We’ve all heard the expression “out with the old and in with the new,” but this year we may really mean it. Luckily for us, a new year brings new ideas, new hopes, and, of course, courage to overcome all the new (and old) challenges.
Early in 2020, I never would have imagined serving as Chair of the Paralegal Division during a pandemic and navigating the difficulties of not meeting our members face to face, but here we are. A challenge isn’t always a hardship. Sometimes a challenge is an opportunity for progress.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2021-01-05 10:48:542021-01-05 10:48:54What Will the New Year Bring?
We’ve all been there: you’ve been mediating all day, it’s 5:30 p.m. (or later), the parties just (finally) came to terms, and everyone is ready to go home. The mediator whips out a form, jots down the basic terms of the settlement, and hands you the form. You reach for your pen, and then ask yourself, “Shouldn’t my client be the one signing this?” Considering the increase in remote mediations since the start of the pandemic, there’s a good chance you and your client aren’t even together in the same room — or the same state. So do you sign? The North Carolina Court of Appeals just answered that question for you. After the decision in Mitchell v. Boswell, No. COA19-1077, 2020 WL 6437278 (N.C. Ct. App. Nov. 3, 2020), your client should definitely be the one signing the form.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00SmallFirmandTechhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngSmallFirmandTech2021-01-05 09:14:182021-01-05 09:14:18Don’t Sign on the Dotted Line – Unless You’re the Client
The Minorities in the Profession Committee hosted its second biennial Diversity and Inclusion Symposium virtually on December 11, 2020. The symposium was created to give minority attorneys a space to share experiences and be energized with new ideas on how to thrive in legal environments. The symposium also seeks to create a new lens for all attorneys and legal professionals to better understand diversity and inclusion issues and offers tools and strategies attendees can take back to their respective law firm, corporation, or organization.
This year’s speakers were dynamic leaders working in the field of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. The discussions were incredibly thoughtful and provided attendees tools to move forward.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00NCBA MIPhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngNCBA MIP2021-01-04 14:36:542021-01-04 14:56:11Diversity and Inclusion Symposium Presented by the Minorities in the Profession Committee
2020 has been a year like no other in my lifetime, and I pray I never see another one like it. The fear of my friends and family getting sick, the worry over those who have lost their livelihoods, the anguish that comes from thinking of those at home in abusive relationships or struggling with depression, the impact on our economy . . . one of these alone is hard enough; but combine all of them together — that is a heavy burden to carry. That is why I hereby declare the holidays as essential! Read more
This is the first of two installments of this article. The second installment will be posted soon on the Tax Section’s blog.
I. Audit Statistics; What Are Your Chances of Being Audited?
In early 2020, the IRS published its 2019 data book, which contained audit statistics for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2019. Here are the audit statistics for tax returns filed in calendar year 2018 (“CY 2018”):
A. Audit Rates for Individual Income Tax Returns.
Only 0.6% of individual income tax returns filed in CY 2018 were audited (about the same as in CY 2017). Of those audited returns, only 25% were conducted by revenue agents (down from 29%), and the rest were correspondence audits.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00TAXhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngTAX2020-12-22 16:04:112020-12-22 16:04:112020 Federal Income Tax Update
New Associates Join The Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr.
The Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr. announced that Andrea Bonvecchio and Anne Harvey have joined the firm as associate attorneys.
Andrea Bonvecchio obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law with a concentration in Environmental and Land Use Law. During law school, she served as an environmental moot court team competitor and coach. Bonvecchio has prior experience as a conservation and land use intern for Conservation Florida and as a law clerk for Earthjustice.
Anne Harvey holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from Florida State University, where she served as a teaching fellow and taught a course in environmental policy. Harvey received a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown Law. She has worked as staff attorney and acting conservation director for Save the Manatee Club and as an associate attorney with Earthjustice.
Members of the Sports & Entertainment Law Section (“SEL”) found the following recent third-party articles to be of potential interest to Section members. Feel free to reach out to the Communications Co-chairs (Kelly Ryan and Jourdan Williams) if you would like to submit either personally written pieces or other third-party articles that would be of interest to SEL members.
The Dispute Resolution Commission would like to welcome four new members to the DRC! Zachary Bolen, Ketan Soni, Jayne Zanglein, and Lisa Johnson-Tonkins have all joined the Dispute Resolution Commission for a three-year term beginning Oct. 1, 2020.
On Nov. 17, 2020, the Supreme Court amended the MSC, FFS and Clerk Program Rules to allow the parties and the mediator to excuse a party from attendance. This provision was inadvertently deleted when the Supreme Court flipped the attendance presumption in June of 2020. The amended rules went into effect Nov. 23, 2020. Please see the Supreme Court’s website for all DRC rule sets.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00DisputeResolutionhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngDisputeResolution2020-12-17 11:03:372020-12-17 11:26:11News Straight from the Dispute Resolution Commission
Dec. 2, 2020, marked the annual meeting between the Tax Section and the IRS, along with our invited guests from the Tax Committee for the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. As with most meetings these days, it was held virtually. We were fortunate to have representatives from the IRS from locations other than just in Greensboro. Speakers included representatives from IRS Chief Counsel’s office, the Examination Division, Collections Division, Appeals Collection, Appeals Exam, and we ended with a brief discussion by our local IRS stakeholder liaison. Click here for the speakers’ contact information.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00TAXhttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngTAX2020-12-16 16:02:362020-12-16 16:03:12Annual Meeting Between the Tax Section and the IRS
What Will the New Year Bring?
Paralegal DivisionWe’ve all heard the expression “out with the old and in with the new,” but this year we may really mean it. Luckily for us, a new year brings new ideas, new hopes, and, of course, courage to overcome all the new (and old) challenges.
Early in 2020, I never would have imagined serving as Chair of the Paralegal Division during a pandemic and navigating the difficulties of not meeting our members face to face, but here we are. A challenge isn’t always a hardship. Sometimes a challenge is an opportunity for progress.
Read more
Don’t Sign on the Dotted Line – Unless You’re the Client
Small Firm & Technology SectionBy Luke J. Farley, Sr.
We’ve all been there: you’ve been mediating all day, it’s 5:30 p.m. (or later), the parties just (finally) came to terms, and everyone is ready to go home. The mediator whips out a form, jots down the basic terms of the settlement, and hands you the form. You reach for your pen, and then ask yourself, “Shouldn’t my client be the one signing this?” Considering the increase in remote mediations since the start of the pandemic, there’s a good chance you and your client aren’t even together in the same room — or the same state. So do you sign? The North Carolina Court of Appeals just answered that question for you. After the decision in Mitchell v. Boswell, No. COA19-1077, 2020 WL 6437278 (N.C. Ct. App. Nov. 3, 2020), your client should definitely be the one signing the form.
Read more
Diversity and Inclusion Symposium Presented by the Minorities in the Profession Committee
Minorities In the ProfessionThe Minorities in the Profession Committee hosted its second biennial Diversity and Inclusion Symposium virtually on December 11, 2020. The symposium was created to give minority attorneys a space to share experiences and be energized with new ideas on how to thrive in legal environments. The symposium also seeks to create a new lens for all attorneys and legal professionals to better understand diversity and inclusion issues and offers tools and strategies attendees can take back to their respective law firm, corporation, or organization.
This year’s speakers were dynamic leaders working in the field of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. The discussions were incredibly thoughtful and provided attendees tools to move forward.
Read more
The Holidays Are Essential
Paralegal DivisionBy Sarah White
2020 has been a year like no other in my lifetime, and I pray I never see another one like it. The fear of my friends and family getting sick, the worry over those who have lost their livelihoods, the anguish that comes from thinking of those at home in abusive relationships or struggling with depression, the impact on our economy . . . one of these alone is hard enough; but combine all of them together — that is a heavy burden to carry. That is why I hereby declare the holidays as essential! Read more
2020 Federal Income Tax Update
Tax SectionBy Keith A. Wood
This is the first of two installments of this article. The second installment will be posted soon on the Tax Section’s blog.
I. Audit Statistics; What Are Your Chances of Being Audited?
In early 2020, the IRS published its 2019 data book, which contained audit statistics for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2019. Here are the audit statistics for tax returns filed in calendar year 2018 (“CY 2018”):
A. Audit Rates for Individual Income Tax Returns.
Only 0.6% of individual income tax returns filed in CY 2018 were audited (about the same as in CY 2017). Of those audited returns, only 25% were conducted by revenue agents (down from 29%), and the rest were correspondence audits.
Read more
Checking In: Dec. 22, 2020
Checking InCompiled by Jessica Junqueira
New Associates Join The Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr.
The Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr. announced that Andrea Bonvecchio and Anne Harvey have joined the firm as associate attorneys.
Andrea Bonvecchio obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law with a concentration in Environmental and Land Use Law. During law school, she served as an environmental moot court team competitor and coach. Bonvecchio has prior experience as a conservation and land use intern for Conservation Florida and as a law clerk for Earthjustice.
Anne Harvey holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from Florida State University, where she served as a teaching fellow and taught a course in environmental policy. Harvey received a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown Law. She has worked as staff attorney and acting conservation director for Save the Manatee Club and as an associate attorney with Earthjustice.
Read more
Articles of Interest (Dec. 1-15, 2020)
Sports & Entertainment Law SectionMembers of the Sports & Entertainment Law Section (“SEL”) found the following recent third-party articles to be of potential interest to Section members. Feel free to reach out to the Communications Co-chairs (Kelly Ryan and Jourdan Williams) if you would like to submit either personally written pieces or other third-party articles that would be of interest to SEL members.
Read more
YLD e-Blast: December 2020
Young Lawyers DivisionChristina Cress
Claire O’Brien
By Christina Cress and Claire O’Brien
Dates to Know
Jan. 21-22, 2021 | Corporate Counsel Section Annual CLE | 8:55 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (both days)
Jan. 28, 2021 | Law Student Networking Event | 5–6 p.m.
Jan. 29, 2021 | Insurance Law Section CLE & Annual Meeting | 8:25 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Feb. 4, 2021 | Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes Law Section CLE | 7:55 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Feb. 11, 2021 | Mingling with Membership: Crafting Enforceable Settlement Agreements at Mediation: Paths and Pitfalls | 4–5 p.m.
March 11, 2021 | Mingling with Membership: Movies About the Law | 4–5 p.m.
Read more
News Straight from the Dispute Resolution Commission
Dispute Resolution SectionThe Dispute Resolution Commission would like to welcome four new members to the DRC! Zachary Bolen, Ketan Soni, Jayne Zanglein, and Lisa Johnson-Tonkins have all joined the Dispute Resolution Commission for a three-year term beginning Oct. 1, 2020.
On Nov. 17, 2020, the Supreme Court amended the MSC, FFS and Clerk Program Rules to allow the parties and the mediator to excuse a party from attendance. This provision was inadvertently deleted when the Supreme Court flipped the attendance presumption in June of 2020. The amended rules went into effect Nov. 23, 2020. Please see the Supreme Court’s website for all DRC rule sets.
Read more
Annual Meeting Between the Tax Section and the IRS
Tax SectionDec. 2, 2020, marked the annual meeting between the Tax Section and the IRS, along with our invited guests from the Tax Committee for the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. As with most meetings these days, it was held virtually. We were fortunate to have representatives from the IRS from locations other than just in Greensboro. Speakers included representatives from IRS Chief Counsel’s office, the Examination Division, Collections Division, Appeals Collection, Appeals Exam, and we ended with a brief discussion by our local IRS stakeholder liaison. Click here for the speakers’ contact information.
Read more