
Find a lawyer near you