Category: News Feeds

Legal
Operations
has
always
been
the backbone
of
business
resilience,
establishing
the
governance
structures
and
workflows
that
keep
organizations
running
smoothly,
no
matter
the
challenges.

As
disruptions
—
from
cybersecurity
risks
to
economic
uncertainty
—
become
more
frequent
and
complex,
Legal
Ops
teams
are
well-positioned
to
lead
the
development
of
sustainable,
resilient
frameworks
that
support
long-term
continuity
and
growth.​

From
Cost
Center
to
Strategic
Partner
Through
Collaboration

Legal
departments
have
profoundly
shifted from
being
perceived
as
cost
centers
to
becoming strategic
business
partners that
drive
operational
efficiency.

According
to


Thomson
Reuters’ 2024
State
of
the
Corporate
Law
Department report,
this
transition
requires
a
focus
on technology
adoption,
risk
management,
and
internal
efficiencies that
align
legal
efforts
with
broader
business
priorities​.
Legal
Ops
professionals
are
leading
this
transformation,
ensuring
resilience
is
not
a
reactive
response
to
crises
but
an embedded
part
of
daily
operations.

One
key
element
in
this
evolution
is
breaking
down silos both
within
and
between
departments.
In
many
organizations,
fragmented
planning
leads
to
disconnected
resilience
strategies,
limiting
the
ability
to
respond
effectively
to
disruptions.
Legal
Ops,
however,
operates
at
the intersection
of
people,
processes,
and
technology,
making
it
uniquely
suited
to align
business
units.
By
coordinating
with
IT,
finance,
procurement,
and
external
partners,
Legal
Ops
creates a
unified
approach to
resilience.

At
UpLevel
Ops,
we’ve
seen
the
value
of cross-functional
steering
committees,
where
Legal
Ops
plays
a
central
role
in
aligning
departmental
efforts
around
shared
objectives.
Legal
Ops
professionals
also
act
as translators,
transforming
complex
legal
and
regulatory
frameworks
into
clear,
actionable
steps
that
other
business
units
can
quickly
implement.
This
collaborative
leadership
ensures
that
resilience
strategies
are
not
simply
theoretical
plans
but
practical,
coordinated
efforts
that
drive business
continuity
and
growth.

Research
shows
that
legal
teams
driving
this
transformation
can
create
measurable
value
—
beyond
cost
control
—
by
focusing
on
efficiency
metrics,
such
as
faster
contract
turnarounds,
improved
compliance
monitoring,
and
reduced
reliance
on
outside
counsel​​.

This
shift
from
a
cost-based
model
to
a
value-driven
approach
ensures
that
Legal
is
viewed
not
as
a
passive
support
function
but
as
a critical
enabler
of
business
strategy
and
driver
of
efficiency. 

Managing
Third-Party
and
Outside
Counsel
Risks
for
Operational
Continuity

As
businesses
increasingly
rely
on
vendors
and
external
partners,
third-party
risk
management has
emerged
as
a
critical
component
of
resilience.
Disruptions
within
a
vendor’s
operations
can
create
ripple
effects,
impacting
business
continuity. Legal
Ops
professionals are
uniquely
equipped
to
manage
these
risks,
ensuring
vendors
adhere
to compliance
standards,
meet
disruption
tolerance
thresholds,
and
align
with
strategic
business
goals.

Outside
Counsel
(OC)
management
is
having
a
moment.
Once
viewed
as
a
back-office
function,
it’s
gaining
attention
as
a
strategic
priority
for
Legal
Ops.
Managing
external
law
firms
is
no
longer
about
cost
control
—
it’s
about
ensuring
performance,
efficiency,
and
seamless
service
delivery
that
aligns
with
broader
departmental
and
business
goals.

Legal
Ops
plays
a critical
role in
actively
overseeing
these
relationships
in
today’s
landscape.
Without
proper
management,
outside
counsel
engagements
can
quickly
spiral,
leading
to unexpected
budget
overruns,
operational
delays,
and
inconsistent
legal
support just
when
it’s
needed
most.
The
growing
complexity
of
legal
work
and
increased
reliance
on
external
firms
make proactive
OC
management
essential for
maintaining
financial
control
and
operational
continuity.

At
UpLevel
Ops,
we’ve
found
that
a
well-designed
outside
counsel
management
program
can
make
all
the
difference.
This
includes
defining
alternative
fee
arrangements
(AFAs)
to
control
costs,
conducting
regular
billing
audits
to
avoid
surprises,
and
establishing
backup
relationships
to
ensure
service
continuity
if
primary
firms
are
unavailable.
Beyond
financial
controls,
Legal
Ops
can
also
improve
the
collaboration
between
in-house
teams
and
law
firms,
fostering
stronger
relationships
and
aligning
external
support
with
business
priorities. 

Rather
than
taking
a
reactive
approach,
Legal
Ops
leaders
proactively
engage
vendors
and
outside
counsel
in
joint
planning
sessions.
These
meetings
are
essential
to
align
expectations
and
simulate
potential
disruptions
—
such
as
unexpected
litigation
or
compliance
crises.
By
identifying
risks
early
and
building
collaborative
playbooks,
Legal
Ops
ensures
vendors
and
law
firms
are
ready
to
deliver
when
needed.

This strategic
approach
to
vendor
and
outside
counsel
management mitigates
risks
and
builds
resilience.
By
aligning
external
partners
with
the
company’s
operational
and
financial
goals,
Legal
Ops
ensures
that
the
organization
can
maintain
continuity,
even
in
the
face
of
unforeseen
disruptions.

Building
Resilience
Through
Technology
and
AI

Technology
lies
at
the
heart
of
modern
resilience
frameworks.
Legal
Ops
is
uniquely
positioned
to
drive
the
adoption
of
generative
AI
(GAI)
and
other
emerging
technologies,
thanks
to
its
role
at
the
intersection
of
people,
processes,
and
technology.
Several
of
our
clients’
Legal
teams
already
use
AI-powered
tools
—
such
as
automated
FAQs,
e-billing
platforms,
and
contract
lifecycle
management
systems
—
to
streamline
operations
and
free
up
resources
for
more
strategic
tasks​.

GAI
offers
immense
potential
to
further
enhance
resilience.
By automating
routine
processes,
AI
tools
allow
legal
professionals
to
focus
on
high-value
work,
such
as
managing
complex
litigation
or
regulatory
compliance.
Real-time
AI
insights
also
help
teams anticipate
and
mitigate
risks before
they
become
disruptive.
For
example,
automated
systems
can
monitor
regulatory
changes
or
security
alerts,
providing
early
warnings
that
enable
proactive
action.

Thomson
Reuters
reports
that
departments
integrating
AI
tools
reduce
their
reliance
on
outside
counsel,
lower
legal
spend,
and
improve
internal
efficiency​.
Legal
Ops
leaders
are
critical
to
successfully
adopting
and
integrating
these
technologies,
ensuring
that
AI
initiatives
align
with
business
goals
and
deliver
measurable
value.
This
focus
on
technology-driven
resilience
makes
Legal
Ops
a
powerful
force
that
enables
organizations
to adapt
and
thrive in
uncertain
times.

Resilience
Is
a
Continuous
Journey

Legal
operations
has
always
been
a
key
driver
of
business
continuity,
creating
systems
and
frameworks
that
allow
organizations
to
operate
efficiently,
even
in
challenging
conditions.
As
risks
grow
more
complex,
Legal
Ops
is
uniquely
positioned
to
lead
the
development
of
sustainable
resilience
strategies
that
align
with
business
priorities.
By
focusing
on
collaboration,
technology
integration,
and
proactive
vendor
management,
Legal
Ops
ensures
resilience
becomes
a
core
part
of
daily
operations
—
not
just
a
response
to
disruptions.

Resilience
isn’t
about
surviving
disruptions
—
it’s
about
embracing
change
and
using
it
as
an
opportunity
to
build
better
systems.
The
legal
departments
that
succeed
will
continuously
refine
their
processes,
align
with
business
goals,
and
leverage
technology
to
stay
ahead
of
evolving
risks.
Remember
that
resilience
isn’t
a
destination
—
it’s
an
ongoing
journey
that
requires
a
commitment
to
operational
excellence.

Corporate
law
departments
are
in
for
“an
attrition
wave,”
according
to
a
new
Axiom
report
flagged
by
Law360.

The
2024
In-House
Survey
Report,
based
on
a
survey
of
300
in-house
counsel,
says
that
70%
of
lawyers
believe
that
to
advance
their
career
they
will
have
to
change
employers.
And
58%
are
already
actively
looking
for
or
open
to
a
new
job.

According
to
the
study,
increasing
job
dissatisfaction,
stress,
and
lack
of
engagement
are
fueling
attrition.
More
than
half
of
lawyers
surveyed
(54%)
reported
low
job
satisfaction.
In
addition,
97%
reported
experiencing
stress
and
burnout,
81%
said
their
departments
lack
the
necessary
staffing
resources
to
do
their
jobs
effectively,
and
96%
said
they
find
aspects
of
their
work
unengaging.

“To
retain
in-house
talent,”
the
report
suggests,
“companies
must
strike
a
harmonious
balance
between
meeting
their
staff’s
career
aspirations
and
overcoming
the
persistent
resourcing
hurdles
they
face.”

Do
Most
In-House
Attys
‘Have
One
Foot
Out
the
Door’?

[Law360
Pulse]



2024
In-House
Counsel
Survey
Report
–
Legal
All-Stars
Are
Eying
the
Exit

[Axiom]

Ed.
note:
This
is
the
latest
in
a
series
providing
a
comprehensive
guide
to
networking
at
conferences. Read
the
previous
installment
here. 

As
we
continue
with
“Conquering
Conferences,”
let’s
turn
to
a
lighter
topic
—
the
missteps
and
faux
pas
of
networking.

Just
like
on
the
dance
floor,
certain
moves
in
networking
can
lead
to
awkward
moments.
Let’s
explore
these
with
a
sense
of
humor
and
learn
how
to
avoid
them.

A
Few
Missteps
to
Avoid

Networking
at
conferences
can
come
with
its
own
set
of
social
missteps.

It’s
all
about
finding
the
right
balance
between
being
engaging
and
respectful,
and
certain
networking
behaviors
can
hinder
your
chances
of
making
meaningful
connections.

Let’s
face
it,
networking
can
sometimes
feel
like
navigating
a
minefield
in
a
blindfold.
To
save
you
from
some
common
blunders,
here
are
a
few
humorous
don’ts:

1. 
   The
   Monologue
   Marathon:
   
   Remember,
   this
   isn’t
   your
   one-person
   show.
   Avoid
   hogging
   the
   conversation
   —
   nobody
   wants
   to
   be
   stuck
   with
   the
   person
   who
   talks
   for
   20
   minutes
   about
   their
   “groundbreaking”
   case
   on
   municipal
   zoning
   laws.
2. 
   Jargon
   Jamboree:
   
   Sure,
   you
   know
   what
   “res
   judicata”
   means,
   but
   throwing
   around
   legal
   jargon
   like
   confetti
   isn’t
   going
   to
   win
   you
   any
   friends.
   Keep
   it
   simple
   —
   this
   isn’t
   a
   bar
   exam.
   Be
   yourself!
3. 
   The
   Business
   Card
   Bomber:
   
   Handing
   out
   your
   card
   to
   everyone
   who
   makes
   eye
   contact
   can
   seem
   a
   bit
   desperate.
   It’s
   about
   quality
   connections,
   not
   collecting
   cards
   like
   Pokémon.
4. 
   The
   Awkward
   Lingerer:
   
   Lingering
   too
   long
   in
   a
   conversation
   or
   group
   after
   the
   chat
   has
   died
   down
   can
   be
   awkward.
   Know
   when
   to
   
   make
   a
   graceful
   exit
   —
   no
   need
   to
   overstay
   your
   welcome.
5. 
   The
   Oversharer:
   
   It’s
   great
   to
   be
   open,
   but
   remember,
   a
   networking
   event
   is
   not
   the
   place
   for
   your
   entire
   life
   story.
   Keep
   it
   professional,
   with
   just
   the
   right
   dash
   of
   personal.

Remember,
networking
at
a
conference
is
about
creating
harmony
and
connection,
not
discord
and
discomfort.

By
being
aware
of
these
common
mistakes
and
steering
clear
of
them,
you’ll
ensure
your
networking
experience
is
enjoyable
and
productive.

Now
that
we’ve
laughed
at
our
potential
blunders,
let’s
shift
our
focus
to
the
heart
of
networking
—
building
genuine
friendships
and
lasting
connections.
Stay
tuned
for
insights
on
how
to
transform
your
professional
contacts
into
meaningful
relationships.

A
Few
Missteps
to
Avoid

✔️
Steer
clear
of
common
networking
blunders.
✔️
Create
harmony
and
connection,
not
discord
and
discomfort.

---

Sejal Patel is
the Founder
of
Sage
Ivy,
a
New
York-based
consultancy
specializing
in
empowering
attorneys
with
innovative
practice
development
strategies.
With
over
20
years
of
experience,
Sejal
applies
her
expertise
in
assisting
clients
convert
their
relationships
into
revenue
by
applying
individualized
strategies
to
their
networks
and
leveraging
their
unique
styles
authentically.  

Ed.
note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature,

Quote
of
the
Day.

The
opportunity
is
there
now
[but]
they
may
be
having
some
reservations
about
being
replaced
with
Trump’s
brand
of
Republican
judicial
nominee.

—

Daniel
Walters,
a
professor
at
Texas
A&M
University
School
of
Law,
in
comments
given
to

Bloomberg
Law,
on
whether
the
Fifth
Circuit
will
grow
more
conservative
under
president-elect
Donald
Trump’s
second
term
in
the
White
House.
Six
of
the
circuit’s
17
judges
are
eligible
to
take
senior
status,
and
four
of
them
were
nominated
by
Republican
presidents.
These
judges
are
considered
to
be
much
more
moderate
than
the
six
who
joined
the
court
during
Trump’s
first
term.

---

Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to

email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on

X/Twitter
and

Threads
or
connect
with
her
on

LinkedIn.

It
was
water
that
stripped
nearly
everything
from
Tambudzai
Chikweya’s
life
on
the
night
of
March
15,
2019.

As
Cyclone
Idai
tore
through
Chimanimani,
her
hometown
in
Zimbabwe’s
eastern
highlands,
it
unleashed
floods
that
swept
away
her
house
and
claimed
the
life
of
her
eldest
daughter.
Chikweya
was
rescued
only
after
spending
the
night
pinned
between
a
wardrobe
and
a
bed,
unable
to
free
herself
from
the
mud.

More
than
five
years
later,
water
again
stands
in
the
way
of
Chikweya’s
attempts
to
build
a
new
life
for
herself
and
her
family.
But
this
time,
the
problem
is
that
there
isn’t
enough
of
it.

The
mother-of-three
has
been
resettled
in
Runyararo,
a
vast
expanse
of
sun-baked
semi-arid
land
where
the
Zimbabwe
government
has
been
building
brick
homes
for
hundreds
of
people
displaced
by
the
cyclone,
on
the
site
of
a
former
colonial
farm
more
than
60
kilometres
away
from
Chimanimani.

High
temperatures
of
up
to
34
degrees
Celsius
and
erratic
rainfall
make
access
to
water
in
Runyararo “inadequate”,
according
to government
documents.
The
situation
has
been
made
worse
this
year
by
a
severe
drought
– dubbed “historic”
by
the
UN –
which
has
affected
much
of
Southern
Africa
and
was
sparked
by
the
El
Niño
weather
pattern.

“Not
having
enough
water
and
drought-induced
hunger
are
challenges
here,”
Chikweya
said,
speaking
through
a
translator
when
Climate
Home
visited
her
home
in
Runyararo
last
September
on
a
trip
organised
by
Danish
humanitarian
NGO
DanChurchAid.

“It
was
a
very
difficult
decision
for
us
[to
move
here],”
she
added,
“It
weighed
on
us
for
a
long
time.”

The
reality
has
also
proved
tough.
Standing
in
front
of
a
small
vegetable
patch
where
she
grows
tomatoes
and
kale,
Chikweya
described
the
struggle
she
faces
in
getting
enough
food
to
feed
herself
and
her
children
at
least
once
a
day.

She
tried
to
grow
potatoes
on
a
large
plot
of
land
donated
by
the
government
–
but
the
crops
failed
in
the
bone-dry
soil
as
a
result
of
the
stifling
heat
and
a
shortage
of
water.

Climate
Home
asked
Zimbabwe’s
government
why
storm-hit
communities
were
resettled
in
a
known
drought-prone
area,
but
had
not
received
a
response
by
the
time
of
the
publication.

Multiple
climate
threats

Chikweya’s
situation
underscores
the
wide
range
of
climate-related
threats
affecting
vulnerable
communities
in
a
country
like
Zimbabwe
where
the
frequency
and
intensity
of
both
storms
and
droughts
are
projected
to
increase
as
the
planet
heats
up.

The
situation
in
Runyararo
also
highlights
the
complexities
of
the
critical
decisions
facing
cash-strapped
governments
that
need
to
ensure
their
efforts
to
help
people
recover
from
one
disaster
also
make
them
better
able
to
withstand
future
hazards.

Mattias
Söderberg,
global
climate
lead
at
DanChurchAid,
said
adapting
to
multiple
climate
stresses
“is
not
just
a
tick-box
exercise”,
but
must
be
grounded
in
a
“thorough
assessment
of
the
expected
climate
effects”.

Development
organisations
and
government
authorities
leading
adaptation
projects
need
enough
expertise
to
take
into
account
expected
climate
impacts
in
the
future
as
well
as
what
is
happening
now.
“Otherwise
adaptation
investment
may
be
lost,
and
people
will
live
in
a
false
sense
of
safety,”
Söderberg
said.

Doing
that
in
practice,
however,
can
add
to
the
upfront
costs
of
adaptation
measures.
To
tackle
the
lack
of
water
in
Runyararo,
for
example,
the
national
government
has
sketched
out
plans
to
build
a
dam
on
a
nearby
river
and
bring
a
stable
water
supply
into
the
area.
But
a
lack
of
funding
has
put
the
dam
project
beyond
reach
for
now.

It
is
a
familiar
dilemma
for
developing
nations
struggling
to
bridge
the
widening
gulf
between
the
impacts
of
climate
change
and
the
shortfall
of
money
available
to
address
them.

International
public
funding
to
protect
communities
in
poorer,
vulnerable
countries
from
worsening
extreme
weather
and
rising
seas
is
only
a
fraction
–
between
7%
and
13%
–
of
what
is
needed,
according
to
the
latest Adaptation
Gap
Report published
on
Thursday
by
the
UN
Environment
Programme
(UNEP).

UNEP
said
governments
have
an
important
opportunity
to
“alter
this
trajectory”
at
the
upcoming
COP29
summit,
starting
next
week
in
Baku,
Azerbaijan.
The
talks
are
expected
to
agree
on
a
new
post-2025
global
climate
finance
goal
to
help
developing
countries
tackle
climate
change
–
but
deep
divisions
remain
on
what
it
should
consist
of,
how
large
it
should
be,
and
who
should
contribute
to
it.

For
Zimbabwe,
the
money
could
make
all
the
difference
when
dealing
with
another
climate
disaster.

‘Surrounded
by
floodwater’

Back
in
2019,
Joseph
Maphosa
was
fast
asleep
when
the
water
brought
by
Cyclone
Idai
burst
through
the
front
door
of
his
home
late
at
night
with
such
force
that
it
lifted
up
his
bed.

Idai
was
then
passing
through
Kopa,
a
settlement
lying
on
a
plain
at
the
confluence
of
three
rivers.
Conditions
making
it
particularly
prone
to
flooding
and
landslides
would
turn
Kopa
into
the
epicentre
of
the
disaster.

After
fleeing
his
house
by
hanging
onto
the
roof
trusses,
Maphosa
eventually
climbed
up
into
a
tree
with
three
of
his
neighbours.
They
spent
the
next
48
hours
there
alone.

“The
rain
was
coming
down
all
around
us,
there
was
nothing
we
could
do,”
he
recounted
more
than
five
years
later.
“No
one
could
help
us
because
we
were
just
surrounded
by
floodwater.”

By
the
time
rescuers
arrived
and
took
the
four
people
to
safety,
the
water
had
started
receding
and
the
devastation
caused
by
the
cyclone
was
laid
bare.

It
was
Zimbabwe’s
most
devastating
natural
disaster
on
record.

More
than
70
households
were
swept
away
in
Kopa
alone.
Across the
country,
344
people
died,
with
over
250
reported
missing
and
60,000
displaced
by
the
disaster.
The
cost
of
damage
to
property
and
infrastructure
ranged
between
$542
million
and
$616
million
according
to
a rapid
impact
assessment by
the
World
Bank
which
funded
a
wide-ranging
recovery
programme.

As
the
government
and
development
agencies
set
about
rebuilding
homes,
roads
and
bridges
and
restoring
local
people’s
livelihoods,
they
promised
that
similar
cyclones
would
never
have
the
same
calamitous
consequences.

‘Building
back
better’

“We
said,
‘we
don’t
need
to
build
back
better
anymore
–
we
want
to
build
back
better
first
time’,”
John
Misi,
acting
director
for
local
government
services
in
Manicaland
Province,
told
reporters
visiting
the
area
in
September.

“We
challenged
our
local
authorities
that
no
one
was
going
to
build
a
structure,
a
home,
a
shelter,
without
getting
technical
support
from
the
council
so
that
we
build
more
resilient
infrastructure,”
he
added.

On
a
three-day
trip
across
the
province,
Climate
Home
saw
a
mixed
picture
of
how
the
recovery
efforts
have
unfolded
five years
on
from
the
dramatic
events
caused
by
Idai.

Key
infrastructure
–
including
many
roads
and
bridges
–
was
repaired,
restoring
access
to
remote
communities.

Still,
a
large
swathe
of
the
floodplain
in
Kopa
remains
littered
with
giant
boulders
that
came
rolling
down
from
the
mountains
as
a
result
of
the
cyclone,
destroying
everything
in
their
way.

Even
so,
a
dozen
metres
away,
the
local
business
centre
is
a
hive
of
activity.
New
buildings
are
being
erected,
helping
locals
to
earn
a
living
but
also
fuelling
concerns
over
what
would
happen
if
a
fresh
climate
disaster
struck.

“There
is
no
order
–
these
businesses
are
just
coming
up,”
said
Maphosa,
who
now
works
in
Chimanimani’s
civil
registry
office.
“It
is
a
great
risk
to
build
there.
[With
Cyclone
Idai]
water
got
into
the
shops
there
but
people
are
still
building
them
there
anyways.”

While
commercial
buildings
are
being
constructed
in
Kopa,
an
official
told
Climate
Home
that
the
local
council
denied
permission
to
rebuild
residential
houses
there.

Most
people
made
homeless
by
the
disaster
found
shelter
with
families
or
host
communities,
but
hundreds
of
households
ended
up
in
temporary
camps
waiting
to
be
given
a
new
permanent
home
elsewhere.

Settling
in
the
‘land
of
peace’

The
centrepiece
of
the
Zimbabwe
government’s
resettlement
plans
lies
in
Runyararo,
which
means
“land
of
peace”
in
the
local
Shona
language.
The
settlement
lies
at
the
end
of
a
long
dirt
road
nearly
two-hours’
drive
away
from
Chimanimani.

Here,
on
a
largely
empty
piece
of
barren
land
traditionally
used
for
cattle-grazing,
the
government
built
159
new
homes
for
displaced
people
–
with
close
to
a
hundred
more
in
the
pipeline
–
as
well
as
a
primary
school
and
a
small
hospital.

In
addition
to
a
four-room
house,
new
residents
are
allocated
2.5
hectares
of
land
that
they
can
use
to
grow
crops
or
keep
animals.

Chikweya
moved
to
Runyararo
in
2022
after
spending
three
years
in
a
tent
camp.
She
said
she
was
grateful
to
the
government
for
her
new
house,
but
she
has
been
struggling
to
adjust
to
a
life
full
of
fresh
challenges.

“It
is
more
isolated
here,”
she
said.
“In
Chimanimani,
I
used
to
sell
things
and
there
was
always
someone
who
would
buy
from
you,
which
helped
me
get
by.”

Chikweya
now
keeps
goats
and
chickens
and
tends
her
vegetable
patch
–
but
her
ambition
to
put
the
rest
of
her
land
to
productive
use
to
grow
food
has
failed
because
she
cannot
irrigate
it
regularly.

The
shortage
of
water
afflicts
everyone
in
the
area
–
and
it’s
becoming
more
acute
as
the
government
has
resettled
cyclone
survivors
there.

“It’s
always
been
like
this
here,”
lamented
another
resident
during
a
community
meeting.
“But
because
there
are
a
lot
of
people
now,
the
little
water
that
was
here
is
now
being
used
by
too
many
people.
It’s
getting
to
a
point
where
the
water
just
dries
up.”

Struggle
to
boost
water
access

Boreholes
to
tap
underground
water
were
drilled
in
the
area,
but
a
lack
of
rain
during
the
ongoing
drought
means
the
water
table
has
been
getting
lower
and
some
of
the
boreholes
have
dried
up,
a
local
official
said.

German
charity
Welthungerhilfe
(WHH)
stepped
in
to
help,
with
funding
from
the
US
government’s
development
agency
USAID.
It
drilled
two
more
boreholes
and
installed
solar
panels
to
pump
water
into
a
large
storage
tank
and
from
there
to
a
network
of
taps
situated
closer
to
the
homes.

Yet,
while
the
scheme
has
offered
a
welcome
reprieve
for
the
community,
water
stress
persists
–
and
the
struggle
for
a
sufficient
supply
could
get
worse
as
the
number
of
residents
grows.

Matthias
Späth,
WHH’s
country
director
in
Zimbabwe,
told
Climate
Home
it
was
“saddening
to
see
how
quickly
the
water
level
is
shrinking”
when
he
visited
Runyararo
recently.

“We
did
the
best
we
could
with
the
available
resources,”
he
said.
“We
ensured
that
no
IDP
[internally
displaced
person’s]
household
was
more
than
100
metres
from
a
water
point.”

Späth
added
that,
given
water
shortages
across
the
wider
area,
the
system
designed
for
the
new
residents
“has
likely
been
overloaded”
because
people
living
there
before
the
resettlement
project
have
also
been
using
it.
“A
larger
budget
would
have
enabled
us
to
extend
the
water
system
to
the
host
community,”
he
said.

A
lack
of
funding
is
also
putting
the
brakes
on
a
project
the
government
believes
could
offer
a
long-term
solution.
Under
the
plans,
a
dam
would
be
built
on
a
river
up
in
the
nearby
hills
and
a
30-km
pipeline
would
channel
the
water
from
there
to
the
community
in
Runyararo.

But,
for
now,
there
is
no
money
to
put
the
costly
project
into
practice,
local
officials
told
Climate
Home.

Späth
said
he
was
concerned
that
current
global
geopolitics
and
national
economic
hardship
would
make
it
hard
to
mobilise
the
funds
needed
to
build
a
dam.
He
also
said
water
quality
in
the
river
would
need
to
be
assessed
to
ensure
it
is
suitable
for
filling
the
dam,
partly
because
livestock
may
also
use
it
for
their
needs.

Misi
of
Manicaland
province
said
the
administration
has
been
doing
its
best
in
Runyararo
but
acknowledged
that
“it
is
a
work-in-progress”
and
challenges
remain.

“We
want
to
make
that
settlement
as
good
as
the
area
that
they
[the
displaced
people]
stayed
in
before
the
cyclone,”
he
said.

For
Chikweya,
that
day
cannot
come
soon
enough
as
she
reflects
on
her
life
before
Cyclone
Idai.

“Chimanimani
was
basically
an
oasis.
We’d
never
run
out
of
water
–
we
could
always
access
fresh
food,”
she
said.
“Here
it’s
more
difficult.”

(Reporting
by
Matteo
Civillini;
editing
by
Megan
Rowling)

Danish
NGO
DanChurchAid
organised
and
sponsored
Climate
Home’s
trip
to
Zimbabwe. 

When
the
world
seems
dark
and
scary,
we
cling
to
the
constants.
The
sun,
rising
in
the
East.
The
reliably

excellent
hivemind
of
the
Taylor
Swift
fanbase.
Rudy
Giuliani’s
uncanny
ability
to
make
any
legal
situation

worse.

For
as
long
as
it’s
legal
—
check
back
in
three
months!
—
we’ll
have
the
antics
of
America’s
mayor
to
sustain
us.

Giuliani
is
currently
bumstumbling
his
way
through
a
collection
action
filed
by
Ruby
Freeman
and
Shaye
Moss,
two
Atlanta
poll
workers
whom
he
defamed
in
2020.
How
wise
of
American
voters
to
have
saved
him
the
trouble
of
picking
out
two
Black
women
to
frame
for
stealing
the
2024
election!

Rudy
owes
these
women
$148
million,
thanks
to
a
jury
verdict
last
December.
He
has
yet
to
pay
them
anything,
and
seems
to
believe
that
he
can
simply
jerk
them
around
forever,
despite
clear
signals
from
Judge
Lewis
Liman
that
something

very
bad
will
happen
if
he
continues
to
screw
around.

This
week,
after
it
emerged
that
the
defendant
had
removed
the
expensive
furnishing
and
memorabilia
from
his
apartment
in
New
York
before
handing
it
over
to
his
creditors,
the
court
summoned
him
to
a

hearing
in-person
in
the
Southern
District
of
New
York,
brushing
off
Rudy’s
complaint
that
he
needed
to
be
in
Florida
to
record
his
show
for
Mike
Lindell’s

$14.88
pillow
network.
At
the
hearing,
Giuliani’s
counsel
Ken
Caruso
once
again
represented
to
the
court
that
his
client
was
ready
and
willing
to
turn
over
all
property.

The
plaintiffs
counter
that
Rudy’s
driving
around
Florida
in
a
Mercedes
that
is
subject
to
the
turnover
over,
refuses
to
say
what
furnishings
were
shifted
to
the
storage
unit
in
Ronkonkoma,
and
feigns
ignorance
over
how
the
money
in
his
accounts
might
find
its
way
to
the
plaintiffs:

[W]ith
respect
to
the
cash
accounts
held
at
Citibank,
Mr.
Giuliani’s
position
is,
apparently,
that
Plaintiffs
should
go
facilitate
the
turnover
without
his
help.
ECF
No.
88
at
3.
That
is
not
how
a
turnover
order
works.
The
Court’s
order
obligates
Mr.
Giuliani
to
deliver
the
funds,
which
both
Mr.
Giuliani
and
any
third-party
garnishee
are
permitted
do
under
the
express
terms
of
the
restraining
notice.
See
CPLR
§
5222(b)
(permitting
transfer
of
restrained
property
“pursuant
to
an
order
of
the
court”).
Mr.
Giuliani
speculates
that
were
he
to
ask,
Citibank
would
not
release
the
funds,
but
does
not
suggest
that
he
has
even
tried
that
initial
step
to
comply
with
the
Court’s
order.

Meanwhile,
Giuliani
has
failed
to
comply
with
discovery
obligations
for
himself
and
his
various
businesses
—
an
object
of
intense
interest
to
the
plaintiffs
in
light
of
his

lawyers’
admission
that
Giuliani
routes
all
his
earnings
through
shell
companies
and
pays
his
various
“employees”
first.
This
is
particularly
true
since
Giuliani
just
disclosed
that
he
set
up
at
least
one
new
business
entity
during
the
pendency
of
this
very
litigation.

Yesterday,
Caruso

begged
the
court
for
a
few
days
more
indulgence,
requesting
that
the
November
7
deadline
—
also
yesterday,
if
you
can
even
believe
it
—
to
cough
up
information
on
seven
Giuliani-related
LLCs
be
extended
to
Wednesday
the
13th.

Judge
Liman
responded
within
hours
that
“Plaintiffs
have
until
the
close
of
business
on
November
8,
2024
to
respond
to
this
application.”
As
of
this
writing,
Freeman
and
Moss
have
not
offered
an
opinion
on
this
application.
Let’s
just
assume
they
are
debating
the
propriety
of
docketing
a
response
that
says
simply
“LOL,
GTFOH,”
followed
by
the
eye
roll
and
middle
finger
emojis.

This
morning
the
court
published
a

new
scheduling
order
that
contemplates
an
extremely
expeditious
settling
of
all
debts:
He
ordered
Giuliani
to
hand
over

all
of
the
receivership
assets
by
Friday
of
next
week;
He
ordered
him
to
get
right
with
God
and
answer
the
information
subpoenas
he’s
been
ducking
since
August;
And
he
told
Rudy
to
figure
out
once
and
for
all
which
apartment
he’d
like
to
designate
as
his
homestead,
because

saying
he’d
prefer
to
keep
the
Palm
Beach
apartment,
but
if
his
homestead
exception
for
Florida
is
defeated,
he’d
like
to
designate
his
New
York
unit
“in
the
alternative”
is
not
going
to
cut
it.

Finally,
Judge
Liman
invoked
the
“C
word”
again:

The
parties
are
warned
that
continued
violation
of
the
Turnover
Order
may
result
in
contempt
sanctions.

Meanwhile,
after
Andy
Giuliani
launched
himself
toward
the
podium
to
claim
that
his
dad
gave
him
his
World
Series
rings
in
2018,
the
plaintiffs
are
seeking
evidence
of
the
boy
wonder’s
claims.
Notably
Giuliani
described
the
rings
as
personal
property
when
he
filed
for
bankruptcy
earlier
this
year,
and
so
the
plaintiffs
are

just
wondering
if
he
filed
any
gift
tax
returns
associated
with
this
transfer,
or
he
kept
it
on
the
DL
from
Uncle
Sam.

God
bless
ya,
Roodles.
You’re
a
beacon
of
light
in
these
dark
days.

Freeman
v.
Giuliani [Docket
via
Court
Listener]

---

Liz
Dye lives
in
Baltimore
where
she
produces
the
Law
and
Chaos substack and podcast.

Not
to
sound
too
old,
but
when
I
was
growing
up
there
were
only
a
few
choices
for
digesting
content.
Since
I
wasn’t
much
of
a
reader,
it
came
down
to
flipping
through
the
five
channels
we
had
on
our
TV
set
or
listening
to
groovy
tunes
on
the
radio
(with
lots
of
commercials).
It
was
a
simpler
time
in
the
’80s
which
I
romanticize
daily
as
I
sadly
doomscroll
on
my
iPhone
multiple
times
a
day.
For
lawyers
looking
to
create
content
back
then,
it
was
speaking,
writing
or,
maybe,
getting
publicity
on
a
big
case
in
the
newspaper.
Also,
back
then,
marketing
and
advertising
were
frowned
upon
—
and
against
most
rules
of
professional
conduct.

Fast
forward
to
today’s
legal
marketing
environment,
it’s
like
we’re
living
on
a
different
planet.
Lawyers
are
all
over
billboards,
on
TV,
and
have
unlimited
access
to
promotion
on
social
media.
While
it
doesn’t
hurt
to
have
a
massive
budget
for
marketing
and
advertising,
social
media
has
really
leveled
the
playing
field
for
many
lawyers
and
law
firms.
The
question
I
have,
my
dear
readers,
is
this,
“Are
you
playing
in
the
game
or
sitting
on
the
sidelines
watching?”

As
one
of
the
top
content
creators
in
the
legal
space,
I’m
feeling
very
confident
when
advising
my
clients
on
thought
leadership
and
social
media
best
practices.
Many
of
them
are
hesitant
to
get
started
and
“put
themselves
out
there.”
The
good
news
is
this:
whether
you
are
currently
creating
and
sharing
content
or
not,
I’m
going
to
simplify
this
down
into
four
easy
steps
to
help
you
get
the
most
from
your
efforts.

Step
1:
Shift
Your
Mindset

First
off,
remove
the
head
trash
that
it’s
all
about
selling
or
shamelessly
promoting
ourselves,
it’s
not.
The
goal
is
to
educate
and
inform
to
drive
attention
and
interaction.
So,
get
your
mind
wrapped
around
this
and
think
about
the
content
your
clients
or
referral
partners
would
be
interested
in
seeing.
For
me,
it’s
sharing
clips
of
interviews
I
do
on
my
BE
THAT
LAWYER
podcast
to
highlight
the
guest
on
my
show.
It’s
all
very
apropos
for
lawyers
looking
to
grow
their
law
practices.
I
would
suggest
making
a
list
of
the
topics
that
you
know
well
and
that
solve
the
problems
that
your
target
audience
may
have.
Additionally,
think
about
what
platforms
are
best
for
your
content
—
is
it
LinkedIn,
Facebook,
or
TikTok?
If
you’re
B2B,
LinkedIn
is
king.
If
you’re
B2C,
you
have
a
variety
of
options
and
choices.

Step
2:
Choose
Your
Format

Are
you
a
better
speaker
or
writer?
Do
you
enjoy
interviewing
others
or
being
interviewed?
Are
you
someone
who
is
well
read
and
who
can
easily
discuss
the
news
of
the
day
and
how
it
affects
your
clients?
For
example,
what’s
going
on
with
non-competes
in
the
employment
law
space?
I
have
no
idea
but
would
sure
like
to
know
or
be
updated.
Do
your
best
as
a
perfectionist
attorney
to
avoid
“analysis
by
paralysis”
when
it
comes
to
content
creation.
If
you
overthink
it
and
never
execute,
no
one
wins.
As
Nike
says,
“Just
Do
It!”
It
helps
to
be
prepared,
so
knowing
who
your
target
audience
is,
what
you
want
to
communicate
to
them
and
selecting
your
platform
will
be
all-important
in
setting
this
ship
to
sail.

Step
3: 
Start
Creating
Content 

Write
an
article
or
a
blog
post
on
your
website
or
on
LinkedIn.
On
your
phone,
create
a
video
less
than
one
minute
long
on
something
topical
to
your
field.
Construct
something
in
10
minutes
and
put
it
up
on
the
platform
you’ve
selected.
Try
to
engage
your
audience
by
asking
a
question
or
naming
one
or
more
people
in
your
post
who
are
relevant
to
the
subject.
For
example,
when
talking
about
lawyer
coaching,
I
may
add
the
names
of
a
few
respected
coaches
in
my
network.
All
you
have
to
do
is
add
the
“@”
symbol
before
someone’s
name
on
LinkedIn
and
this
will
tag
them
in
the
post.
This
small
step
will
prompt
them
to
comment
and
share
the
post.
Engagement
is
just
as
important
as
the
post
itself.

Another
trick
is
to
post
your
content,
then
go
to
the
top-right
corner
of
the
post
where
the
three
little
dots
live.
Click
the
dots
and
select
“Copy
link
to
post.”
Then
paste
your
post
link
in
an
email
and
send
to
three,
five,
or
10
of
your
best
industry
or
LinkedIn
friends
and
ask
them
to
share
and
comment
on
your
post.
This
significantly
drives
up
the
post’s
interaction
and
gives
you
some
solace
that
it
was
worth
your
time.
By
the
way,
this
last
tidbit
is
worth
its
weight
in
gold,
so
you’re
welcome.

Step
4:
Repurpose
Your
Content

The
key
to
success
in
content
creation
is
to
milk
your
newly
created
content
for
all
it’s
worth.
The
best
investment
I’ve
ever
made
in
my
business
has
been
my
podcast.
I’ve
done
450
shows
in
about
five
years.
Each
show
is
30
minutes
long,
so
Mr.
Math
tells
us
that
I’ve
completed
225
hours
of
content.
I
have
audio,
video,
and
transcripts
of
each
episode.
This
means
I
can
post
the
podcast
itself,
post
the
video
clips
on
LinkedIn
and
YouTube,
and
use
the
transcripts
for
AI-generated
Blogcasts
(articles).
So
even
one
30-minute
episode
breaks
down
into
four
to
eight
pieces
of
content
that
I
can
share.
Another
idea
is
to
create
top
10
lists.
What
are
the
top
10
issues
your
clients
face
that
you
solve?
You
can
then
create
10
videos
in
ONE
SHOOT
on
your
phone.
That
can
be
easily
edited
down
to
10
one-minute
videos.
Put
out
one
a
week
and
you
have
10
weeks
of
content.

This
whole
content
creation
thing
is
like
a
snowball
rolling
downhill.
Once
you
get
it
started
and
stay
consistent
with
it
for
a
month
or
two,
it
just
becomes
a
part
of
your
week.
There’s
nothing
that
says
you
can’t
hand
off
the
posting
of
your
content
to
a
virtual
or
actual
assistant
to
handle
for
you.
I
do,
and
it’s
lovely.

Success
in
content
creation
comes
down
to
preparation
and
consistency.
By
following
this
four-step
process,
you
can
dramatically
improve
your
current
efforts
(or
lack
thereof).
The
marketing
game
is
in
full
swing,
and
I
highly
recommend
you
jump
in
without
delay.
In
marketing
and
business
development,
you’re
either
building
your
personal
brand
or
letting
it
fade
into
obscurity.

If
you
need
guidance,
reach
out
to
an
expert
or
a
friend
who’s
active
in
the
space.
Many
lawyers
prefer
to
handle
things
themselves,
but
if
you
haven’t
started
yet,
now
is
the
time
to
act.
I
hope
to
read
your
latest
blog
on
LinkedIn
soon!

---

Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
BE
THAT
LAWYER
Podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin/. 

On
Halloween,
we
wondered
what
our
readers
thought
would

scare
a
lawyer
the
most.
As
first
seen
on
Facebook’s

Shit
Women
With
Law
Degrees
Say,
there
are
some
phrases
that
will
simply
make
lawyers
cower
in
fear.

But
which
phrases
are
the
scariest
of
all?
Today,
we’re
unveiling
the
10
most
frightening
finalists
in
our
latest
contest.

Want
to
scare
the
crap
out
of
a
lawyer?
Try
using
one
of
these
10
phrases.
Vote
to
help
us
figure
out
which
one
is
the
scariest.

• 1. “We
     destroyed
     those
     documents.”
  2. “You
     missed
     the
     hearing.”
  3. “Your
     fees
     are
     rejected.”
  4. “Your
     wife’s
     retained
     us.”
  5. “We’ll
     waive
     due
     diligence.”
  6. “Your
     IOLTA
     check
     bounced.”
  7. “You
     failed
     the
     bar.”
  8. “Calling
     the
     disciplinary
     commission!”
  9. “I
     can’t
     pay
     you.”
  10. “President
      Trump
      retained
      you.”

Please
click


here
to
vote.

Polls
will
remain
open
until

SUNDAY,
NOVEMBER
10,
at

11:30
PM.
Thanks!

---

Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to

email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on

X/Twitter
and

Threads
or
connect
with
her
on

LinkedIn.