12/18/2008

Private Student Loan

In order to go to the college, your parent and you try all your best to apply for the maximun Federal Aid, but you find you are still short. Don’t be distressed about it, I have a good news which is helpful for you.
iStudentLoan is a guide that helps students find private student loan over the Internet. I Student Loan has been providing current and reliable information to students since 1999. The site also offers information on private student loan consolidation as well as graduate and undergraduate loans for college students.
Before you apply for the student loan, I suggest you should read this website and learn the basic knowledge, as it is not free money and should be paid back, its repayment are often deferred until after graduation, but is has to be repaid with interest. A Private Student Loan is also commonly referred to as alternative college financing. It is credit based college financing and often requires a cosigner if you have not established a positive credit history. It can help with all your education-related expenses such as tuition, a new computer, books and living expenses. Applying is quick and easy.
So, don’t miss this chance to have a look at the iStudentLoan.

Eloan Mortgage Loan

Have you decided eloan home loan refinance your home or apply eloan mortgage loan a home equity line of credit but worry about your credit rating? Even along e loan rate poor credit e loan com was eloan home loan possible eloan home loan refinance your existing mortgage or obtain a home equity line of credit. New practices in eloan home equity loan lending industry have made e loan com easier than ever eloan mortgage loan you eloan home loan refinance your mortgage or get a home equity line of credit. If you have adverse credit, specialized lenders could eloan mortgage loan help you find eloan home equity loan loan package your need along e loan rate an interest rate you could eloan mortgage loan afford.Refinancing your home loan could eloan mortgage loan allow you eloan home loan make improvements eloan home loan your home or consolidate debts. Some lenders offer loans up eloan home loan 125% of your home's value even if you have less than perfect credit. Your current mortgage terms eloan mortgage loan interest rate, eloan home equity loan length of time you intend eloan home loan stay in your home, eloan mortgage loan eloan home equity loan level of debt your currently have eloan mortgage all factors eloan home loan eloan home loan considered in making eloan home equity loan decision eloan home loan refinance your mortgage. If you have equity in your home, you would e loan consolidation often receive a lower interest rate than those along e loan rate little or no equity.Home equity lines of credit eloan mortgage revolving accounts along e loan rate your home serving as security eloan mortgage loan eloan home equity loan loan. When you get a home equity line of credit you eloan mortgage approved eloan mortgage loan a certain amount of credit. The maximum amount you could eloan mortgage loan borrow at a given time would e loan consolidation depend on your credit limit. Typically, a home equity line of credit would e loan consolidation have a variable rate of interest although many eloan mortgage loan lenders may offer a fixed rate as well. You would e loan consolidation have an amount you could eloan mortgage loan borrow at any given time eloan mortgage loan you may not borrow more until a certain amount was eloan home loan repaid. Often you would e loan consolidation have specific times as eloan home loan when you may borrow eloan mortgage loan from your available credit limit.Obtaining a home equity line of credit was eloan home loan could eloan mortgage loan eloan home loan eloan home equity loan perfect solution eloan mortgage loan people along e loan rate remodeling goals, children eloan home loan put through college, or eloan home equity loan need eloan mortgage loan access eloan home loan extra cash in eloan home equity loan event of an emergency or unexpected financial situation. You could eloan mortgage loan use eloan home equity loan eloan mortgage loan eloan mortgage loan any purpose eloan mortgage loan gain peace of mind in knowing you eloan mortgage prepared eloan mortgage loan whatever life brings you.Refinancing your mortgage or getting a home equity line of credit has been eloan home equity loan answer eloan mortgage loan millions of people looking eloan home loan realize their financial goals. Even if your have bad credit there eloan mortgage loans eloan mortgage loan lenders who specialize in helping finance people along e loan rate poor credit. They could eloan mortgage loan help you reach your individual objectives.

12/14/2008

Finding A Good Auto Accident Lawyer

Are you one of those people who have never in your life been involved in a car accident? If so you are among the few lucky ones because according to statistics most people will be involved in a car accident at least one time in their life therefore it is very important to know what to do and what your rights are if you should ever be in an automobile accident.

Car accidents are a sad fact of life, but a fact they are. While they are the type of experience that you would wish upon no one, nearly everyone experiences at least one in his or her life. Going beyond the incident itself, there are always legal repercussions to deal with. This is especially true if any form of negligence or wrongdoing is suspected. If this is the case for you, you will want to get a car accident lawyer.

First, however, no matter who is at fault, it is important to document every aspect that you feel was relevant. Were you tired when the accident happened? Was it raining? Was a light out on the other car? Were you on a new medication? Was the accident caused by equipment failure on your car? For instance, were you returning from having your brakes replaced, and they didn't work? Was there not enough visual clearance due to an overhang from a tree?

All of these types of questions have been relevant to one case or another in the past, and the fact that the accused brought this information forward saved the day in court. For this reason, your car accident lawyer will have you make a list of any such discrepancies that you feel may help your case.

Even if you don't feel it is important, write it down anyway. Car accident lawyers have been trained to stretch out the smallest detail to be of relevancy. Further, don't wait before going to see your car accident lawyer, write the details as soon as possible, as your memory of the event may fade after only a week or so, particularly if you experienced any sort of head trauma.

If you are the person who is being sued, the car accident lawyer of the other party must prove that you were in the wrong. However, this is not to say that you are truly responsible for the entirety of the accident, if at all. For this reason, any time you are in an accident, do not apologize or say that it was your fault to either the other party, or to the police.

Simply make sure that no one is hurt, and if they are, contact the emergency services in that area. As well, ensure that you have a police report made, especially if there is any substantial damage to either vehicle, or any physical injury. A police report is paramount to any case and may be difficult to obtain, even for your car accident lawyer, after the fact.

If an accident has happened and you wish to sue, it is important to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. In many states the statute of limitations can go for 4 or 5 years before running out. This means that you have time, but the sooner you seek legal council, the sooner the legal process can begin. Just knowing that you have a professional in your corner is half the battle.

Being prepared in case of an accident can save you a lot of grief because finding a good lawyer can actually be quite a task in itself. Doing some research and finding a good auto accident lawyer before anything happens may be a good idea in case you end up with extensive injuries and are unable to take the time to find a good attorney.Nothing is worse than realizing you have ended up with a lawyer who won抰 do anything for you except taking your money.

The Whistleblower Protection Law

It was not until 1986 when a law protecting whistleblowers is made. Congress added an anti-retaliation protection to the then existing False Claims Act.
A whistleblower is a person who tells on something he believes is an illegal act. The employees are the most commonly known whistleblower. They tell on their employers which they suspect is doing or committing an illegal act.
Under the Whistleblower Protection Law, the employee should not be discharged, denoted, suspended, threatened or harassed in any form that discriminates the terms and conditions of his employment because of the legal act done by the employee.
The employee may be of aid in many ways possible on the investigation, testimony and the likes. However there are some constraints under the whistleblower protection law.
Reporting illegal acts that are only within the company is a ground for exemption. But still there may be public policies that could protect the employee from retaliation
If it turns out that an employer didn't actually break a law, the employee is still entitled to whistle blower protection from retaliation, if he reasonably believed that the employer committed an illegal act.
The whistleblower protection law does not cover employer retaliation for complaints about personal loathe. Office politics is not to be used as a basis for filing a complaint against the employer and use the whistleblower protection for personal gain.
In order for the employee to be protected from employer retaliation, he may the have a suspected desecration of any Federal Law. But the supposed violation should have provisions that the law violated will protect whistleblowers.
The Whistleblower Federal Law, unlike the False Claims Act, allows the whistleblower to file a lawsuit in a federal court. The Federal Whistleblower Law does not permit the whistleblower to go directly to the court.
The individuals concerned are pursued administratively. These individuals concerned could file a complaint or charge to retaliate with or without a lawyer to represent them. However if the case is not resolved immediately, the administrative law judge may then preside over the only evidentiary hearing that may take place.A whistleblower should not attempt to delay an investigation of the possible legal remedy. To maintain this ruling, the retaliation should then be brought to the attention of an appropriate government official within 30 days, else the complaint could not be pursued.
Most states have some sort of statutory or common law "whistleblower" or anti-retaliation laws. Like the federal whistleblower laws, not every lawyer will know about these laws, especially laws outside their own state.
These states and the District of Columbia have recognized a public policy exception to the "employment at will doctrine": Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Some states have explicit statutory protections for whistleblowers. These include: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington.
There are also state laws that offer special protections just for their own state or local government employees: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Hiring A Criminal Defense Attorney?

If you have been arrested or accused of a crime that has the potential of jail or prison time, you may want to seriously consider hiring an attorney to represent you. Unless you don't mind the possibility of spending time in jail, you will probably want the services of an attorney.
Almost any expert will strongly advise a person against representing him or herself in court unless they are very knowledgeable about the field of law; and even then he or she will still be discouraged from representing him or herself for a criminal case. Less than one percent of people represent themselves in a criminal case. The vast majority of people engage the services of an attorney. That is because it is very difficult for someone to represent him or herself in court.
You wouldn't want someone without any knowledge of how to do heart surgery doing a heart transplant on you would you? Likewise, would you want to represent yourself in court and face possible prison time without having the best possible legal advice available to you? If a person cannot afford to hire an attorney the court will appoint an attorney, typically called a public defender. The constitution of the United States requires a person be provided with legal representation if they cannot afford it. But it is only required if a person is facing possible jail or prison time.
If a person is only facing the possibility of a fine, the court is not required to provide the defendant with an attorney. A court appointed attorney may not cost the defendant any money or the defendant may receive the court appointed attorney at reduced fees. It depends on the income of the defendant. If a person wants a public defender they will be required to fill out financial documents for the court to determine whether or not they qualify for a public defender and also whether or not that they receive the services of the public defender for free or at a reduced cost. If a person qualifies for a reduced cost court appointed attorney, it is generally called a partial indigency. At the conclusion of their case, the judge will require the defendant to reimburse the county or state for a specific portion of their legal fees. The rates are usually much lower than those charged by private defense attorneys.
If you do not qualify for a court appointed attorney and are hiring one on your own, how do you find one? Personal recommendations from people you know are almost always the best way to find an attorney. Other sources of information to help find a criminal attorney are: Internet, Yellow Pages, your civil practice attorney, your local bar association lawyer referral panel (if they have one) and the Martindale-Hubbell publications.
The Martindale-Hubbell publications are available at most libraries and on the Internet. The publications do their best to list every attorney in the US by geographical area and lists the area or areas of law that attorney specializes in.
When hiring a criminal attorney on your own, try to interview several attorneys before hiring one or ask your family and friends help you. It is important to find an attorney you feel comfortable discussing all aspects of your case with. Some defense attorneys offer a no cost personal interview consultation. One thing to remember when hiring an attorney: make sure you hire an attorney who specializes in your area of criminal law. Most attorneys will require an up-front retainer fee which can be a significant amount depending on the type of criminal case you have.
Some attorneys charge a set fee for handling a specific type of case. But it is more common for an attorney to charge by the hour. Some attorneys who charge by the hour will set a cap fee for the case. That means a sum will be agreed on that is the highest amount the defendant has to pay. If the hourly costs reach this set amount, the lawyer will finish representing the defendant through to the completion of the case without charging any more money.
Although contingency fees, which are where an attorney only gets paid if he or she wins the case, are common with certain types of civil cases, they are not used with criminal cases. Contingency fees are considered unethical and are not permitted in criminal cases.
In addition to knowing what fees an attorney will be charging, a defendant also needs to know what services those fees cover and do not cover. Fees such as the cost of expert witnesses are normally not included in the normal fees of an attorney.

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER

Accident Justice is a network of specialist Personal Injury Solicitors which deals with accident claims on a risk free No Win No Fee basis and compensation is paid in full. If you are suffered personal injury in an accident which wasn't your fault we can help you to claim compensation. Our personal injury lawyer specialists can guide you through the process of claiming to make it simple and easy. Don't worry about expenses; our quality advice is free. We will analyse your claim and we will work out whether it stands a good chance of succeeding, and we will give an indicative value of your potential damages.After an accident it's important to collect quality evidence to assist your personal injury lawyer to substantiate your claim. In particular :-?Ensure you exchange contact details and names with the other parties involved in the accident, and take the registration numbers of other vehicles involved.?Take the details of any witnesses present at the scene, and ask for the names of investigating officers and policemen.?Be meticulous about the details of the accident, including registration numbers, drivers?names, the vehicles?colours, and the precise location of the accident.?If possible, take pictures of the scene, of the injuries and any damage.?Get a medical check-up immediately after the accident.?Record a daily diary of details of all injuries and losses.?Ensure the case is officially reported.How much do you stand to win? Numerous forces will contribute to the value of the claim including the severity of injuries and recovery period and the extent of financial loss and damage to property. The time period for settling a claim can be uncertain, ranging from just a few of months, to several years ?the complexity of the case is a key factor here. If you use our service a specialist Personal Injury lawyer will asses the claim and attempt to give you a realistic estimate of valuation at an early stage.Our lawyers are consistently praised for their client focused approach and this way of doing business is continually emphasised to our network. By selecting our experts as your legal representatives you are making a positive step in the recognition and protection of your personal legal rights. We can pursue claims anywhere in the United Kingdom. Our service is jargon free and we speak plain English so that you know exactly what is going on at all stages. Use our helpline or submit our contact form and send your details to us today for a free conversation with one of our experts. There is no obligation to pursue your claim past this point and we are always happy to help.

12/12/2008

Obama hires CAIR lawyer

Joe Sandler? Sandler, Reiff, and Young?
Joe Sandler was the CAIR lawyer who sent a letter to the Young America's Foundation in August 2007, threatening them with legal action if they let me speak to their national student conference. I spoke anyway (YAF's Jason Mattera said, "CAIR can go to hell and take their seventy-two virgins with them"), and the threatened lawsuit did not materialize (at least as of this writing, over a year later).
But now here again Obama allies himself with someone who has but scant regard for the freedom of speech. Will he, as President, sacrifice that freedom in an attempt to build the bridges with the Islamic world that he has boasted of being able to build?

I hope that Barack Obama, when he becomes President, will become a staunch defender of the First Amendment against attempts by the Muslim Brotherhood and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to limit it or destroy it altogether. But his hiring of Joseph Sandler is not at all reassuring.

Lawyer cartoonery

My friend Charles Pincher is a both a lawyer and an artist. Naturally, he devotes a good deal of time to his art which now includes a commission todo a portrait of famed Constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky. If you want to check out Charles' website please do, and remember his pictures make great Christmas gifts for the lawyer in your family. Oh, and he does commission work, such as logos, which you solo and small firm lawyers might want to check into.

12/11/2008

Vancouver girl requires 26 stitches after being bitten by pit bull dog

In a story that has been far too common in Western Washington in the past few months, an 11 year-old Vancouver, Washington girl, Elena Allison,suffered dog bite injuries to her mouth and face when she was bit by a neighbor's pit bull dog on Saturday. The little girl had to have 26-stitches in her upper lip and chin to close up all of her wounds.
The dog bite incident occurred when Elena Allison was playing with friends when her neighbor, Mark Robinson, walked by with his pit bull dog named Presley. Elena asked Robinson if she could pet the dog that was on a leash. The dog went from being happy and friendly to attacking her.
Clark County officials said that Robinson voluntarily surrendered the dog to Animal Control services and agreed to have the dog euthanized.
We wrote about a Happy Valley girl who was attacked by a pit bull just a few days ago. And, in September, a 72-year-old Sea-Tacwoman, Huong Le, was viciously attacked by two pit bulls who "tagged teamed" her leaving her with serious injuries.
This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. Dog bite victims may require extensive medical care, plastic surgery and may suffer from permanent injuries including nerve damage and scarring. In this case, they may be entitled to compensation for medical costs and for pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog bite incident, then you should contact an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorney.

Stress in Workplace Will Rise as Economy Drags

Employers have been warned to take their employee’s stress seriously or risk the potential of costly personal injury claims.
Ginny Hallam, the head of employment at a large law firm, has warned that stress in the workplace is projected to increase as businesses brace for the hit of the spiraling economy. Hallam suggests employers offer counseling services for its staff if they are facing with too much stress.
But in a recent case, a judge ruled that providing counseling services for stressed-out employees without additional support was an inadequate defense to a personal injury claim.
If you feel like conditions at work are unbearable, unfair or illegal, you have the right to file a personal injury claim.

Los Angeles Sues Gang Leaders

The city of Los Angeles this week filed a first-of-a-kind lawsuit against leaders of one of the city's most troublesome gangs. The suit, which names 9 imprisoned gang leaders (including two members of the Mexican Mafia), seeks cash damages on behalf of residents of two neighborhoods where the gangs have imposed "street taxes".
The suit, if successful, will create an important precedent because the neighborhood residents targeted by such gangs are usually unable or unwilling to pursue their own relief out of fear of retaliation. City officials seek compensation on behalf of residents for property damage, property devaluation, emotional distress, personal injury, medical expenses and time in which residents could not use public parks because of gang activity.
If judgment is entered against the gang leaders, property will be seized and distributed among residents who have been victimized by gang activity.

12/10/2008

loan lawyer flees the country

A HIGH-PROFILE solicitor involved in an alleged €30m mortgage fraud has fled the country.
The Irish Independent has learned that the solicitor, a property specialist who holds directorships of several companies, has also had a freezing order issued against him amid concerns that his clients' funds may be at risk.
Up to four major banks are affected by the alleged fraud in what is being regarded as the greatest legal scandal since former 'Irish Press' solicitor Elio Malocco was struck off for misappropriating almost IR£500,000 (€634,869) from his clients.
It is claimed that the solicitor re-mortgaged his entire property portfolio with each individual bank without telling them that his properties were already mortgaged.
It is understood that the properties were re-mortgaged with each bank at a grossly overvalued rate and the solicitor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, then drew down the funds before fleeing to Portugal.
Earlier this week, the Law Society, the governing body for solicitors, secured an injunction in the High Court preventing the man from disposing of his assets and taking them out of the country.
Although the banks involved face the greatest exposure, the Law Society secured the freezing order to protect his clients' accounts.
The injunction was granted by Mr Justice Richard Johnston, the President of the High Court, and is listed for hearing again on Monday.
However, the entire case will be heard in camera, with the public and media excluded from the hearing, leaving anxious investors and clients in the dark.
Clients of the solicitor are furious that the injunction was sought in secret when their accounts are potentially at risk.
Companies with whom the solicitor was involved and fellow directors are also concerned that their businesses will be adversely affected.
The Mareva injunction, a civil remedy normally sought in open court proceedings, was secured under the Solicitors Acts which enjoys the benefit of the In Camera rule.
But the matter dramatically came into the public domain yesterday when a soldier, who was being represented by the solicitor in an army deafness action, had his High Court personal injuries case adjourned.
Another solicitor sought to represent the soldier, claiming that he had power of attorney to continue the case in his colleague's absence, but this application, too, was adjourned until next week.
It is claimed that the solicitor, a married man who lives in an exclusive Dublin suburb and has an "extensive" property portfolio, overvalued the properties, allowing him to draw down funds up to three times what each property was actually worth.
The man, who has a successful commercial, conveyancing and litigation practice, is regulated by the Law Society of Ireland who refused to comment on the affair.
Last night, colleagues of the solicitor expressed shock at the alleged fraud, which only recently came to light. They described him as an ambitious lawyer and businessman with "a brilliant mind".

Student Loan Lawyer

A student loan lawyer is available both on and off line to help undergraduates who have defaulted on their college contracts and need advice on what legal alternatives they may have at their disposal for getting out of their dilemma. Outside of bankruptcy, a legal representative may help the coed by recommending consolidation, getting payments stretched out, or getting the contract discharged due to disability. Discharge is possible if it can be proved that an undue hardship will result (that is, if the borrower will be unable to maintain a minimum standard of living) if the payments are made. When a convincing case is presented by a student loan lawyer, the courts will sometimes find a debtor can pay a portion without hardship, and discharge the rest.

Recent bankruptcy law changes have made it more difficult for people to file for bankruptcy, and student loans are almost never dismissed, so the legal representative may prefer to take care of the borrower's problems outside of bankruptcy. A student loans lawyer will point out that college contracts are not enforceable if the school closed before the student could finish his or her education, or if it falsely certified the borrower was able to benefit from its program. On the other hand, the attorney will inform a college-age debtor that the lender has the right to garnish 10 percent of the debtor's wages to pay back the indebtedness, and they also have the right to intercept tax refunds and apply them to the balance. Another problem the student loans lawyer will point out is the inability to get any other college contracts if one is already in default. If the only solution seems to be bankruptcy, the attorney can help decide which Chapter to file under, and can lead the applicant through the legal procedures required.

An attorney can refer the scholar to various agencies that will help with the workout and consolidation of contract, including a schedule of payments based on income. One such program is the Federal Direct Student Loan Consolidation Program, where borrowers make monthly payments based on yearly family incomes. Presuming that most coeds want to repay their loans, any of those suggestions by a student loan lawyer will help satisfy lenders. Probably the most important service a student loans lawyer can provide is advice before contracts are taken out so a borrower has a realistic view of the financial picture he will face.

Too many college applicants have no idea of how to manage their money, and a student loans lawyer could offer a presentation to high school seniors on that topic. Parents also might want to confer with these professionals. God wants us to handle our money as His stewards. Zacchaeus gives us a good example for handling money honestly, and in remembering our obligation to the Lord. "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold" (Luke 19:8). Borrowing any kind of money is a serious decision. As believers, we have a responsibility to consult God first about our finances.

12/09/2008

ALASKA INJURY ATTORNEY

Did You Know?

Every year approximately 200,000 Americans die from prescription drug reactions.

Welcome to Alaska Injury Attorney Legal Help Center

We connect you with experienced lawyers in Alaska Injury Attorney. Use our contact form located to your right for a quick response.


Personal Injury Facts

Personal Injury - In the United States , accidents kill two people and injure 330 others every ten minutes. For persons 38 years of age and younger, accidents are the leading cause of death, according to the National Safety Council.
Prescription Drugs - Every year approximately 200,000 Americans die from prescription drug reactions.
Auto Accident - There are approximately 12 million automobile accidents every year according to the National Safety Counsel (NSA).
Transportation Accident - There are over 3 million injuries a year from transportation accidents and around 40,000 fatalities.
Amusement Park Accident - The Consumer Protection Safety Commission estimates the number of serious injuries on amusement park rides that are severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room have raised to almost 5000 each year.
If need more information,Please enter the web

Matt Napier-the largest personal injury lawyer

Personal injury lawyer Matt Napier leads the largest personal injury legal team in Atlantic Canada servicing the Greater Halifax region, all of Nova Scotia, and now providing personal injury legal services to New Brunswick and PEI.

We are innovative advocates for the injured. Our reputation: outstanding results for personal injury claimants; unparalleled support for our clients left injured or affected by accidents.

Whether it is a car accident, fall, death of a family member, disability claim, or medical malpractice, when the unexpected strikes you need advice, support or maybe just a few clear answers from an experienced attorney. We are ready to assist. We want you to focus on getting better and leave the rest to us. Serving greater Halifax and all of Nova Scotia, our team of personal injury lawyers and support staff are here — helping while you heal.

Singapore Awards Licenses to US law firm

Latham & Watkins and White & Case were the only U.S. firms awarded licenses to practice local law in Singapore on Friday.
Sibling publication Legal Week reports that the two were joined by U.K. firms Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith, and Norton Rose.
The American Lawyer reported in April that Singapore's decision to change the status quo became more acute when large international financial institutions began turning to the island nation's powerful sovereign wealth funds like Temasek Holdings for investments to offset billion-dollar writedowns.
"There was a clear feeling that there wasn't sufficient depth at the top end of the market in Singapore," said Vijaya Rajah, a judge on the Supreme Court of Singapore, who lobbied for the change. "I think it's in our national interest that we have some of the top international firms locating some of their best lawyers in Singapore."
Firms granted licenses will have six months to hire local lawyers and set up Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) schemes, which allow firms to practice in all areas of local law except domestic litigation, criminal, family, and administrative law. Prior to the QFLP, foreign firms could only practice in Singapore through joint ventures with local shops.
The Singapore government commissioned a select committee headed by Rajah to analyze the merits of the QFLP scheme and to establish criteria for selecting potential applicants. The committee began accepting applications in August and closed the process in October.
Legal Week reports that as many as 20 firms are thought to have applied for the QFLP license, which is good for five years. Linklaters and Lovells did not apply for licenses, choosing instead to stick with their joint ventures.
Applications by Ashurst and DLA Piper were not approved.

12/07/2008

Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Issues Concerning the Handling of Foreign Exchange Business through Foreign Exchange Account

The SAFE branches and administrative offices in all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and the SAFE branches in Shenzhen, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen and Ningbo; and all domestic-funded designed foreign exchange banks:For purposes of implementing Article 7 of the Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on Foreign Exchange Administration, which provides that “Financial institutions operating foreign exchange business shall open foreign exchange accounts for their clients and handle foreign exchange business through such accounts in accordance with the provisions of the foreign exchange administrative department of the State Council. A financial institution operating foreign exchange business shall file the foreign exchange income and expenditure of its clients and the changes in the foreign exchange accounts of the clients with a foreign exchange administrative organ according to law”, the SAFE is sorting out the relevant provisions on foreign exchange administration and upgrading the foreign exchange account management information system. we hereby notify you of the issues about the executive plan for handling the foreign exchange revenue and expenditure business through foreign exchange accounts, which is about to be promulgated in the near future as follows for all SAFE branches and administrative offices, financial institutions which operate the foreign exchange business (hereinafter referred to as banks) and other institutions to make good preparations:
I. Unless it is otherwise provided, banks shall, for the purpose of handling the foreign exchange revenue and expenditure business, such as trans-border collection and payment of foreign exchange, trans-border settlement and sale of foreign exchange, or domestic transfer of foreign exchange for domestic or overseas institutions, firstly open foreign exchange accounts for them and handle such business through their foreign exchange accounts. For clients with sporadic foreign exchange revenue and expenditure, a bank is not required to open foreign exchange accounts for them, but shall handle the foreign exchange revenue and expenditure business for them through the account for the “settlement and sale of sporadic foreign exchange of clients” opened in the bank’s name.  
II. To handle the foreign exchange revenue and expenditure business at a bank, a domestic or overseas institution shall firstly report the nature of its capital to the bank as required. The bank shall fill in the transaction code according to the nature of capital before handling the foreign exchange revenue and expenditure for the domestic .....

Lawyer and Constitutionality

  Lawyer is always contacting with constitutionality .The palace of constitutionality had been found completely since one day founding of modern lawyer system .The reason is very simple because lawyer is a comparatively weak group among the constitutional system .
A constitutionality will not be sound without lawyer . Judge is a wonderful and accurate symbol of constitutionality in somewhat . Prosecutor and police are also express the nature of constitutionality excellently . But , lawyer as a kind of significant characteristic of defence system is essential to constitutionality . This sort of function of lawyer in constitutionality is conditioned by the character of constitutionality itself . In modern sense , we can say that constitutionality is a type of social circumstance which there are a series of nice law and a judicial system existing in restraint and also the law are executed preferably and complied consciously with by the people living in society .
We emphasize the importance of lawyer to constitutionality because that the function of lawyer to the constitutionality embody at least on the aspects below :
First , lawyer is safeguard of the constitutionality . The conducts of lawyer are always standing up for the constitutionality . This exhibit adequately in many respects such as propagating law , participating lawsuit acting as a agent , transacting non-litigation case to serve for clients and so on .
Second , lawyer is propagandist of the constitutionality . Any legal service proffering by lawyer whatever it act are preaching the constitutionality direct and entirely .
Third , lawyer is practician of the constitutionality . To live up to the favorable law , invoke the powers of the law to defend the benefit of party and work a balanceable and restrictive role in the constitutional institution all that are perfect illustration of lawyer as the practician of constitutionality .
Fourth , lawyer is perfectionist of the constitutionality . The existence of lawyer and the system of lawyer represent splendidly the function of lawyer as perfectionist of the constitutionality as well .

Leaving money for the dead

A Brooklyn lawyer, a used car salesman and a banker were gathered by a coffin containing the body of an old friend. In his grief, one of the three said, "In my family, we have a custom of giving the dead some money, so they have something to spend over there."They all agreed that this was appropriate. The banker dropped a hundred dollar bill into the casket, and the car salesman did the same. The lawyer took out the bills and wrote a check for $300.

12/03/2008

Criminal Lawyer

A man walked into the local Chamber of Commerce of a small town, obviously desperate. Seeing a man at the counter, the stranger asks, "Is there a criminal lawyer in town?" To which the man behind the counter immediately quipped, "Yes, but we haven't been able to prove it yet!"

12/01/2008

Securities Lawyer

We are seeking to hire a securities lawyer. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership qualities and a solid background in all aspects of securities law including pre-public financings, public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities, take-over and issuer bids, mergers, arrangements, acquisitions and reorganizations, stock exchange listing and compliance matters, and ongoing compliance with securities law and continuous disclosure requirements. This is an ideal opportunity for a strong securities solicitor to build his or her existing practice onto a strong client base within a supportive team environment.

11/24/2008

doctor and lawyer

A doctor and a lawyer were attending a cocktail party when the doctor was approached by a man who asked advice on how to handle his ulcer.The doctor mumbled some medical advice, then turned to the lawyer and asked, "How do you handle the situation when you are asked for advice during a social function?""Just send a bill for such advice" replied the lawyer.On the next morning the doctor arrived at his surgery and issued the ulcer-stricken man a $50 bill. That afternoon he received a $100 bill from the lawyer.

A client who felt his legal bill was too high

A client who felt his legal bill was too high asked his lawyer to itemize costs. The statement included this item:"Was walking down the street and saw you on the other side. Walked to the corner to cross at the light, crossed the street and walked quickly to catch up with you. Got close and saw it wasn't you. -$50.00."

A lawyer was driving his big BMW

A lawyer was driving his big BMW down the highway, singing to himself, "I love my BMW, I love my BMW." Focusing on his car, not his driving, he smashed into a tree. He miraculously survived, but his car was totaled. "My BMW! My BMW!" he sobbed.A good Samaritan drove by and cried out, "Sir, sir, you're bleeding! And my god, your left arm is gone!"The lawyer, horrified, screamed "My Rolex! My Rolex!"

11/21/2008

The Fence

It seems that there's a fence between Heaven and Hell, which had fallen into disrepair.
St. Peter sought out Satan."Hey, Satan, it's your turn to fix the fence. The big guy says it looks awful. Get it done."
"I like the way it looks," Satan answered. "I'm not doing anything."
"You have to," said St. Peter. "It's your duty. You signed a contract when we built the fence, and you are obligated to repair it."
"You think I care about that contract?" asked Satan. "You should know better than that. I said I am not doing anything, and if you don't leave me alone, I may just tell you what you can do with that contract."
"If you don't make the repairs," St. Peter said angrily, "The law will make you. If you don't live up to your obligations under the contract, we'll sue you."
"Sue me?" Satan couldn't help laughing. "Where are YOU gonna get a lawyer?"

How Much Is 2+2?

A businessman was trying to choose a lawyer, but was being very careful about it. He scheduled appointments to interview three lawyers.
At the first lawyer's office, after an initial exchange of pleasantries, the businessman said, "Okay, let's get down to business. I have an important question for you, and I want you to think carefully before answering. How much is two plus two?"The lawyer raised his eyebrows. "two plus two is four." The businessman thanked him for his time, and proceeded to his next appointment.
The second lawyer, who was also a CPA, seemed a bit more particular than the first lawyer. After an initial discussion, the businessman again announced that he had a very important question, and asked, "How much is two plus two?"The second lawyer went over to a computer, and entered figures into a spreadsheet. "According to my calculations, two plus two is approximately four." The businessman thanked him for his time, and proceeded to his next appointment.
The third lawyer sat behind a big mahogany desk, and smoked a cigar. He seemed rather self-important as compared to the other two, but at the same time appeared to be much more successful. The businessman again announced, "I would like you to answer a very important question for me, before I decide whether I should use your services. How much is two plus two?"The lawyer pulls the shades, locked the door to his office, and asked in a hushed voice, "How much do you want it to be?"

11/20/2008

Japan is in trouble

Take heart, America. Three monkey wrenches have been thrown into Japan's well-oiled economic machine. It's only a mater of time before that powerful engine of productivity begins to sputter and fail.
What could cause such a sharp turnaround? High interest rates? Increased unemployment? Lower productivity? No, it's something much more economically debilitating - and permanent.
Three American lawyers have become the first foreign attorneys permitted to practice law in Japan. What's more, two of them are from New York!
The decline has begun.
Japan has one attorney for every 10,000 residents, compared to the U.S. ratio of one attorney for every 390 residents. For every 100 attorneys trained in Japan, there are 1,000 enginerrs. In the United States, that ratio is reversed.
But a law that became effective on April 1 permits foreigners to practice in Japan for the first time since 1955. Already, an additional 20 American and six British lawyers have applied for permission to open practices in Japan.
If anything can slow the Japanese economy, it's the presence of American attorneys. What better way to even our balance of trade than to send Japan our costliest surplus commodity?

11/19/2008

Lawyer's personal injury

A golfer hooked his tee shot over a hill and onto the next fairway. Walking toward his ball, he saw a man lying on the ground, groaning with pain.
"I'm an attorney," the wincing man said, "and this is going to cost you $5000."
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," the concerned golfer replied. "But I did yell 'fore'."
"I'll take it," the attorney said.

Replacing lab rats with lawyers

The National Institute of Health (NIH) announced last week that they were going to start using lawyers instead of rats in their experiments. Naturally, the American Bar Association was outraged and filed suit. Yet, the NIH presented some very good reasons for the switch.
1. The lab assistants were becoming very attached to their little rats. This emotional involvement was interfering with the research being conducted. No such attachment could form for a lawyer.
2. Lawyers breed faster and are in much greater supply.
3. Lawyers are much cheaper to care for and the humanitarian societies won't jump all over you no matter what you're studying.
4. There are some things even a rat won't do.

11/18/2008

How to Do If You Are Diagnosed With Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer in the lining of the lung, called the pleura as a result of significant asbestos exposure. It is a silent killer that only produce symptoms 20 to 40 years from the initial exposure when it is often too late for curative treatments.Because most patients have only months to live after diagnosis, you need to know what to do right from the very beginning to safeguard your survival and the welfare of your family member.
Step #1
Seek a second opinion. One doctor can put you strictly on palliative (comfort) treatment while others will give you treatments to kill cancer cells. Get your doctor to run through each treatment review to see which one is applicable to you.
Step #2
Engage a mesothelioma lawyer to represent you in filing for compensation. Mesothelioma is predominantly caused by asbestos, a known cancer-causing agent that kept on being used for more than 50 years despite its hazardous nature. A good mesothelioma lawyer not will ensure you get in the justice you deserve in financial compensation to pay for medical fees and other expenses. Note that certain states have a time restriction in filing for a claim, so make sure you do this soon.
Step #3
Do not stop at conventional treatment at the doctor's office. Seek out alternative mesothelioma cancer treatment such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Brandt grape therapy, Bill Henderson's protocol, Simoncini baking soda treatments and other alternative can reportedly reverse the effect of cancer.
Step#4
Change your lifestyle and diet. Needless to say, you must absolutely stop smoking. Stay away from smoke-filled environment and inhaling second-hand smoke. Detox your body regularly and adopt a mainly vegan diet. Exercise at least half an hour a day everyday to keep you active.
Step#5
Maintain a positive attitude in fighting mesothelioma. Read up on it, understand it and you will know how to contain it. New drugs and treatments are found all the time so be sure to keep yourself informed.Patients are usually too devastated to realize that there are 101 things they can do to change or improvised the situation they are in, upon learning about their illness. When they do eventually see the whole picture, it's too late to act. Do not make the same mistake, with a little knowledge and guidance, you can beat mesothelioma.
Go to Mesothelioma Lawyer to find out more about mesothelioma and hiring a mesothelioma attorney.

Asbestos Claim Lawyer

An asbestos claim lawyer is exactly what you need if you have contracted any asbestos related diseases as a result of asbestos exposure at workplace. Some of the most common but life threatening diseases that you may develop due to asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbesotosis. What makes it worse is the fact that these diseases develop gradually and finally get diagnosed only after decades from the time you were first exposed to asbestos. Among all other asbestos related diseases, mesothelioma happens to be the most devastating diseases that may eventually lead to death. A malignant tumor, mesothelioma attacks the thin membrane linings surrounding the lungs and the abdominal cavity respectively.Asbestos claim lawyers represent clients who were exposed to asbestos in powerhouses, shipyards, steel plants, and other places. Since it is a disease that comes to the surface only after a few decades, mesothelioma cases are often very complicated. Even family members of such workers can become a victim of mesothelioma due to household exposure since the contaminated work clothes carry traces of asbestos. It therefore becomes necessary in case of exposures to find a good lawyer who specializes in asbestos related claims.The biggest challenge any asbestos claim lawyer faces during asbestos litigation lies in the area of product identification, as the brand name and the manufacturer of the asbestos products that caused mesothelioma need to be proved. Due to passage of time, clients invariably forget the asbestos product that they were exposed to so many years back at the workplace. To make this identification task easier, attorney usually have a broad database of product identification materials along with images at various job sites at top industrial centers in the United States.Many asbestos claim lawyers work in association with various other law firms and lawyers also specializing in mesothelioma cases and share product identification information with them. As per statute of limitations in most jurisdictions, an asbestos claim lawyer is permitted to file a claim within three years from the time his/her client found out about the asbestos related disease. In other words, lawyers can file an asbestos claim from the date of diagnosis of mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases.As per a special statute, asbestos claim lawyers can also represent the surviving spouse and dependents of workers who die due to mesothelioma to pursue settlement or wrongful death claims up to ten years from the date of death of the worker.If you need an attorney in another state, many asbestos claim lawyers may even go to the extent of working in collaboration with a lawyer in that state to settle the claim at the earliest. And in case it is a claim that a particular lawyer cannot settle, you can always search on the Internet for a lawyer specializing in your type of case.The majority of asbestos claim and mesothelioma lawyers work on a "no win no fee" basis. Before choosing any mesothelioma lawyer, it is important to verify that he/she has relevant experience in handling those types of cases. You also need to ask questions like how often the lawyer updates you on the litigation process, what would be the total litigation cost, and what other options you have. Typically, your lawyer may ask you to pay additional fees towards courier service, court filing fees, copying documents, or research services. You need to therefore understand the exact costs involved before hiring any asbestos claim lawyer to represent your case. At any point of time, you can always change your lawyer if you are not happy with his/her services or the progress of the litigation.

Southern California Fire Insurance Claims Attorney

In the last month there has been several devastating wildfires throughout the Los Angeles area. In October the cities of Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Sunland, and Fontana suffered.
Here's a round up of the current fires:
Montecito
A blaze that burned more than 110 homes in Santa Barbara County is still burning. A state of emergency was declared in Santa Barbara County as the fire has torched up to 2,500 acres -- 4 square miles. Over 5000 residents remained evacuated on Saturday.
San Fernando Valley
The Sayre fire is north of Los Angeles, near Sylmar. It has spread north near Newhall and has caused several freeway disruptions. The California Highway Patrol said it would reopen most freeways in the Newhall Pass area, including the Golden State (5), Foothill (210) and San Diego (405) freeways. Numerous offramps in the area have been intermittently closed. The Antelope Valley (14) Freeway has also been intermittently closed.It has burned 6,500 acres - with more 600 homes destroyed.
Corona - Yorba Linda - Anaheim Hills
At least a dozen homes were destroyed or damaged by a fire burning north of the Riverside (91) Freeway in Corona. Mandatory evacuation orders were given for about 3,100 homes in Anaheim Hills. A 250-unit apartment complex was severely damaged.Property damage during these fires will exceed hundred of millions of dollars. Insurance claims issues regarding coverage will lead to thousands of people searching the Internet for information - what will they find?

No win no Fee Whiplash Claims Lawyer

The thought of making a claim after an accident doesn’t even cross the mind of the victim. The impact of the pain is such that majority of the victims of the accident overlook the fact that they can make a claim. The victims of the accidents suffer from not only physical pain but also emotional trauma. In such circumstance, the thought of making a claim may not strike the victims of the accident.
If you’ve been involved in a road accident whether as a driver, passenger or pedestrian you are very much entitled to make a claim. You may never know how long it may take for the injury to heal completely. If the injury is severe, it may take years. Besides, one may also have to cope up with the monetary losses in the form of damage to property and medical expenses.
For those who have suffered whiplash injuries can benefit by approaching no win no fee whiplash claims lawyer. These lawyers have an in depth experience in handling such cases. They can guide the victim of an accident to follow the necessary steps to get over the situation in a short period of time. Under the provision of no win no fee claims, the claimant need not pay any fee in case he loses the case.
It is very easy to get carried away by vague figures that some of the sites may portray as compensation you might receive. It is always safe to approach a lawyer who can study the case and arrive at conclusive figures and appropriate course of action. One must understand the fact that whiplash claims are not similar to other kinds of claims. It is not easy determining the severity of the injury. Hence, it calls for experts’ opinion.
Some of the common symptoms of whiplash injuries are pain around the neck, shoulder, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue etc. One should consult a doctor immediately after noticing such changes. Whiplash injury claims can provide victims of accident get compensated adequately for the losses suffered.
Whiplash claim lawyers can also guide the victims through the entire process of making a claim. They can give the exact estimate of the whiplash compensation that one can get. It is the right of every victim of an accident to make a claim. The chances of getting compensation are much higher as long as the injury has resulted due to the negligence of someone else. Whiplash injury claims have become a common occurrence these days.
Before approaching any company, one must ensure that has a track record of handling such cases well. Not all the companies that promise of proving compensation actually succeed. One must do a careful research before zeroing in on a company. Whiplash injury claim company can provide adequate guidance on how to make a claim successfully.

11/16/2008

Selecting a Personal Injury Attorney

If you’ve suffered an injury through the fault of another, you may be out of work, overwhelmed with piles of medical bills, or in constant pain and agony. Under any of these circumstances, researching, locating, and retaining a lawyer to handle your personal injury claim can seem like yet another insurmountable obstacle. There are, however, some guidelines that can help you to select a personal injury lawyer to handle your case. With a personal injury lawyer from our firm on your side, you can breathe a sigh of relief and focus on your recovery while we carry at least part of your burden.

New York Disability Claims Lawyer

Becoming disabled has a huge impact on your family's financial future. At stake is your job, your income stream, your medical benefits and your retirement benefits. Knowing your legal rights before you become disabled, or are about to become disabled, could make a big difference.
This site provides some common sense do's and don'ts in an attempt to address the legal concerns of employees who have become or are about to become disabled. Among the topics addressed are "obtaining disability benefits," "overturning a denial of disability benefits," "saving your job," "leaving your job," "maximizing your pension," and "retaining your health care benefits."
DisabilityClaims.com is a resource sponsored and prepared by the lawyers at Riemer & Associates LLC. Riemer & Associates LLC is a New York City law firm dedicated to providing state-of-the-art legal representation to people with disabilities in order to protect their rights to disability benefits now and in the future.

11/13/2008

A Greedy lawyer

A very successful lawyer parked his brand-new Lexus in front of his office, ready to show it off to his colleagues. As he got out, a truck passed too closely and completely tore off the door on the driver's side.
The lawyer immediately grabbed his cell phone, dialed 911, and within minutes a policeman pulled up. Before the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the lawyer started screaming hysterically. His Lexus, which he had just picked up the day before, was now completely ruined and would never be the same, no matter what the body shop did to it.
When the lawyer finally wound down from his ranting and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust and disbelief.
"I can't believe how materialistic you lawyers are," he said. "You are so focused on your possessions that you don't notice anything else."
"How can you say such a thing?" asked the lawyer.
The cop replied, "Don't you know that your left arm is missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn off when the truck hit you."
"My God!" screamed the lawyer. "Where's my Rolex?"

Roh Moo hyun-A Lawyer President

Roh Moo hyun (born September 1, 1946 in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang) has been the President of South Korea since February 25, 2003. Before entering politics, Roh was a noted human rights lawyer.
  His political career was marked by several dramatic events, including attempts to overcome regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his election to the presidency. The emergence of a liberal reformist and anti-American political movement in the country was another factor in his victory.
  Roh's presidency has been marked by controversies, with his opponents staging a failed impeachment attempt. Although he was reinstated with a stronger mandate than he had when he entered office, continued controversies and accusations of incompetence resulted in a drop in popularity.
  Roh's policy highlights include an unpopular decision to send Korean troops to Iraq, a failed attempt to relocate the capital from Seoul to the Chungcheong region, and a bid for a grand coalition with the conservative Grand National Party that was widely criticized.
  Personal background
  With First Lady Kwon Yang-sook ,Roh has a daughter (Roh Jeong-yeon, born 1975), an embassy worker; and a son (Roh Geon-ho, born 1973), a former LG Electronics employee and a current MBA student at Stanford University. Roh is a Roman Catholic, like his predecessor, Kim Dae-Jung.
  Roh was born in 1946 to a poor farming family in Gimhae, near Busan, in southeastern South Korea. In 1960, he led a protest at his school against mandatory essays extolling his country's first autocrat. A high school graduate who never went to college, he worked at odd jobs after serving in the Korean army.
  He studied on his own to pass the bar exam in 1975. In 1977, he became regional judge in Daejeon, and began privately practising tax law in 1978. In 1981, he defended students who had been tortured for possession of contraband literature. In early 2003, he was quoted as saying, "When I saw their horrified eyes and their missing toenails, my comfortable life as a lawyer came to an end." He opposed the autocracy in place at the time in South Korea, and participated in the pro-democracy June Struggle in 1987 against the authoritarian president Chun Doo-hwan.
  

CMS:Who we are

CMS is the organisation of independent European law and tax firms of choice for organisations based in, or looking to move into, Europe. CMS provides a deep local understanding of legal, tax and business issues and delivers client-focused services through a joint strategy executed locally across 28 jurisdictions with 56 offices in Western and Central Europe and beyond. CMS was established in 1999 and today comprises nine CMS firms, employing over 2,240 lawyers and is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.
CMS is managed by an Executive Committee, whose current Chairman is Cornelius Brandi, and a full-time Executive Partner, Dick Tyler, who is based in Frankfurt. The Executive Partner is supported by professional directors in the areas of Operations, HR, Finance & Administration and Brand Marketing.
CMS nine member firms are: CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni (Italy); CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo (Spain); CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre (France); CMS Cameron McKenna LLP (UK); CMS DeBacker (Belgium); CMS Derks Star Busmann (Netherlands); CMS von Erlach Henrici AG (Switzerland); CMS Hasche Sigle (Germany); and CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz (Austria).
A thorough understanding
CMS clients receive a consistent level of service and advice from all CMS firms – exactly what they would expect from a single organisation, but keeping the personal service and market sensitivity that are the hallmarks of each CMS member.
Our approach to client satisfaction is based upon three aspects of “understanding”:
Understanding clients businesses through CMS sector groups and common client relationship management systems
Understanding the law through the excellent experience profile and reputation of each CMS firm in its national market
Understanding each other through a shared history, common training and a track record of working together to secure the best possible outcomes for our clients
CMS Legal Services EEIG
CMS's activities are coordinated through a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) registered in Frankfurt, Germany.
The central office of CMS Legal Services EEIG is located in Frankfurt, Germany. The office is the location for the Executive Partner of CMS and the support organisations, Finance & Administration and Marketing. Office address: CMS Legal Services EEIG Barckhausstrasse 12-16 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany T +49 69 71 701 500 F +49 69 71 701 550 E info@cmslegal.com
Presently CMS operates in over 48 business cities throughout the world and has over 595 partners, more than 2,240 legal and tax advisers and a total staff in excess of 4600.

Trust Law Firm

Trust Law Firm ("Trust")is one of the larger-scale comprehensive law firms in China. Since its establishment in 1999 in Guangzhou, Trust has been gradually built recognition and renown in legal practice areas through years of development. Lawyers in Trust graduated from top-tier law schools in China or abroad. Many of our lawyers are also arbitrators, tax agents, economy agents, accountants, engineers, and have been providing professional legal services to governmental authorities, financial institutions, or foreign corporations for many years and have extensive legal experience. We have developed a deep understanding of social, legal, and business conditions and culture in China and established an extensive social network.
Many lawyers in Trust who engage in providing international legal service graduated from renowned European and American universities with Master's or Doctorate Degrees, practiced in foreign countries, and can provide legal service through fluent Chinese, English, French, German, and various local languages of China.
Trust sets up funds for advanced studies and training of lawyers, regularly providing training and advanced studies programs to all lawyers, and occasionally designates lawyers for advanced studies programs in Europe, America, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

A Family Rule

Mr. and Mrs. Jones very seldom go out in the evening, but last saturday, Mrs. Jones said to her husband, "There is a good film at the cinema tonight. Can we go and see it?"
Mr. Jones was quite happy about it, so they went, and both of them enjoyed the film.
They came out of the cinema at 11 o'clock, got into their car and began driving home. It was quite dark. Then Mrs. Jones said, "Look, Bill. A woman's running along the road very fast, and a man's running after her. Can you see them?"
Mr. Jones said, "Yes, I can." He drove the car slowly near the woman and said to her, "Can we help you?"
"No, thank you," the woman said, but she did not stop running. "My husband and I always run home after the cinema, and the last one washes the dishes at home!"

11/11/2008

Mesothelioma settlements

The value of a mesothelioma settlement can vary quite drastically, anywhere from thousands to hundreds of millions. The average settlement for a mesothelioma case was 1 million US in 2001. If the case went to trial, the average amount awarded to the plaintiff was 6 million. These amounts were 3 times the average that was awarded just 2 years before in 1999. As you can see from the amounts awarded in these types of cases, when looking for a lawyer they should take a great deal of time to discuss their strategy and experience in this area and also answer any questions that you may have.
Required documentationWhen considering starting a mesothelioma case, it is important that you have various documentation. Medical records showing asbestos-caused medical conditions (particularly mesothelioma, which can only be caused by asbestos) are necessary. There is a statute of limitations on mesothelioma cases so make sure that you file within a couple years of diagnosis. If left too long you may not be entitled to any compensation. It is also useful to have documents showing employement by the company that you worked for at a specific time and place.

Mesothelioma lawyers ADLogger

Choosing the right mesothelioma lawyer for your case is a very important decision for you and your family. You do not want to make a mistake by not choosing an experienced, successful, honest and qualified attorney. We are here to help. We have have already prescreened and prequalified mesothelioma lawyers who are willing to handle cases from across the United States. Once you contact us we will put you in touch with a law firm that is qualified to handle your case. Our screening process requires that the lawyer has represented a client in court that has been awarded a single verdict of at least $10 million, been licensed to practice for at least 15 years, has no disciplinary violations with any state licensing authority, and is willing to represent clients in your geographic location. Our prescreened and prequalified attorneys are willing to evaluate your mesothelioma claim at no obligation to you. Contact us today at 1-800-926-9654 or by filling out the contact information form. We will put you in touch with the right lawyer for your case today.After you have compiled a short list of mesothelioma lawyers you have done most of the hard work. Narrowing your list down to the lawyer that you choose to represent you shouldn't be difficult at this stage. It is important to call and speak with each of the potential firms / lawyers so that you get a feel for not only their practising style, but also so you can see if you feel comfortable with them. You'll be spending a lot of time with this person and the outcome of your case will depend on them.

Why Use a Law Firm ?

The answer is simple. All your transactions with a Panama Law Firm are covered by tight Attorney Client Privileged Communication. The lawyer/law firm can not reveal anything about the client or their transactions, business dealings, etc. unless specifically authorized by the client. The exception to this would be if ordered by a Panama Court which is a possibility but something very rarely seen.

Lawyers have to pass background checks from their government in addition to attending law school. The government knows who their lawyers are and regulates them. Lawyers have obligations and fiduciary responsibilities to their clients.

We see many people buying corporations, trusts, etc. from non-lawyer web based businesses and also for bank accounts. It for some reason never occurs to the client that the entity they are doing business with has all their private financial information such as name of their company, ownership of the company, passports, bank and business reference letters, addresses, phones, email, business information, where their bank account is, etc. These entities they are doing business with have no binding legislation or regulations on them preventing them from revealing any of this information to whoever they wish to reveal it to. In most cases they could not protect the client if they wanted to since they have no privileged communication. If they got a phone call from a governmental agency from 6,000 miles away the chances are they would cave in and provide the requested information. These phone calls usually go like this: I am so and so Inspector with the Tax Police of ABC country. Your country already knows that I am investigating this case. This means he sent an email to the government. I have a court order signed by a Judge would you like me to fax it over to you? This means the court order is as a rule almost never valid in the jurisdiction he is calling. Now when your friendly corporation registered agent says something cute like the court order is not from here and you have no authority here what he gets back sounds like this. If you fail to cooperate I will file a suspicious criminal actions report with your police since for all we know you are the owners of the corporation in question and are the guilty parties and we will ask that you be investigated by your police. This is usually done in a threatening way since it is a bluff. Now the corporate agent thinking the last thing he needs is to be the subject of an investigation by his own police and has to hire a lawyer, etc. says, wait a minute what is it you want? Okay wait while I pull it up for you. This probably took 3-5 minutes and your privacy is violated. No attorney client privilege means no downside for the corporate agent to cooperate. What would we say? We’d say there is attorney client privilege in Panama and you must get a court order from a Panama Judge ordering us to release any information about any client and then we’d hang up without providing any information.

Corporate Agents Offering corporations in Many Jurisdictions - Do not be deceived by firms that offer bank accounts and corporations from numerous countries. They are merely corporate agents or resellers of corporations from these countries. It is not very hard to become a reseller in many of these countries. Their ploy for credibility is selling from many different countries so you see a big shopping list of jurisdictions and think they are a real credible operation when they are really nothing more than a relatively unregulated offshore corporation based in some tax haven selling you formations in different jurisdictions most of which are not any good for asset protection, corporate privacy, or even bank secrecy. If you read through our web site you will soon realize that most if not all of these jurisdictions are “has been” privacy jurisdictions that are no longer private. They sell these products to people who are familiar with the jurisdiction from the past reputation but have not followed the recent changes in the laws relating to these jurisdictions in the post 9-11 world. If we knew of a better jurisdiction than Panama we would offer it!

Law Firms in Your Own Country - Be careful about using a law firm in your own country even if they offer to set up an offshore structure for you. The weak link in the chain is the attorney is located in the country where you are. If you felt your country respected the individual’s right to privacy and operated a fair and equitable court system you would probably not be reading this.

Attacking Attorney Client Privilege - An adversary can attack the attorney client privilege claiming your attorney conspired with you or was complicit in some way in something you allegedly did like the fraudulent conveyance of assets to avoid creditors, fraud, misrepresentation, tax violations pertaining to income tax, sales tax, property tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, probate tax, corporate tax, capital gains tax and other assorted and sundry taxes, creation of straw man trusts and other asset protection shams, money laundering, and the list can go on and on. We are not saying you did or should do such things, in fact you should not do such things, we are saying it can be alleged that you did such things and these allegations in these non-privacy countries are enough to break the attorney client privilege you have with the attorney. Jurisdictions that do not respect privacy and do not have fair and equitable court systems are not going to let a thing like attorney client privilege stop a big law firm from taking away your assets in the name of justice.

Suing your Attorney - Let’s assume the judge not understanding too much about offshore structures says well I don’t see anything here to justify the violation of attorney client privilege, what do you think the other side does next, walk away and forget about you? Not so fast, they can smell your assets and want a big bite as soon as they can get it. They see a chink in your armor that they are not finished exploiting. The chink is you did not use an attorney in a privacy oriented jurisdiction even though you might have used an offshore structure in one. So now they just add your attorney into the lawsuit as an additional defendant alleging him or her to be a conspirator in the plot to defraud the creditor out of his pound of flesh he wishes to take from your life savings, real estate, business, estate, etc. This gives them a shot at piercing attorney client privilege which is to say the attorney used an offshore structure to make discovery impossible thus thwarting justice and is sheltering the defendants assets behind attorney client privilege as an another layer in the scheme to defraud their client from collecting his lawful court ordered debt by grabbing your assets. If the other side is motivated and has money they will wear down your asset protection strategy until they can reach out and grab your assets. If you sued a lawyer in a privacy jurisdiction like Panama and did your formations there and banked there, you would be the one wearing down your adversary who would be getting frustrated spending time and money and getting nowhere in the Panama courts. They would be getting their cases dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, incorrect venue, etc. This could motivate your adversary to settle for pennies on the dollar after they had a very expensive taste of the Panama Courts, or they just decide they can’t penetrate your structure not even being sure what your structure is and plain give up. Using a lawyer in your own country to formulate your asset protection strategy is a weak link that should not be presented to a financial enemy. The same applies to using an attorney in another country where privacy and justice have disappeared. One privacy hating unfair jurisdiction can usually reach out to another privacy hating unfair jurisdiction and get their assistance, alleging almost anything will work in these jurisdictions. Some of these countries actually respect the court orders from another country, all that is required is a trip to the local court to have the foreign court order rubber stamped and thus domesticated and made enforceable. This is common with money judgments from foreign countries in the privacy hating jurisdictions but you do not have much to worry about in Panama.

How to do it -Use a law firm only in the jurisdiction where your corporation, foundation and bank are located. This way not only can the law firm that did your asset protection structure help you if trouble comes knocking on your door but your confidential information is out of reach of the courts your financial enemies will use. Do not use a corporation agent or non-lawyer for your asset protection. There is no attorney client privilege.

Anonymity is your Friend - Anonymity is your first line of defense. Only use anonymous bearer share corporations or anonymous foundations where no ownership records are in existence in any government registry (Panama). Panama Foundation assets are not sequesterable (not freezable). This makes discovery of ownership impossible even with a court order. Make sure the corporation or foundation need not file any tax returns and has no tax liabilities based on profit, income or assets (Panama). Tax returns could lead to an audit. Make sure the publicly recorded nominees of the corporation or foundation do not know the owners (Panama). Make sure there is tight Bank Secrecy (Panama has the best in the world now). Make sure there is strong attorney client privilege ( Panama). Make sure the jurisdiction in question is in no tax treaties with any country (Panama). Make sure the jurisdiction in question allows for no fishing expeditions (Panama). Make sure the jurisdiction in question does not cooperate on fiscal offenses (Panama, in Panama all tax offenses are civil not criminal). Make sure the jurisdiction does not allow civil lawsuits concerning matters that did not take place in the jurisdiction to be tried in their courts just because the corporation, foundation or bank account is domiciled there (Panama). Make sure the jurisdiction is dependent on corporate privacy and bank secrecy for its economy (Panama has 400,000 corporations domiciled there and there are 150 banks in country whose population is 2.9 million people, employing 20% of the workforce.

Hello Panama, Goodbye Switzerland!

11/09/2008

Lawyer Joke Text Messages

This jokes text messages on lawyer might not be funny but at least you have something for them to send.
Client: Atty, can you please write an Affidavit of Lost for me?Lawyer: Affidavit of Lost? What are the things that you lost?Client: I lost my wife, Atty.
Question: What is the other name of lawyer?Answer: Attorney at law.Question: What do you call the client of lawyer?Answer: Financier of Attorney

A lawyer joke...

A lawyer died and arrived at the pearly gates. To his dismay, there were thousands of people ahead of him in line to see St. Peter. But, to his surprise, St. Peter left his desk at the gate and came down the long line to where the lawyer was standing. St. Peter greeted him warmly. Then St. Peter and one of his assistants took the lawyer by the hands and guided him up to the front of the line into a comfortable chair by his desk.The lawyer said, "I don't mind all this attention, but what makes me so special?"St. Peter replied, "Well, I've added up all the hours for which you billed your clients, and by my calculation you must be about 193 years old!"

11/07/2008

A Lawyer and a Ukrainian

A lawyer and a Ukrainian are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that Ukrainians are so dumb that he could get over on them easy...So the lawyer asks if the Ukrainian would like to play a fun game.

The Ukrainian is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists, and says that the game is a lot of fun. I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me only $5; you ask me one, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500, he says. This catches the Ukrainianʼs attention and to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game.

The lawyer asks the first question. 'What's the distance from The Earth to the Moon?' The Ukrainian doesn't say a word, reaches in his pocket pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer.

Now, it's the Ukrainian's turn. He asks the lawyer, 'What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?' The lawyer uses his laptop and searches all references he could find on the Net. He sends e-mails to all the smart friends he knows, all to no avail. After one hour of searching he finally gives up. He wakes up the Ukrainian and hands him $500. The Ukrainian pockets the $500 and goes right back to sleep.

The lawyer is going nuts not knowing the answer. He wakes the Ukrainian up and asks, 'Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?'

The Ukrainian reaches in his pocket, hands the lawyer $5 and goes back to sleep.

The lawyer

Recently, the blog friends asked me if old lawyers? Take not a lawyer?

Really depressed. I really don't like a lawyer?

From entering the legal profession, I have lost count of how

many people ask the same question.

People's lawyer image what?

According to the mirror again, I didn't feel according to what I

don't like some lawyers!

Why so many people think I don't like a lawyer?

Perhaps, is too many people have no contact with the legal

profession. They will be his idea of image contrast with my

lawyer, might think I don't like lawyers!

Here, I want to tell all the friends of loud, I am a lawyer: by

the judicial qualification examination of the US of practicing lawyer. It is no doubt that the.

So, please don't ask friends, so a similar problem, I am

"injury". Hehe!

Lawyers with ordinary people as fact. Female lawyer is usually

a legend "outside", "the feminist", is actually a lawyer for

the misunderstanding.

In addition to work on a need to put on the clothing, vice

"serious" faces, in private, female lawyer with the general

women are the same.

They also love beautiful, like shopping for clothes, dressed

up like their beauty touching!

Some friends think I don't like the lawyer's another reason

may be age!

Well, most people trust older lawyers! Most people think that

the young lawyer like me not certain level.

I admit that there are old lawyer their strengths, for example,

experience.

But, I want to tell you, a lawyer, and how the professional

level can only by age determination?

I can only tell you that old lawyers have the advantage of old

and young lawyer lawyer has advantages of young lawyer. It is

not for comparison.

"Lawyer" as a professional relatively strong industry, in today's

highspeed economic development, "the market" to the lawyer's

professional quality put forward higher request。

I love "lawyer" this career!

I think that in future days, I need to do is to learn legal

professional knowledge, perfect the legal knowledge "and" good

"image" to win more people trust, do a good female lawyer!

11/06/2008

Barack Obama

Barack Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, would be the first African-American president of the United States if elected. Serving in the Senate since 2004, Obama introduced bipartisan legislation what allows Americans to learn online how their tax dollars are spent. He also serves on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, which helps oversee the care of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Previously, Obama worked as a community organizer and civil rights attorney in Chicago, and served for eight years in the Illinois State Senate.
Obama was born August 4,1961, in Hawaii and has lived in many places, including Indonesia. His mother was from Kansas and his father from Kenya. Obama attended Columbia University in New York and earned a law degree at Harvard University in Massachusetts. He and his wife, Michelle Obama, who also worked as a lawyer and later for the University of Chicago, have two young daughters.

How to Find the Right Personal Injury Lawyer

If you need to find a personal injury lawyer, for whatever reason, of course you are going to need to take the necessary steps and make sure that you are finding just the right personal injury lawyer. After all, there are so many to choose from that it can certainly be difficult trying to figure out just which one you should go with.Especially if you are going to be paying them and not getting legal aid, you will want to make sure that you are getting your money?s worth by going with a personal injury lawyer that is going to work with you and win your case.
What it is?
Maybe you are not even aware of what a personal injury lawyer is. A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer that provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured physically or psychologically.Dedicated to helping victims of car accidents and clinical negligence and will defend your rights in court are these type of lawyers. With thousands of negligence cases including DUI cases, workplace safety infractions, and negligent maintenance of pedestrian walkways, it is important to ensure that you have the best lawyer there to represent youWhere to LookThere are lots of different places that you can go to if you want to find one of these injury lawyers, such as a head injury lawyer, but above all else the Internet will be the best resource available to you here. You can browse through literally thousands upon thousands of different websites and online companies and find just the right lawyer with the internet.You can find any lawyer that you want online whether you are looking for a personal injury lawyer or a lawyer for any other issue such as assault, corporate, securities, sports, litigation, licensing, legal malpractice, or libel and slander, etc..You can even find lawyers halfway across the world, which can be useful if it means that you are going to be getting the best possible lawyer and at the best price.There are also professionals that you can go to if you want some advice on how to find a lawyer and where to look. They will also let you know if you may be eligible for financial assistance, because this is a possibility and if so, this could help you out a great deal. Few people can stand the expense on their own budget and after all it can be incredibly expensive to pay for a lawyer.

11/05/2008

Obama Personal

Biography Personal
Birth date: August 4, 1961 (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia; Honolulu, Hawaii
Spouse: Michelle Robinson Obama
Children: Malia Ann Obama, Sasha Obama
Religion: United Church of Christ

Education
Harvard Law School, J.D., 1991
Occidential College/Columbia University, B.A.
Punahou School

Experience
Businesses Owned, Past Careers, Board Memberships, Etc.:
Center for Neighborhood and Technology
Chicago Annenberg Challenge
Cook County Bar
Cook County Bar Association Community Law Project
Board Member, Joyce Foundation
Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
Leadership for Quality Education
Member, Trinity United Church of Christ
Board Member, Woods Fund of Chicago
Public Service / Elected Offices:
Senator, United States Senate, 2005-presentSenator, Illinois State
Senate, 1997-2004
Book(s)Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack ObamaThe Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama

Obama's victory-lawyer's victory

WASHINGTON – His name etched in history as America's first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sobering challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.
"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep," Obama cautioned.
Young and charismatic but with little experience on the national level, Obama smashed through racial barriers and easily defeated Republican John McCain to become the first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, America's 44th president. He was the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
"It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama told a victory rally of 125,000 people jammed into Chicago's Grant Park.
Obama scored an Electoral College landslide that redrew America's political map. He won states that reliably voted Republican in presidential elections, like Indiana and Virginia, which hadn't supported the Democratic candidate in 44 years. Ohio and Florida, key to Bush's twin victories, also went for Obama, as did Pennsylvania, which McCain had deemed crucial for his election hopes.
With just 76 days until the inauguration, Obama is expected to move quickly to begin assembling a White House staff and selecting Cabinet nominees.
Campaign officials said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel was the front-runner to be Obama's chief of staff. The advisers spoke on a condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
Democrats expanded their majority in both houses of Congress. In the Senate, Democrats ousted Republicans Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire and captured seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado. Still, the GOP blocked a complete rout, holding the Kentucky seat of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and a Mississippi seat once held by Trent Lott — two top Democratic targets.
In the House, with fewer than a dozen races still undecided, Democrats captured Republican-held seats in the Northeast, South and West and were on a path to pick up as many as 20 seats.
When Obama and running mate Joe Biden take their oath of office on Jan. 20, Democrats will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 1994.
"It is not a mandate for a party or ideology but a mandate for change," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said: "Tonight the American people have called for a new direction. They have called for change in America."
After the longest and costliest campaign in U.S. history, Obama was propelled to victory by voters dismayed by eight years of George W. Bush's presidency and deeply anxious about rising unemployment and home foreclosures and a battered stock market that has erased trillions of dollars of savings for Americans.
Six in 10 voters picked the economy as the most important issue facing the nation in an Associated Press exit poll. None of the other top issues — energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care — was selected by more than one in 10. Obama has promised to cut taxes for most Americans, get the United States out of Iraq and expand health care, including mandatory coverage for children.
Obama acknowledged that repairing the economy and dealing with problems at home and overseas will not happen quickly. "We may not get there in one year or even in one term," he said. "But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there."
McCain conceded defeat shortly after 11 p.m. EST, telling supporters outside the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."
"This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride that must be theirs tonight," McCain said. "These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face."
Obama faces a staggering list of problems, and he mentioned some of them in his victory speech. "Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century." He spoke of parents who worry about paying their mortgages and medical bills.
"There will be setbacks and false starts," Obama said. "There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem."
The son of a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas, the 47-year-old Obama has had a startlingly rapid rise, from lawyer and community organizer to state legislator and U.S. senator, now just four years into his first term. He is the first senator elected to the White House since John F. Kennedy in 1960.
Bush called Obama with congratulations at 11:12 p.m. EST. "I promise to make this a smooth transition," the president said. "You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself." He invited Obama and his family to visit the White House soon.
Bush planned to make a statement about the election at midmorning Wednesday in the Rose Garden.
With most U.S. precincts tallied, the popular vote was 51.9 percent for Obama and 46.8 percent for McCain. But the count in the Electoral College was lopsided in Obama's favor over McCain — 349 to 147 as of early Wednesday, with three states still to be decided. Those were North Carolina, Georgia and Missouri.
Obama won California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
McCain had Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. He also won at least 3 of Nebraska's five electoral votes, with the other two in doubt.
Almost six in 10 women supported Obama nationwide, while men leaned his way by a narrow margin, according to interviews with voters. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004.
The results of the AP survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters.
In terms of turnout, America voted in record numbers. It looks like 136.6 million Americans will have voted for president this election, based on 88 percent of the country's precincts tallied and projections for absentee ballots, said Michael McDonald of George Mason University. Using his methods, that would give 2008 a 64.1 percent turnout rate.
"That would be the highest turnout rate that we've seen since 1908," which was 65.7 percent, McDonald said early Wednesday.