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Growing Trends,cont. from page 15sia, Philippines, UAE, Colombia andPeru, which are also looking for legalpractitioners who know how toput together deals.Another noteworthy example isQatar, which has set a goal to be aninternational commercial disputeresolution center open to partiesfrom all over the globe. Qatar’s courtis operating under “internationalcommon law,” which allows judgesto draw from precedents across thecommon law world. Their bench includesa former Lord Chief Justice ofEngland and Wales, a former ChiefJustice of India and a former Australianfederal court judge. Qatar andother forward–looking countriesrecognize that there is an unmetdemand for international legal disputeresolution and are working tocapitalize on it.Elder Law isAlzheimer’sPlanningSince the passage of Britain’s LegalServices Act of 2007, the legallandscape in the U.K. and all overEurope has undergone dramaticchanges. With law firm structuresthere now changing to allow forpartners who are not lawyers, onecan expect other regions to followsuit. Practitioners hoping to makeinroads into other internationalcommon law jurisdictions will becompeting with law firms that haveexperienced finance and marketingpeople as full partners. These firmswill change the dynamic betweenlawyers and clients who will be demandingnew solutions across thebusiness spectrum, not just in legalservices. At the same time, modernmarketing of law firms is likely toopen opportunities for all lawyersin these areas as the public gets bettereducated.Cash is Still KingWhile many news outlets coveredthe Dewey collapse with ill-maskedThe average survival rate is eight years afterbeing diagnosed with Alzheimer’s — some live asfew as three years after diagnosis, while otherslive as long as 20. Most people with Alzheimer’sdon’t die from the disease itself, but frompneumonia, a urinary tract infection orcomplications from a fall.Until there’s a cure, people with the disease willneed caregiving and legal advice. According tothe Alzheimer’s Association, approximately onein ten families has a relative with this disease.Of the four million people living in the U.S.with Alzheimer’s disease, the majority live athome — often receiving care from familymembers.If the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s,call elder law attorneyMichael J. YoungEstate Planning, Disability, Medi-Cal,Long-term Care & VA PlanningProtect your loved ones, home and independence.n925.256.0298www.YoungElderLaw.com1931 San Miguel Drive, Suite 220Walnut Creek, California 94596traces of “Schadenfreude,” countlesssmall law offices shut their doorsbecause clients could not pay theirinvoices. This is why it is critical tokeep your expenses extremely low,especially if your practice is in anarea where it is difficult to get clientsto pay in advance. Fortunately,new online tools make it easy tocreate a virtual law office, includingthe ability to rent a professional-lookingoffice anywhere in theworld. For example, LiquidSpaceaggregates business centers aroundthe world and provides them ata low hourly rate. This lets a newpractice operate in low-cost officesbut still meet clients in a professionalenvironment.Relationships Are KeyRegardless of new technologiesand low-cost legal service providers,the attorney-client relationship willalways be based on building andkeeping the client’s trust. The client’strust depends not only on howwell you provide them your services,but also how good a resourceyou are overall. This means beingresponsive, staying up-to-date andcultivating a good referral networkto handle cases that are beyondyour capabilities or provide otherknow-how for the client’s business.Although new technologies andsocial media are affecting professionalinteractions, they are nota substitute for building a goodnetwork. A good network relieson knowing other lawyers wellenough to trust your client withthem. While there is no easy formulafor assessing another lawyer,the more time you spend with thelawyer, the better feel you will havefor their expertise. Thus, the usualadvice for networking, such as usingLinkedIn or going to mixers, isnot sufficient to develop this levelof trust.For us, this means spending considerabletime with other attorneys,especially those not in our practicearea. That is why we go out of ourway to create or sponsor events16MAY 2013