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
New York Bankruptcy Exemptions: Assets To Keep
When most people hear the word “bankruptcy,” they think it means you have to start over with nothing. “People have preconceptions of what bankruptcy is. They don’t know what they can keep or how it will impact them,” says Jeffrey B. Peltz, a matrimonial and bankruptcy attorney in Brooklyn. “The truth is most people don’t lose anything because of exemptions that protect most property, and exemptions are pretty generous in New York.” The same goes for fears about how it …
What Homeowners Need To Prove a Construction Defect
Any seasoned homeowner is likely well aware of the adage known as Murphy’s Law: “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” Whether it’s windows, shingles, decking, siding, appliances, or so on, a defective product or improper installation can cause property damage — and major headaches. That’s where product liability attorneys like Harper Segui come in. “The best thing to understand is you’re in capable hands because the plaintiff’s lawyer who’s properly investigating this has …
What Homeowners Can Expect in a Product Defect Case
If you have a problem with your house — be it a manufacturing defect or improperly installed windows, shingles, decking, siding, appliances, or so on — you often need to resolve it as soon as possible to avoid further problems. Unfortunately, lawsuits of this type can take a while to resolve, which is frustrating for homeowners and the attorneys who help them. “It’s not like a microwave where you just put that aside and use a different one,” says Harper Segui, a class action and …
A Lot to Write Home About
How Lisa Schmidt’s penchant for writing took over her entire practiceLast year forced a lot of attorneys to shift priorities and reevaluate their practice. But not many dropped their docket of clients, moved to another state, and became a full-time writer and researcher, as Lisa Schmidt did. “I started writing for other attorneys in 2013,” she says. “Until I found out my husband got a job offer in California and we would move [in 2020], I maintained a small docket of clients in addition to all the writing. Over time, it has gradually taken over.” Since …
Pro Bono for Businesses: Finding Affordable Legal Services
There’s a vast difference between the resources of a small business owner and a thriving large corporation, yet both need legal advice—and that’s usually not cheap. As a result, some law firms and nonprofit organizations try to represent the have-nots on a pro bono basis (meaning free of cost) or “low bono” basis (meaning at a reduced cost). Consult with a lawyer who offers this courtesy to see if your case would be a fit for their practice. “Lawyers care about playing a …
Finding a Pro Bono Lawyer
The biggest barrier for people who need an attorney is often the cost. Lawyers know this better than anyone. As a result, many attorneys, firms and nonprofit entities connect people in need of legal representation on a pro bono basis (meaning free of cost) or “low bono” basis (meaning at a reduced cost). “For people who can't afford to pay for medical services, Medicaid and Medicare jump in. There’s no equivalent for those who are in need of legal services, and the public entities that …
What Is the FTC Administrative Process in Antitrust Litigation?
If you’re facing an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission for an antitrust matter, the agency has two options for where to resolve the civil suit: The federal court system or its internal administrative process. In the case of the latter, you may be curious about what that entails and what the future holds. While it’s hard to predict the result of the case, one thing is fairly certain: “The whole process can take a fair amount of time,” says William M. Katz, Jr., a Dallas …
The Stabilizing Force
Vanya Hogen, always quick to defer credit, is a leader in Native American law and tribal sovereignty issuesVanya Hogen grew up only seven miles from Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, though it sometimes felt farther. “I want to kick myself now for not talking to my grandmother about this, but she was hard to talk to about some things,” she says. “My sense of it was there was so much racism, she did her best to fit into society and not give anyone any reason to treat her poorly because she was native. As a result, she didn’t really encourage us to go to powwows or participate in …
When and Why Attorneys Take Cases Pro Bono in Georgia
Super Lawyers: Is the state bar association the one directing lawyers to do pro bono work? Patrick T. O’Connor, former president of the State Bar of Georgia and civil defense attorney at Oliver Maner: I don't think they really take the directive from the Bar, although I think the Bar's emphasis on pro bono work is helpful. It's a good reminder to lawyers that we should give back through our pro bono efforts. I really think that most of the incentive in the area comes from older lawyers and …
Illinois Pro Bono Cases: Factors To Consider for Firms
Super Lawyers: When and how do you decide to take a case pro bono or low bono — for free or at a discount? Is it clients coming to you, or do you work with specific pro bono programs? John E. Thies, a business litigator at Webber & Thies and past president of Illinois State Bar Association: It can happen in a number of ways. Sometimes it is an arrangement that's facilitated by a judge who has a case where they feel the client needs counsel. So we might have a contact from the courts. We …
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