With their recent study, The Creative Group predicts that the majority of advertising and marketing executives (62%) expect an increase of their company's spending on Facebook marketing in the following 12 months - 9% more than they predicted one year ago. Not surprisingly, the advertising spends on Facebook leads the list of social media marketing expenditure. Despite the recent and on-going social media boom, direct marketing is still very competitive and is continuing to grow at a steady pace. LMS Thinking highlights the many reasons why direct marketing is effective ...

Erika Traub, Criminal Defense Lawyer and Political Candidate, has been recognized for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in her career as a public servant. Ms. Traub has 22 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, and she has recently declared her candidacy for the mayorship of Waterloo. As a legal professional, she has gained considerable experience in advocacy, as well as legal representation of clients in criminal court. In so doing, she has also gained the necessary skills to represent the best interests of the people of Waterloo as mayor. Looking ...

For the third consecutive year, all Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP partners have been selected for inclusion in the annual listing of Georgia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Attorneys Jim Butler, Joel Wooten, George Fryhofer, and Leigh Martin May were selected for inclusion in the 2014 listing of Georgia Super Lawyers. Brandon Peak was again selected for inclusion in the 2014 listing of Georgia Rising Stars. In addition, firm associate Jeb Butler was selected to the 2014 listing of Georgia Rising Stars. Founding partner James E. Butler was recognized as the ...

When two people in love think about marriage they probably imagine building a home together, spending white Christmases snuggled up next to a fire, raising a family, and vacations spent in the sun. When people set out to marry, they generally do not think about the worst: standing in a court room, waiting on the judge to decide who gets what. Such a contentious situation is the exact opposite of what a marriage should be. And yet, in 2009 there were 12,700 divorces in Massachusetts, as reported most recently to the U.S. Census Bureau--more than 1,000 a month. A better ...

On February 28, 2014, a California appellate court issued an opinion in a case involving a traffic citation holding that drivers who use their smartphones for navigation purposes are not violating the state's distracted driving laws. However, even though people are not breaking the law by using smartphone navigation apps, they are still putting others at danger by engaging in distracted driving behaviors. Distracted driving citation In January 2012, a California driver received a $165 traffic citation for violating the state's distracted driving laws. The man had ...

The headlines just seems to keep coming these day: "Child Porn Investigation In Colorado Leads To Jessamine County Man"; "Airman pleads guilty to distributing child porn, other charges; sentencing hearing starts today"; "Colorado man accused of making child pornography held without bond"; "Denver man indicted and arrested for producing, distributing and possessing child pornography: Defendant looped video of someone else during "live" web chats as part of ploy to produce child pornography"; "Major child pornography ...

If you are a suspect in a crime, it is crucial you avoid speaking to law enforcement officers until your attorney is present to advise you. While many people are aware of this general rule, a suspect should also be cautious about speaking even if the officer has left you in a squad car and apparently stepped away. The Illinois Appellate Court case of People v. Burk provides a cautionary tale, where a suspect spoke too freely while being held in a squad car. A conversation . . . in the back of a squad car A state trooper pulled over a car, when he was advised via ...

The medical landscape What is "vaginal mesh"? Although the term has recently appeared in the news in relation to a series of lawsuits, many people have little idea as to what this concept means. Surgery done on the pelvic area is usually done through two areas: the vagina or the abdomen. After the surgery, the surgeon usually stitches the area or uses surgical mesh for external support. Using mesh has historically resulted in greater complications. In fact . . . The legal landscape Over 30,000 federal lawsuits have been filed in the Southern District ...

Asbestos was one of the most widely used construction materials of the 20th century. Valued for its flame resistance, low electrical conductivity and affordability, asbestos was used liberally to build ships, structures and a variety of consumer products. Unfortunately, at the height of its use in industry, the destructive power of asbestos was not fully understood. Exposure to the fibrous crystals asbestos-laced materials release into the air can result in serious illness, which often goes unrecognized for years after the initial contact, but can cause rapidly deteriorating ...

Personal injuries, especially childhood injuries, can have long-lasting effects. The full implications of the injuries may not be immediately apparent at the moment of injury. In addition, more than one party may be responsible for the injury, and it is important to hold every party accountable. Often, an insurance company will be ultimately responsible for making payment related to the injuries inflicted, but insurance companies will generally look for ways to avoid payment, as seen in the California Court of Appeal case of Barnes v. Western Heritage Insurance Company. A ...

In Byrne v. Byrne, the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida reversed an order of the trial court holding the former wife in civil contempt for failing to keep two mortgages current on the former marital home, and also reversed the trial court's order appointing a receiver to collect rental income generated from the former wife's lease of the property. Procedural background The parties obtained a divorce in 2010. Under the terms of the property division order in the trial court's final judgment of dissolution of marriage, the marital home was equitably distributed ...

An individual injured or killed at a party due to the negligence of a host may be entitled to compensation, even if a third party other than the host had a hand in the injuries. The Connecticut Appellate Court discussed this principle in the case of Perez v. Cumba, where a teenage birthday party led to a tragic death. A teenage birthday ends with a stabbing The victim was attending a birthday party in East Hartford for a 15-year-old girl hosted by the girl's mother at her home. Although the mother had told the daughter she could invite five to 10 friends, approximately ...

Details surrounding last year's North Carolina State Fair Disaster are unfolding in recent weeks. According to the Charlotte Observer, a Georgia-based business believed to be the owner of a ride that malfunctioned and seriously injured three people at the State Fair, now claims that they do not own, and are not responsible for the "Vortex." Reports indicate that the company's disavowal of the thrill ride is its attempt to shield itself from liability. Public documents were recently released by the North Carolina Department of Labor, which is in charge of conducting ...

Over the years, there have been numerous cases where unscrupulous parents, managers or employers have squandered the earnings of famous children. Most notably, musician LeAnn Rimes and actors Gary Coleman and Macaulay Culkin sued their parents for mismanaging their money. Hollywood's first well-known child star, Shirley Temple, died at the age of 85 just last month. She starred in more than 50 films, earning more than $3 million, by the time she retired at the age of 22. That amount of income was a huge fortune back in the 1930s but, unfortunately, her father squandered ...

A person accused of a sex offense faces both significant criminal penalties and devastating social stigma. In addition, under the California law known as the Sexually Violent Predator Act, a convicted sex offender may be involuntarily committed even at the end of a prison term, if the offender is diagnosed with a mental disorder which makes it likely further offenses might occur. The California Court of Appeal case of People v. Superior Court of Placer County shows the difficulties that a convicted defendant may face, even after the defendant has served his time and ...

Distracted driving can be deadly. Numerous studies have been performed by some of the most prestigious research institutions in the country stressing the dangers associated with any number of activities behind the wheel, everything from eating and drinking to texting and emailing. In addition, businesses like cellphone carriers (including AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, with their "Texting & Driving, It Can Wait" campaign) and government agencies (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Distraction.Gov" site and the National ...

Winter is the favorite time of the year for many people who live and visit Utah. Utah is a very popular destination for skiers and snowboarders, with several different resorts areas located across the state. With residents and tourists filling the resorts during the winter months, and thus with so many people on the slopes, it is not uncommon for there to be accidents. Resorts can be extremely dangerous places. They will often be filled with skiers and snow boarders who may not have enough experience for the conditions, which can increase the risk of accident. Skiers ...

A murder accusation can change one's life forever. A murder conviction can be even more devastating. A Florida man recently entered a plea of "not guilty" after being charged with second-degree murder, according to WESH.com Orlando. Officials claim the man is guilty of murdering his wife, after they had an altercation regarding a possible divorce. The wife and their two children are missing, and police have announced that all three are presumed dead. The man has also been charged for the death of the two children. The report indicates that the allegedly ...

When many people in Tarrant County, Texas, think of medical negligence, they think of undiagnosed diseases, inappropriate treatment or horrific procedural errors that leave people grievously wounded. Although tragedies like this do often occur, a recent Texas medical malpractice case in which the plaintiff was healthy and did not sustain physical injuries highlights the fact that negligence and malpractice can take many forms. Victim wrongly diagnosed with cancer According to the Houston Chronicle, the plaintiff was told that she had stage IV breast cancer in 2009, ...

After a divorce is completed, child custody disputes may still arise, particularly when one parent seeks to relocate with the child. Such decisions are generally driven by the best interests of the child, but they may also be impacted by issues such as whether the parents agree to a true joint custody arrangement during the divorce. The recent case of Singletary v. Singletary provided the Arkansas Supreme Court with the opportunity to discuss these issues. A mother wishes to relocate for her new husband's job The couple had one child, a daughter, and they were ...

If you have recently been slapped with a speeding ticket in North Texas, you are not alone. Authorities in some North Texas jurisdictions are reporting an uptick in speeding citations, even as another heavy enforcement period gets underway. While heavy speeding enforcement is not expected to go anywhere in the near future, some local police agencies are also trying out a new online strategy to bolster their crusade against excessive speed. Double digit increase in percentage of speeding tickets issued in one North Texas town With final figures compiled for last year, ...

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has vacated a 2011 Commonwealth Court decision and reinstated the earlier decision of a trial court judge who determined that the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) suffered by the manager of a Pennsylvania Liquor Store during a robbery is, in fact, a compensable work injury and not the result of a "normal working condition." As a result, Martin LLC client Greg Kochanowicz will receive retroactive pay and await a new decision from the Commonwealth Court. Kochanowicz, a manager of a Bucks County liquor store, had worked ...

As Anaheim Automation continues to expand their different product lines; they have begun to implement changes on their website as well. To accommodate a constantly growing product base Anaheim Automation is changing the way their products are displayed, with the ultimate goal of improving user experience. Having used fundamentally the same template for years now, Anaheim Automation's web team and engineering department are working together to determine new ways to fit a wide variety of products onto a site that has thus far been conducive to a slim and structured group ...

Thomas Helfrich, Global Head of Social Media for Bayer AG, has been recognized for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in strategic communications. Mr. Helfrich has always appreciated the interaction aspects of social media. He recently became the global head of social media for Bayer AG, where he applies his expertise in strategic communications and campaigning. As a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials, Bayer AG sets trends in research-intensive areas. Its products and services are designed ...

Assem-Pak, Inc. / Aluseal LLC Director of Quality Systems Kevin D. Bailey has been recognized for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in the glass industry. Mr. Bailey boasts more than 30 years of experience in the molded glass field, which includes helping two glass manufacturers achieve and maintain ISO certification. He has traveled worldwide, negotiating numerous quality programs with major pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, and working on the PDA Task Force committee on the latest revision of the PDA Lexicon TR-43 released in October 2013. A specialist ...