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April 16, 2010  Nº 895 -  Vol. 8

"In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous."

Publius Cornelius Tacitus

In today’s Law Firm Marketing, Midnight marketing reaches insomniacs and busy prospects
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• Top News

Tragic flaw: graft feeds Greek crisis

Bribery, patronage and other corruption deprive Greece each year of the equivalent of at least 8% of its GDP, or more than €20 billion, according to a study.

Before you open the door to the boardroom, peek through the keyhole!

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• Crumbs
  
  1 - Former N.S.A. Official Is Indicted in Leak Case (Click here)

  2 - Czech Senate approves EU's Lisbon Treaty (Click here)
  
  3 - Georgia to join health care constitutionality lawsuit (Click here)

  4 -Arizona House approves tough new illegal immigration bill (Click here)

  5 - Rights groups urge Alabama to desegregate HIV-positive prisoners (Click here)

  6 - Civil rights leader Benjamin Hooks dies (Click here)

  7 - Russia suspends U.S. adoptions (Click here)

8 - Wall Street reform: Washington's next battle (Click here)

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MiMIC Journal

China and Brazil sign trade deals at Bric summit

China and Brazil have signed several trade agreements on the sidelines of a shortened BRIC summit in Brasilia. The deals are aimed at boosting trade and energy co-operation between the two states and include a pact to build a Chinese steel plant in Brazil. Lula said of the steel agreement: "It will be the biggest Chinese investment in Brazil and the biggest by China abroad in this sector." He added that China had also expressed an interest in bidding to construct a high-speed train line between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The BRIC countries, which account for 40% of the world's population, are expected to use the summit to push for greater influence in global financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund.

Shanghai exchange finalizing plans for foreign listings

The Shanghai Stock Exchange is finalizing plans to create an international board this year, which would allow foreign companies to sell shares to Chinese investors on the mainland for the first time.

• Law Firm Marketing

Midnight marketing reaches insomniacs and busy prospects

by Trey Ryder

You never know when your prospect might have the time and desire to look for a lawyer.  Smart marketers have their messages available 24 hours a day.  Here are six ways you can deliver your marketing message even when you're not in your office.

1.  Information Packet.  Your packet of educational materials explains your prospect's problem and the solutions you can provide.  You offer the information packet and send it to prospects on request.  Your prospects can read your information whenever they have time.

2.  Newsletter.  Your monthly newsletter (or weekly e-mail alert) features important issues that interest your prospects and clients.  Plus you can invite them to seminars, offer additional materials to clients' friends and colleagues, and reinforce urgency by pointing out the benefits of preventing legal problems and solving legal problems early, rather than allowing them to persist.

3.  Advertising.  Whether it's a display ad in a newspaper or magazine your target audience reads, your message is there, available to your prospects any time of the day or night.

4.  CDs and DVDs.  One way you can make your seminar available at all hours is to offer your recorded presentation on a CD or DVD.  Either way, your information is available when it is convenient for your prospect.

5.  Web Site.  A powerful way to offer your marketing message around the clock is to post your marketing materials and information on your Web site.  In addition, you can create a video message and post it on your web site.  You also have effective ways to generate interactions with prospects through e-mail and whatever other methods you offer.

6.  Print Publicity.  When articles appear in the print media -- such as newspapers, magazines and trade journals -- your prospects have the opportunity to read them day or night.  And while the broadcast media have several advantages, once the message airs, it's gone forever.  But not so when your message is in print.  What's more, articles in trade and professional journals often end up on national and international databases where they are available for your prospects in the future.

The more ways you offer your marketing message, the more likely you are to reach prospects at times and places that are convenient for them.  Don't wait for prospects to come into your office to begin delivering your message.  Make it available so prospects can digest your information any time of the day or night.

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© Trey Ryder

FREE LAWYER MARKETING ALERT:  If you'd like to receive Trey Ryder's weekly Lawyer Marketing Alert, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Write "Subscribe LMA" in the subject line and write your name and e-mail address in the body of the message.
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• Brief News

Young people concerned about privacy

The cliche that young people don't care about personal privacy because they share intimate details and photos on Facebook or Twitter isn't always true, according to a study released Thursday. In fact, the study by researchers at UC Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania said younger adults want increased privacy and have views similar to those of their elders, even with social networks encouraging them to share more online. The study also found that young people know surprisingly little about their rights to online privacy or what the laws surrounding online privacy are. The results reflect how younger people are less likely to view institutions such as Facebook as a source of risk for privacy problems.  

Anti-piracy firm defends net hunt

German anti-piracy firm DigiProtect, which has teamed up with UK law firm ACS:Law to send thousands of letters to alleged net pirates, has defended its actions. It follows widespread condemnation of their methods, which involves mass-mailing alleged file-sharers asking them to pay a fine or face court. UK consumer magazine Which? has received complaints from people saying they have been wrongly accused. DigiProtect told it is just protecting its rights-holders. The German-based firm refused to divulge the names of its clients, saying only that they were "musicians or producers". It has no UK-based clients although the firm said it was about to start marketing its service in Britain. The service works by mutual agreement with rights holders. DigiProtect identifies when its clients' content is being shared illegally on file-sharing networks. Armed with IP (internet protocol) addresses - which identify the computer used in any copyright infringement - its lawyers can then apply for a court order to get the physical address of a computer from the service provider whose network has been used for the file-sharing.

Law school grads face tougher economic times

With tuition at an all-time high, more and more lawyers worry about finding work that will enable them to repay their loans. The American Bar Association reports that from 2007 to 2008, average tuition rose 6 percent at private law schools, to $34,298, and 9 percent at in-state public schools, to $16,836. Add in living expenses and pricey books, and at least 80 percent of students now rely on student loans to fund their law education. It may seem out of touch for law schools to be raising prices in a lousy economy, but it's a reflection of supply and demand. Indeed, an increasing number of people appear willing to take on six-figure debt to get a law degree. Tuition raises have become necessary at many universities, especially top ones competing for higher rankings, according to the Government Accountability Office. The heated competition induces schools to ramp up their programs by hiring better faculty, reducing class sizes, providing enhanced student services, and offering more practical coursework. The good news for incoming students is that job prospects are improving. Carolyn Lamm, president of theABA says the legal industry is showing signs of a turnaround. Big firms are beginning to hire again and are bringing back associates whom they had previously hired and then deferred when the market went south. "It's not as dead as it was in late '08 and early '09," Lamm says. "Things are moving forward." 

Zimbabwe shelves ownership law

A black-empowerment law that could force foreign companies to sell majority stakes in Zimbabwe operations has been shelved "until further notice" , Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said.

US Congress to archive every tweet ever posted publicly

Twitter's first tweet might not have been prosaic, but it was historic. The Library of Congress is to archive every single public tweet ever made. Twitter says since they started in 2006, billions of tweets have been created and 55m are sent every day. Do tweets deserve a home alongside better known historic documents like the Declaration of Independence? The microblogging service came into prominence during a number of high profile events and it is interesting to think what we might be able to learn about ourselves and the world around us from this wealth of data.

BP faces down shareholder protest on oil sands project

BP looks to have beaten a shareholder rebellion over financial and environmental concerns connected to its project in Canada's oil sand reserves. Some 140 large investors were expected to back a resolution at the oil giant's AGM calling for a review of the plans. But advance votes cast before the meeting showed that 85% had voted against the resolution. Advance votes make up about 59% of total shares. BP will make a final decision on the venture by the end of the year.

Russia 'suspends adoptions to US'

Russia says it has halted adoptions of Russian children by US citizens, after a boy of seven was sent back to Moscow alone by his adoptive American mother. There was an international outcry last week when the adoptive mother, a nurse, sent the Russian boy on a one-way flight to Moscow on his own. She sent a note with him saying the boy had psychological issues. "To Whom It May Concern," the letter read. "This child is mentally unstable. He is violent and has severe psychopathic issues. I was lied to and misled by the Russian orphanage workers and director regarding his mental stability and other issues." Russians are furious that no charges have been brought; US authorities have been investigating allegations of abuse and child abandonment.

Debate rages over Garzon trial in Spain

A debate is raging in Spain over the fate of top judge Baltasar Garzon who is facing trial for investigating atrocities carried out by General Franco's forces during the civil war of the 1930s, ignoring an amnesty law. In 2008, Garzon opened the probe - later shelved - into atrocities committed during the four-decade rule of General Francisco Franco. Amnesty laws do not apply for crimes against humanity, is his base of reasoning.

Bernanke cautious on US recovery

Bernanke has said that the US still faces "difficult choices" in cutting the country's deficit. In prepared comments to Congress' Joint Economic Committee, he said that action could not be delayed. Bernanke added that weakness in the construction sector was still weighing on the economy. His cautious comments about the recovery come despite data showing a 1.6% increase in March retail sales.

Pakistan senate approves bill to curb presidential powers 

Pakistan's Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a constitutional amendment that would curtail the powers of the president. The 18th Amendment Bill would reverse the expansion of presidential powers under former military leader Pervez Musharraf by transferring presidential powers to the office of the prime minister, effectively reserving the presidency as a figurehead. Among other changes, the president would no longer have the power to dissolve parliament, dismiss the prime minister, or appoint the chief of the armed forces. Because Pakistan's lower house, the National Assembly, unanimously passed the bill last week, the amendment will now go to President Asif Ali Zardari to be signed into law.

Chiquita sued in US court for aiding Colombian terrorists

Victims of paramilitary violence in Colombia filed suit Wednesday against Chiquita Banana International, which has admitted to funding Marxist rebels in Colombia. In the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 242 Colombians alleged that they had been seriously injured or had family members killed by the right-wing paramilitary group, United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). The AUC has been accused of mass killings during the Colombia guerrilla warfare movement before disarmament in 2003. The plaintiffs, who are seeking over $1 billion in damages, brought suit under a 1992 law that allows US citizens to sue for terrorist acts committed by US firms abroad. The complaint alleges that Chiquita aided and abetted in the murders and provided material support and resources to terrorists.

The Vatican has no communications strategy, and that is where they are going wrong

The Church's attempts to defend itself often just cause more damage. Where is the Vatican's media strategy going wrong? Pope Benedict XVI has been caught in the eye of the cyclone for several weeks, battered by accusations from lawyers and victims in Germany, the USA and elsewhere that he and senior Vatican officials have badly mismanaged or sought to cover up serious cases of abuse, and protected abuser priests. These accusations - if not fully answered or firmly rebutted in timely fashion - are particularly damaging to the Catholic Church's credibility and image, as well as to the moral authority of the Pope and of the Holy See on the world stage. But the Vatican has struggled to defend him from the daily drip-drip of damaging revelations, and many questioned its communications strategy. The absence of a coherent media strategy is evident, as a variety of Vatican personalities take it upon themselves to respond publicly to the accusations. They often do it in a defensive or denial mode, shooting the messenger, or denouncing a conspiracy against the Pope and the Catholic Church because of its moral stances on life, the family and bioethics.

Italy high court upholds same-sex marriage ban 

Italy's Constitutional Court on Wednesday rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of the country's ban on same-sex marriage. After hearing arguments from several same-sex couples who had been denied marriage licenses, courts in Trento and Venice asked the high court to resolve whether provisions in the Italian Civil Code banning same-sex marriage conflict with Articles 2 and 117 of the Italian Constitution. Following a closed session Wednesday morning, the court issued a brief statement declaring the question ineligible with regard to Articles 2 and 117 and unfounded with relation to Articles 3 and 29. The court is expected to issue a detailed judgment soon.

• Daily Press Review

Red shirt leader escapes hotel raid
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

Iran Bars Ex-President Khatami from Travel: Website
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England

Part of Al Khail Road in Dubai closed to traffic
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Clinton: U.S. won't impose peace deal, but Israel must do more
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

Is Iraq's Ultimate Survivor the Indispensable President?
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

US pushes J'lem, PA to resume talks
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel

KT hits the road running
Khaleej Times, English-language daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

King Abdullah meets top executives of US firms
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan

China Earthquake Death Toll Jumps to 791
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon

Panel formed on Lebanon poll law
Saudi Gazette, English-language daily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

P5, Germany hold third round of talks on Iran sanctions
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon

Iran FM to attend New York nuclear meeting
Times of Oman, English-language daily, Muscat, Oman

Initiative: Together to prevent the execution of minors
Yemen Observer, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen

New cement plant aims to spur employment and development in Hadramout
Yemen Times, (Independent weekly), Sana'a, Republic of Yemen

UK planes grounded until Saturday
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

Moore 'could have been a doctor'
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland

Seen from space, the dust cloud that grounded Scotland air traffic
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England

Iceland volcano erupts for second time in a month forcing new evacuation of tourists
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Icasa slashes interconnect rates
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

AVIATION: Travellers brace for fresh volcanic ash disruption
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

Self-taught Turkish photographer reveals rich world of bazaars
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

Check Out Pixie Lott 's High Street Jewellery
Look Magazine, London, England

Cumbrian hospital staff 'facing bullies in workplace'
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England

Air Travelers Face More Delays Due To Volcanic Ash
Radio Free Europe, Prague, Czech Republic

Volcano Ash: Flights Grounded Until Sat 1am
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England

Volcanic Eruption in Iceland: Giant Ash Cloud Disrupts Flights Across Europe
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany

LIVE volcano updates: flights grounded for second day across Europe
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England

Thai protester in dramatic escape to avoid police
The Independent, London, England

Late blip costs Kim outright lead
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland

Bakiyev Leaves for Kazakhstan
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia

Brown beaten into third in debate
The Sun, London, England

Mel Gibson splits from girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva
The Telegraph, London, England

Security for Benazir Bhutto was 'fatally insufficient'
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England

Arctic dream falls through the ice at the North Pole
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England

Dredging of Pulau Baai basin to cost Rp125 billion
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

China quake survivors sleep in cold outdoors
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

10th Seoul International Financial Forum Kicks Off
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

Main findings of the UN report
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan

Number of victims of earthquake in China increased up to 760 people
Gazeta.kz, Official online newspaper, Kazakhstan

Support for Japan Govt drops further ahead of poll
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India

Pak used terrorists as a tool in Kashmir: UN
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India

Lucknow: Dalit boy killed for wheat theft
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India

Earth event touts green life
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Students told to steer clear of by-election campaign
Malaysian Star, Online news portal,  Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Kiwis' travel plans upset by volcanic eruption
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Commander surrenders
Pajhwok Afghan News, (Independent news agency), Kabul, Afghanistan

U.S. secretary of defense in Colombia to promote relations
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China

BRIC can recast world order: Manmohan
Sify News, Chennai, India

Meet sport's 'best genius'
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

U.S. and China figures lift most Asian stocks
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

'Hot money' fuels NT dollar's climb
Taiwan Today, Government Information Office, Taipei, Taiwan

Multitasking splits the brain into two parts
Thaindian News, Bangkok, Thailand

India's own cryogenic rocket launch fails
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India

Private eye in Guergis case $13M in debt
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario

Neal & Massy could sell off some Barbados assets
Caribbean360, Online news portal, St. Michael, Barbados

Public Beach now worth $100 million
Cayman Net News, Online news portal, George Town, Cayman Islands

Dominican Republic deports 300 foreigners in 6 months
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

RIGHTS-SPAIN: Franco-Era Crimes Reach Courts in Argentina
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

'Get a grip on crime'
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica

Sony opens its first interactive store in Lima
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru

The most popular playoff pool picks
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Dion Phaneuf will wear the 'C' on his Maple Leafs sweater
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario

PM: Constitutional reform talks on hold

Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad

Polling ends in Sudan elections
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

DR Congo bans export of concentrated mineral products from Katanga
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator

World Bank Country Director Must Resign - Ex-Minister
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

'An act of God'
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Simelane in the  limelight over ET trial
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa

DC Ethiopian man pleads guilty to taxi bribery scheme
Jimma Times, Online news portal, Jimma, Ethiopia

Cope on skids in Mpumalanga
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa

At least 24 hrs more air disruption - Eurocontrol
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Warri North sets up 11-man Education C'ttee
Vanguard, Independent daily, Lagos, Nigeria

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