About Trevor Kupfer
Trevor Kupfer is a senior editor on Super Lawyers’ staff. He is editor of the Illinois, South Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin magazines, in addition to being a writer and fact-checker of Super Lawyers’ other projects. He has a degree in journalism from an accredited program (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire) and has written for such newspapers and magazines as Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Volume One, Wisconsin State Journal, The Capital Times, Global Food Forums, and various publications under the groups Tribune Media Services, Capital Newspapers, and Conley Media. He has served on crime and courts beats and, in college, he aided an investigation through the Wisconsin Innocence Project.
Articles written by Trevor Kupfer
What Happens at the First Meeting With a Bankruptcy Attorney?
Reaching out to a lawyer is an understandably difficult barrier to cross. You’re likely overwhelmed and scared about how much this might cost you. But Chicago bankruptcy lawyer David P. Leibowitz has some good news. “It’s a scary event, but you don’t have to walk through life with a scarlet letter on your head. Bankruptcy will alleviate a lot of your distress,” he says. “I understand that clients come to us at a point of desperation and fear, but a really good lawyer will help you …
What Is Tax Increment Financing for Real Estate Projects?
Every state has used tax increment financing (TIF) to fund economic development at one time or another. In Louisiana, for example, a TIF district is what brought the World Trade Center to New Orleans. The idea behind the economic development tool is simple: Public subsidies to stimulate economic growth. However, the execution can sometimes be difficult and even controversial. This makes it important for business owners interested in the program to seek legal help. “Some projects just don’t …
Why an Attorney Should File Your Insurance Claim
Insurance is an unfortunate reality of American life, as is the fact that insurance is a business and is, therefore, out to make money. An insurance adjuster’s job, simply put, is to resolve claims for as little as they are legally required, which often leaves policyholders with the short end of the stick. The good news, though, is that you don’t have to go it alone. “The company will say, ‘We owe what we pay, and pay what we owe — not a penny more or a penny less,’” says …
Spreading Civics One Instagram Video at a Time
The Your Big Idea scholarship program was actually Julie Moore’s big idea.instagram_post { width: 60%; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px; } @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { .instagram_post { float: none; margin: 0; width: 100%; } } Later this month, the South Carolina Bar’s Young Lawyers Division will accept the LexisNexis Community & Education Outreach Award from the National Association of Bar Executives. The award recognizes outstanding public service and education, in this case for the Your Big Idea Instagram Scholarship. The program was the …
What Building Owners Can Do When Tenants Sublet on Airbnb
“I understand why everyone likes [Airbnb],” says real estate attorney Andrew M. Zacks. “It’s easy, it’s cheap, and there are a lot more places to stay in beautiful cities around the world.” The problem with Airbnb rentals is that their growth wasn’t gradual. “Instead, it came from out of the blue, and now we have to sort out a lot of legal issues.” Zacks has handled about a dozen cases involving short-term rentals, and he typically represents apartment building owners and …
How To Set Up Your Will To Avoid Disputes
Each client who walks through the office door is different, says Katie White, an attorney with McDonald Fleming Moorhead in Pensacola. And it’s not just the people who are different, but their wants, needs, and circumstances, as well. That’s why a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t really work in writing a will. “But there are options,” she says. “I have clients who come in and say, ‘I know this one child is going to be difficult. They’re going to be kicking and screaming, but I …
The Least Bad Choice
Health care attorney Eric Neiman fears the legal implications of Volk v. DeMeerleerAbout half of my practice is behavioral health law, where I represent providers of treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. It sounds kind of dry, but in the middle of an opioid epidemic it’s a really big thing. Lately, I’ve also been working on a lot of duty-to-warn issues. The Washington Supreme Court, in December 2016, decided a case [Volk v. DeMeerleer] in which it said a psychiatrist could be liable for a patient’s violent acts toward other people. It sounds like it could …
Can I Get Compensation if My Pet Was Killed?
“I got a recent call from a pet owner whose dog was killed by another dog,” says Maria K. Patterson, a personal injury lawyer at Patterson Law in Annapolis, Maryland. “The owner suffered great emotional distress, but the state cap on the loss of a pet is limited to the fair market value of the pet before death and reasonable and necessary veterinary care costs, not to exceed $10,000.” The Market Value Cap on Compensatory Damages Often Makes Cases Unfeasible to Pursue Patterson …
Marty Swaden’s Encore
The singer-turned-lawyer moonlights as a theater performerIt was 1970, Marty Swaden had just graduated from the University of Michigan, and he had a crucial decision to make. “I was considering going to law school, but, instead, I took two years off to see if my performing might pay off,” he says. A classically trained singer, Swaden took his talents to the Twin Cities—bouncing between restaurant singing gigs and musical productions. “I said to myself, ‘I’m doing well here, but can I survive in New York?’” Swaden recalls. Once he …
Can I Force My Sibling To Sell an Inherited House?
A common scenario when someone passes away is that their property is passed on to their children. In fact, while most people have a beneficiary named on their bank, investment, and retirement accounts, they don’t always have one for their homestead. And in those cases, the children are the default beneficiaries. Even in the rare cases where beneficiaries agree to keep the house, problems may arise. “Even families that get along the best can run into the inherent challenges of joint …
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