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Friday, March 12, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Free Haiti TPS Workshop: Charlotte NC :Cancelled
If you know anyone who is out of status and needs to apply please contact
International House at 704-405-0962.
PLEASE REGISTER BY FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010
You might be eligible for Temporary Protected Status if:
You are a national of Haiti;
You resided in the US on or before January 12, 2010;
You meet immigrant admissibility requirements and other TPS eligibility requirements.
The free service is open all members of Haitian Community who would like to apply for Temporary Protected Status.
International House at 704-405-0962.
PLEASE REGISTER BY FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010
You might be eligible for Temporary Protected Status if:
You are a national of Haiti;
You resided in the US on or before January 12, 2010;
You meet immigrant admissibility requirements and other TPS eligibility requirements.
The free service is open all members of Haitian Community who would like to apply for Temporary Protected Status.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Haitians Can apply for Temporary Status
POSTED BYHaitians in U.S. can apply for protected status, January 15, 2010 -- Updated 2311 GMT (0711 HKT)
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the status is part of U.S. efforts to support Haiti's recovery.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Status available to those in United States when earthquake struck Tuesday
Designation allows Haitians to live, work in United States for the next 18 months
Aim is to provide temporary refuge for Haitian nationals while their country recovers
100,000 to 200,000 Haitian nationals are estimated to be in the United States illegally
RELATED TOPICS
Haiti
Earthquakes
Immigration
Washington (CNN) -- A temporary protected status for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of Tuesday has been designated by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, she announced Friday.
"This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months," she said.
"Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this administration's continuing efforts to support Haiti's recovery."
Napolitano estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Haitian nationals are in the United States illegally. She told reporters the temporary status allows them to stay for 18 months, authorizing them to work and send remittances back to Haiti as the nation "gets back on its feet."
However, she said, Haitians who now attempt to travel to the United States will not be eligible for the temporary status and will be repatriated to Haiti. She added that there have been no signs so far of an increase of Haitian nationals trying to enter the United States after Tuesday's earthquake.
CNN's Pam Benson contributed to this report.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the status is part of U.S. efforts to support Haiti's recovery.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Status available to those in United States when earthquake struck Tuesday
Designation allows Haitians to live, work in United States for the next 18 months
Aim is to provide temporary refuge for Haitian nationals while their country recovers
100,000 to 200,000 Haitian nationals are estimated to be in the United States illegally
RELATED TOPICS
Haiti
Earthquakes
Immigration
Washington (CNN) -- A temporary protected status for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of Tuesday has been designated by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, she announced Friday.
"This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months," she said.
"Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this administration's continuing efforts to support Haiti's recovery."
Napolitano estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Haitian nationals are in the United States illegally. She told reporters the temporary status allows them to stay for 18 months, authorizing them to work and send remittances back to Haiti as the nation "gets back on its feet."
However, she said, Haitians who now attempt to travel to the United States will not be eligible for the temporary status and will be repatriated to Haiti. She added that there have been no signs so far of an increase of Haitian nationals trying to enter the United States after Tuesday's earthquake.
CNN's Pam Benson contributed to this report.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
CHARITY/PRO BONO WORK AND YOUR FIRM
In Light of recent events (haiti disaster), in which I have had family members directly affected, I decided to write this post.
Reasons to do Charity work :
1. You are helping people in need
2. You get a sense of Self Fulfillment
3. You are showing lay people that Lawyers have hearts to :)
4. And if none of those things matter it is a great way to network and market your business.
In my case, I feel privileged to help others anytime I can. Last year, I worked on 4 to 5 probono cases and events. These events including assisting people with wills, immigration applications, talking to churches and members of the community about the law and their rights.
This year, I am working on an event for Haiti and raising money. It is my goal that as my firm grows, I can get the firm's associates involved in various activities in the community. A business that does Charity work is business that will continue to receive support for their community.
Do your part now. Find out what you can do, then do some research. Make sure you choose a reputable charity (church, non-profit, government agency, ect). Contact someone from that charity and see what you can do to assist. Even if it is an hour of your time and you are only disseminating information. A little goes a long way. Good Luck!
Reasons to do Charity work :
1. You are helping people in need
2. You get a sense of Self Fulfillment
3. You are showing lay people that Lawyers have hearts to :)
4. And if none of those things matter it is a great way to network and market your business.
In my case, I feel privileged to help others anytime I can. Last year, I worked on 4 to 5 probono cases and events. These events including assisting people with wills, immigration applications, talking to churches and members of the community about the law and their rights.
This year, I am working on an event for Haiti and raising money. It is my goal that as my firm grows, I can get the firm's associates involved in various activities in the community. A business that does Charity work is business that will continue to receive support for their community.
Do your part now. Find out what you can do, then do some research. Make sure you choose a reputable charity (church, non-profit, government agency, ect). Contact someone from that charity and see what you can do to assist. Even if it is an hour of your time and you are only disseminating information. A little goes a long way. Good Luck!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Legal Zoom Unauthorized Practice of Law
Purchase Legal Forms
Frequent times I receive calls from Clients asking me why they should go with my services instead of purchasing a form from legal zoom. In North Carolina the answer is simple, my services are legal and legal zoom are not (see http://greatestamericanlawyer.typepad.com/ncapccd4.pdf)
Yes, legal zoom is alot cheaper than traditional services from an Attorney. However, legal zoom forms are often inaccurate and do not reflect the current laws and correct legal wording necessary and for the best results. Neither does the site or its owners guarantee that the information dispatched on its site are correct or up to date.
Legal Zoom has managed to become a household name. Unfortunately, consumers in the end are not saving money or receiving legal services. Within their disclosures and terms they state that they are not providing legal advice and recommend you seek the services of an Attorney.
Legal Documents are to be taken lightly, strongly advise your clients to seek your help before going with unauthorized document preparers. In the end they could be out of more than just the $30 dollars it cost to purchase the form, they could potentially end up in litigation or loosing propetection under the law based on the invalidation of the document.
Don't take my word for it, search the various complaint boards and sites out there for disgruntled consumers of the service and products. Wills and Contracts are not things to be taken lightly!
Frequent times I receive calls from Clients asking me why they should go with my services instead of purchasing a form from legal zoom. In North Carolina the answer is simple, my services are legal and legal zoom are not (see http://greatestamericanlawyer.typepad.com/ncapccd4.pdf)
Yes, legal zoom is alot cheaper than traditional services from an Attorney. However, legal zoom forms are often inaccurate and do not reflect the current laws and correct legal wording necessary and for the best results. Neither does the site or its owners guarantee that the information dispatched on its site are correct or up to date.
Legal Zoom has managed to become a household name. Unfortunately, consumers in the end are not saving money or receiving legal services. Within their disclosures and terms they state that they are not providing legal advice and recommend you seek the services of an Attorney.
Legal Documents are to be taken lightly, strongly advise your clients to seek your help before going with unauthorized document preparers. In the end they could be out of more than just the $30 dollars it cost to purchase the form, they could potentially end up in litigation or loosing propetection under the law based on the invalidation of the document.
Don't take my word for it, search the various complaint boards and sites out there for disgruntled consumers of the service and products. Wills and Contracts are not things to be taken lightly!
Monday, October 19, 2009
10 ways to Cut Costs and Increase Cash Flow
Written by
- Create templates, charts, rather than purchasing hi-teck software programs for billing and client management
- Email clients information instead of sending it through mail and paying postage and for ink
- Pay your businesses bills online, instead of mailing checks
- Find other professionals to barter services with (designers, contractors, ect)
- Get help in the form of unpaid interns to begin with
- Shop around for communication packages, legal reseach, insurance and let them know that you are going with the most competitive rate
- Office supplies try shopping at Walmart and Target instead of Office retail stores, if you do use office stores then make sure you become part of the rewards program where you receive cash back rewards on your purchases
- Keep track of your expenses, because if you know how much you are spending you may not spend as much
- Try free advertisement sites, going to activities/functions, networking events where you can make great contacts and pass on your information
- Create a referral network with Attorneys in your area who practice in different areas of law and in different counties
- Don't over extend yourself by taking cases that will take too much time and pay little
- The longer it takes to get paid, the greater the risk of loss. The 80/20 rule states that 80% of your revenues are generated by 20% of your customers. If this is the case, it may be wise to review the other 80% of your customers to see if you can continue to serve them cost-effectively--GET YOUR MONEY UP FRONT IF YOU CAN
- Work from home sometimes, why expend gas to go into your office everytime you need to get work done?
- Recycle its good for environment and it will save you money (Ink, periodicals from home using them in office, ect)
- GO GREEN!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Hiring an Intern: Some Considerations
POSTED BY
From FOXBusiness
.1. Understand what it means to have an intern
“Take time to think about what you want to get out of your internship program,” said Meghan Lantier, the coordinator of the internship program at Bliss P.R., a boutique 30- employee public relations company in New York City. There is a big difference between hiring someone with an eye to them one day becoming a full time employee, and hiring someone to lick envelopes, Lantier said.
In a small company, Lantier said everyone needs to be on board and excited about an intern. The fewer employees a company has, the more the internship program will need to follow an “all hands on deck” philosophy.
Companies looking to hire an intern need to understand that it isn’t slave labor, added David Lewis, president of OperationsInc, a human resources consulting firm based in Stamford, Conn.
Interns treated poorly will report their experience to the dean of their college and their friends. If their experience wasn’t positive, then your company could potentially damage its reputation and ability to recruit students from that school, Lewis said.
2. Know where to find them
Good students start looking for summer internships early in the year, so if you’re seeking top talent, it’s a good idea to advertise in January or February for a position starting in June.
The best place to find interns is at universities and in organizations where your employees are already affiliated, according to Mason Gates, founder of Internships.com, a job listing site.
“Getting to know your local career center is the most incredible thing you can do to make connections at a university. Get to know that contact, and they will speak highly of you and recommend you to students,” he said.
If your small business has a lot to offer and is in need of an intern, don’t be afraid to approach the head of a university’s particular discipline. This personal approach will set you apart from middle-range companies, Lewis said.
Although a college’s career counseling office should be every business’ first stop for recruitment, online job boards are also available. Job boards such as HotJobs.com, CareerBuilder.com, Dice.com and others are good options, Lewis said. Employers can post want ads for interns using
Other options include posting company information around campus on message boards and communal areas.
3. Be specific
“The clearer you can be about an intern’s role and the contributions expected, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to identify the right skill set and have positive results,” said Jenny Floren, CEO and founder of Experience.com, an online provider of career support to college students and graduates.
Point out in the opening paragraph what the business is and how many employees you have, she said.
If a small business can demonstrate that it wants to provide an educational and active learning experience for a student, it will make itself far more attractive than a 400 person company that is going to require that a student lick envelopes for three months, noted Lewis of OperationsInc.
Also, if your company is trying to recruit students from other areas of the country or world, make sure to mention in your ad that the company does not provide any type of room and board, and how long the internship lasts, according to Lewis.
“You’re only going to get good people in if you screen them and ask them the good questions,” according to Lewis. “You won’t know if you’ve got something crappy until you unwrap the package.”
He recommends asking student-geared questions in the interview because students interview differently than individuals with work experience. Employers should ask how they study, how they test, and go beyond the questions they can prepare for at the door Lewis said.
Instead of asking students about their strengths, ask them what classes they have taken, which ones they like, and which ones they didn’t like, and why they want an internship in the first place. These questions should offer a perspective on the student’s level of maturity, according to Lewis.
5. Give them “real” work to do
“Make sure you identify projects for your intern that are well-defined and will allow them to contribute value,” said Floren of Experience.com, “The worst thing you can do for an intern is to give them “busy work.”
Lewis seconded the thought that interns should be allowed to spend time with the leaders of the company.
“You don’t have to do a ton of work as a business to provide a good experience for the intern,” he said. Bring them to meetings, let them be observers, give them a chance to ask questions and interact with different people in the organization, he said.
6. Pay them
Duffy and Partners, a small 20-employee design firm in Minneapolis typically pays interns between $7,000 and $10,000 for a six-month internship depending on the candidate’s experience.
Although an intern’s pay will vary depending on the market, a stipend should be provided that will cover the student’s gas prices, according to OperationsInc’s Lewis. In most places, $10-$15 per hour is a reasonable rate, but that depends on the length of the student’s commute and how much class credit is being provided.
“I always advocate paying the intern something,” Gates of Internships.com said. “But if you don’t have a lot of finances and you get a free intern, then it’s your obligation to really educate the student.”
Even if your company can’t afford to pay an intern, Gates said to offer the intern whatever you have. “If your intern says, ‘I need to fly home to see my mom,’ then perhaps you have some frequent flyer miles for a free trip somewhere.”
7. Offer them college credit
For most interns, the experience is more valuable than the compensation, said Experience.com’s Floren.
“Not every student can afford to work for free,” she said. “However, in the grand scheme of things, the wage that a student will earn at that stage in their life isn’t going to make an enormous impact.”
The experience an intern will gain will accelerate their career path, something that money can’t do, Floren said.
8. Save Money
Today there is less overhead associated with having an intern than ever before, according to Gates. His company, Internships.com, employs eight interns, some of which are “virtual,” meaning they work from home on projects via the phone or Internet.
Because today’s interns are tech savvy, there is more opportunity to use them in unconventional ways to get the job done, Gates said.
If an intern is only employed for a certain period of time, like three to six months, they are not eligible for benefits. Also, if an intern works less than 40 hours per week, they are not eligible for benefits, according to Jay Zweig, an employment law partner with Bryan Cave, a business law firm headquartered in Phoenix Ariz.
9. Don’t keep them employed for too long
Most internships last for three to six months, and they really shouldn’t last any longer than that, according to Zweig.
Interns should be provided in writing the details of their internship when they start. The document should detail whether or not they will be paid and how long the internship is expected to last.
The United States Department of Labor has set state by state wage and hour regulations. Federal statutes governing internships say that unpaid internships have to have benefit the intern more than the employer. The internship must be put through a six-part test looking at whether the employer is getting work product, and whether the intern is getting training and experience to supplement what they would learn in college.
“Essentially, if the company is not just using the intern to produce work product that another full time employee could do, then it’s okay,” said Zweig.
Employers should also check state laws for more specifics. States including California and New York have unique laws about overtime and the amount of time you can keep an intern employed without offering them benefits.
10. Hire them if you like them
“In a small business, that additional resource at an internship level has a significant impact," Lewis of OperationsInc said. “You get a chance to get a fresh college graduate in a way that you wouldn’t if you hired a stranger right out of school.”
By working with a new hire as an intern for three to six months before they are hired, companies get to know their new hires in a “low-risk” setting, he added. .
At Duffy and Partners, Founder Joe Duffy only hires interns who are college graduates.
“We believe in hiring interns who are working their way into the work place so that the internship becomes a stepping stone into the full time job of their career,” Duffy said.
Seventy-five percent of Duffy’s interns are hired on as full-time junior designers because of the six month “trial” period they are put through as interns.
From FOXBusiness
.1. Understand what it means to have an intern
“Take time to think about what you want to get out of your internship program,” said Meghan Lantier, the coordinator of the internship program at Bliss P.R., a boutique 30- employee public relations company in New York City. There is a big difference between hiring someone with an eye to them one day becoming a full time employee, and hiring someone to lick envelopes, Lantier said.
In a small company, Lantier said everyone needs to be on board and excited about an intern. The fewer employees a company has, the more the internship program will need to follow an “all hands on deck” philosophy.
Companies looking to hire an intern need to understand that it isn’t slave labor, added David Lewis, president of OperationsInc, a human resources consulting firm based in Stamford, Conn.
Interns treated poorly will report their experience to the dean of their college and their friends. If their experience wasn’t positive, then your company could potentially damage its reputation and ability to recruit students from that school, Lewis said.
2. Know where to find them
Good students start looking for summer internships early in the year, so if you’re seeking top talent, it’s a good idea to advertise in January or February for a position starting in June.
The best place to find interns is at universities and in organizations where your employees are already affiliated, according to Mason Gates, founder of Internships.com, a job listing site.
“Getting to know your local career center is the most incredible thing you can do to make connections at a university. Get to know that contact, and they will speak highly of you and recommend you to students,” he said.
If your small business has a lot to offer and is in need of an intern, don’t be afraid to approach the head of a university’s particular discipline. This personal approach will set you apart from middle-range companies, Lewis said.
Although a college’s career counseling office should be every business’ first stop for recruitment, online job boards are also available. Job boards such as HotJobs.com, CareerBuilder.com, Dice.com and others are good options, Lewis said. Employers can post want ads for interns using
Other options include posting company information around campus on message boards and communal areas.
3. Be specific
“The clearer you can be about an intern’s role and the contributions expected, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to identify the right skill set and have positive results,” said Jenny Floren, CEO and founder of Experience.com, an online provider of career support to college students and graduates.
Point out in the opening paragraph what the business is and how many employees you have, she said.
If a small business can demonstrate that it wants to provide an educational and active learning experience for a student, it will make itself far more attractive than a 400 person company that is going to require that a student lick envelopes for three months, noted Lewis of OperationsInc.
Also, if your company is trying to recruit students from other areas of the country or world, make sure to mention in your ad that the company does not provide any type of room and board, and how long the internship lasts, according to Lewis.
“You’re only going to get good people in if you screen them and ask them the good questions,” according to Lewis. “You won’t know if you’ve got something crappy until you unwrap the package.”
He recommends asking student-geared questions in the interview because students interview differently than individuals with work experience. Employers should ask how they study, how they test, and go beyond the questions they can prepare for at the door Lewis said.
Instead of asking students about their strengths, ask them what classes they have taken, which ones they like, and which ones they didn’t like, and why they want an internship in the first place. These questions should offer a perspective on the student’s level of maturity, according to Lewis.
5. Give them “real” work to do
“Make sure you identify projects for your intern that are well-defined and will allow them to contribute value,” said Floren of Experience.com, “The worst thing you can do for an intern is to give them “busy work.”
Lewis seconded the thought that interns should be allowed to spend time with the leaders of the company.
“You don’t have to do a ton of work as a business to provide a good experience for the intern,” he said. Bring them to meetings, let them be observers, give them a chance to ask questions and interact with different people in the organization, he said.
6. Pay them
Duffy and Partners, a small 20-employee design firm in Minneapolis typically pays interns between $7,000 and $10,000 for a six-month internship depending on the candidate’s experience.
Although an intern’s pay will vary depending on the market, a stipend should be provided that will cover the student’s gas prices, according to OperationsInc’s Lewis. In most places, $10-$15 per hour is a reasonable rate, but that depends on the length of the student’s commute and how much class credit is being provided.
“I always advocate paying the intern something,” Gates of Internships.com said. “But if you don’t have a lot of finances and you get a free intern, then it’s your obligation to really educate the student.”
Even if your company can’t afford to pay an intern, Gates said to offer the intern whatever you have. “If your intern says, ‘I need to fly home to see my mom,’ then perhaps you have some frequent flyer miles for a free trip somewhere.”
7. Offer them college credit
For most interns, the experience is more valuable than the compensation, said Experience.com’s Floren.
“Not every student can afford to work for free,” she said. “However, in the grand scheme of things, the wage that a student will earn at that stage in their life isn’t going to make an enormous impact.”
The experience an intern will gain will accelerate their career path, something that money can’t do, Floren said.
8. Save Money
Today there is less overhead associated with having an intern than ever before, according to Gates. His company, Internships.com, employs eight interns, some of which are “virtual,” meaning they work from home on projects via the phone or Internet.
Because today’s interns are tech savvy, there is more opportunity to use them in unconventional ways to get the job done, Gates said.
If an intern is only employed for a certain period of time, like three to six months, they are not eligible for benefits. Also, if an intern works less than 40 hours per week, they are not eligible for benefits, according to Jay Zweig, an employment law partner with Bryan Cave, a business law firm headquartered in Phoenix Ariz.
9. Don’t keep them employed for too long
Most internships last for three to six months, and they really shouldn’t last any longer than that, according to Zweig.
Interns should be provided in writing the details of their internship when they start. The document should detail whether or not they will be paid and how long the internship is expected to last.
The United States Department of Labor has set state by state wage and hour regulations. Federal statutes governing internships say that unpaid internships have to have benefit the intern more than the employer. The internship must be put through a six-part test looking at whether the employer is getting work product, and whether the intern is getting training and experience to supplement what they would learn in college.
“Essentially, if the company is not just using the intern to produce work product that another full time employee could do, then it’s okay,” said Zweig.
Employers should also check state laws for more specifics. States including California and New York have unique laws about overtime and the amount of time you can keep an intern employed without offering them benefits.
10. Hire them if you like them
“In a small business, that additional resource at an internship level has a significant impact," Lewis of OperationsInc said. “You get a chance to get a fresh college graduate in a way that you wouldn’t if you hired a stranger right out of school.”
By working with a new hire as an intern for three to six months before they are hired, companies get to know their new hires in a “low-risk” setting, he added. .
At Duffy and Partners, Founder Joe Duffy only hires interns who are college graduates.
“We believe in hiring interns who are working their way into the work place so that the internship becomes a stepping stone into the full time job of their career,” Duffy said.
Seventy-five percent of Duffy’s interns are hired on as full-time junior designers because of the six month “trial” period they are put through as interns.
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