July 3, 2015 nº 1,645 - Vol. 13
 

"If you're too big for a small job, you're too small for a big job."

   Katie Couric

Migalhas International will return on July 15, after a short summer break.

In today's Law Firm Marketing, Increasing credibility key to marketing; name visibility a poor substitute

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• Top News

Petrobras graft loss may be understated

Brazilian prosecutors on Thursday said that Petrobras' official estimates for losses it had suffered from corruption were too low, suggesting that the state-owned oil company may have to adjust its 2014 financial statements. Petrobras in April told investors during the release of its 2014 financial statements that it estimated losses directly related to a vast corruption scandal at the company at R$6.2bn. The number in the balance sheet of Petrobras is a valid number but it`s conservative. The prosecutor's statement will raise concerns among investors that there may be more bad news to come for Petrobras` accounts from the scandal. Once considered one of the most promising listed oil companies because of its huge offshore reserves, Petrobras is reeling from allegations that former executives and contractors conspired with politicians to extract kickbacks and bribes from the company.

GE's divestiture plans hit hurdles

The Justice Department sued to block General Electric Co.'s planned $3.3 billion sale of its appliance business to Electrolux AB, leaving the company with marquee deals in regulatory limbo on two continents. On Thursday, GE executives will meet with European authorities behind closed doors in Brussels to address issues around the company's $17 billion acquisition of Alstom SA 's energy businesses. The pressure from regulators is complicating GE's efforts to radically overhaul its portfolio and focus on its most promising industrial operations. US antitrust enforcers are taking a hard look at deals that would combine top companies in the same industry. In recent days a judge sided with the Federal Trade Commission and blocked Sysco Corp's $3.5 billion acquisition of rival US Foods Inc., prompting Sysco to walk away from the plan. And in April, Comcast Corp. abandoned its $45 billion pursuit of Time Warner Cable Inc. amid objections from regulators. GE's appliance deal was meant to shed a low-margin, slow-growing business to Electrolux, a Swedish maker of washing machines, dryers, vacuum cleaners, and other appliances.

World's largest law firm gets even bigger

Dentons, which became the largest law firm in the world by head count at the start of the year, expanded further Wednesday by completing its acquisition of Atlanta-based McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. The deal, announced in April, gives Dentons an extra 370 lawyers, lobbyists and other professionals, the firm said. Dentons catapulted to the top of the heap earlier this year after combining with a 4,000-lawyer Chinese firm. In April, Dentons's Global Chief Executive Officer Elliott Portnoy said there's "no logical end" to how large the firm plans to become.

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• MiMIC Journal

China passes sweeping security law

China's legislature has passed a wide-ranging and controversial national security law, which tightens government control over many areas of life. The law broadly defines national security as covering everything from finance and cyber security to religion. State media said it would "protect people's fundamental interests". But it has drawn criticism from foreign governments, businesses and rights groups.

Airbus signs deal for second plant in China

Airbus has signed a deal for its second factory in China as it expands further its growing relationship with the world's second-largest economy. The new cabin-completion factory for A330 jetliners is worth a reported €150m ($166.3m) and is aimed at attracting new orders for Airbus.

• Law Firm Marketing

Increasing credibility key to marketing; name visibility a poor substitute
By Trey Ryder

"Keeping their name in front of prospects" is often the reason lawyers choose certain marketing methods. But keeping your name in front of prospects is a very low standard.

When I choose a lawyer, it's not because I've seen his name over and over. It's because I want the benefit of that lawyer's knowledge, skill, judgment and experience.

That means, to make my choice, I must have some idea about the lawyer's knowledge and experience. That comes through educational methods the lawyer uses to communicate with me.

When you consider marketing tools, ask yourself what that tool does for you Does it increase your credibility by offering information and advice about your prospect's problem? Or does it simply "keep your name in front of them"?

Remember, any time you communicate with prospects, offer some amount of information and advice, even if it's just a small amount. This way, with each communication, your prospect learns something new. While these communications do keep your name in front of prospects, they also continue the flow of knowledge and experience from you to your prospect. This is a much higher standard and a much more effective way to market.

In this way, your prospect benefits from your communications. Without your knowledge in the form of information and advice, your prospect simply receives an advertising message, which he promptly tosses into the round file. But notes, letters, alerts, newsletters and fliers that contain information and advice are often kept -- sometimes for a very long time. I've seen prospects carry materials into my clients' offices as long as five years after we published that particular handout.

Bottom Line: In all of your communications, stay in the education mode. If you keep educating, your credibility with your prospect will continue to grow. This puts your marketing effort miles ahead of other lawyers who simply "keep their name in front of them."

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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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• Historia Verdadera

Crédito

Argentina recibe US$ 150 mlls, de China. Se trata del segundo tramo del crédito acordado para la construcción de las represas Néstor Kirchner y Jorge Cepernic, en la sureña provincia de Santa Cruz.

Rivals to rally as Greek vote looms

Rival camps in Greece are set to hold major rallies in Athens ahead of Sunday's crucial referendum on an international bailout deal. PM Alexis Tsipras is expected to be at one rally to support the "No" vote, opposing the terms. EU leaders have warned that a "No" vote could see Greece leave the Eurozone. there has been no referendum campaigning as such - just a few chaotic days as supporters and opponents of the governing Syriza party have jostled for position. Campaigners are now racing to reach voters before time runs out, with "Yes" and "No" posters vying for space in Athens. Human rights body the Council of Europe has already said the referendum would "fall short of international standards" if held as planned, citing the short notice given to voters and the lack of clarity in the question to be put to voters.

Politics trumps economics in Greek debt crisis

So Alexis Tsipras has spoken. He believes a resounding 'No' vote will strengthen his hand. He says it will be a "continuation of negotiations" by other means. He and his colleagues in Syriza are trying to shape the poll as a vote on austerity. He said: "If the Greek people want to proceed with austerity plans in perpetuity... we will respect it, but we will not be the ones to carry it out."

Brazil probes currency market activity of 15 global banks

Fifteen of the world's largest banks are under investigation on suspicion of rigging the Brazilian currency, antitrust watchdog Cade said, the first such probe in one of the busiest foreign exchange markets globally. In a document, Cade alleged that the banks colluded to influence benchmark currency rates in Brazil by aligning positions and pushing transactions in a way that deterred competitors from the market between 2007 and 2013, at least. Foreign exchange trading in Brazil is estimated at about $3 trillion a year, excluding swaps and derivative transactions. The Brazilian investigation comes weeks after six of the world's largest financial institutions agreed to pay $5.8 billion to the US government to settle charges of currency rigging. The US probe took more than five years and five of those banks, which are being probed by Cade, pleaded guilty. Globally, currency trading is estimated at around $4.7 trillion a day and has been targeted in recent government probes in Europe, the United States and Japan.

Malaysia pushes for MH17 criminal tribunal

Malaysia has said that it wants to set up an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of having shot down flight MH17. The Malaysia Airlines passenger plane crashed in July 2014, with the loss of all 298 people on board. It had been flying over territory held by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine when it was hit. Separatist leaders have denied accusations they used an anti-aircraft missile to shoot down the plane.

BP to pay $18.7bn for Gulf oil spill

BP has reached an $18.7bn settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. It comes as a US federal judge was expected to rule on how much BP owed in Clean Water Act penalties following the environmental disaster. Over 125 million gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in 2010. The settlement is the largest paid by a single company in US history .

Brazil Congress in U-turn on criminal age vote

A day after it rejected a bill which would have lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16, the lower house of Brazil's Congress has approved a new version of the proposal. The new version would make it possible to try children between 16 and 18 years as adults if they are accused of certain serious offences. The bill still faces a second vote and two votes in the Senate. The U-turn was seen as a victory for the lower house speaker, Eduardo Cunha.

US airlines investigated over ticket prices

The Justice Department is investigating whether US airlines have colluded to keep prices high. In a statement, the department confirmed an Associated Press report it was looking into "possible unlawful co-ordination by some airlines". The Justice Department has requested information from airlines as part of a competition probe. It follows years of restructuring and mergers by US airlines. The Justice Department was investigating whether airlines were now conspiring to grow slowly in order to keep ticket prices high. By limiting the number of routes and available seats, airlines could charge higher prices.

Columbia coca farmers boost output

The area used for the coca cultivation in Colombia increased by 44% last year, a United Nations report says. Most of the rise in the cultivation of coca leaves comes from southern areas controlled by left-wing Farc rebels. Farmers have probably boosted production to cover potential losses in the event of a peace deal between the Farc and the government. They fear an agreement will include programs to eradicate coca. The Farc has already agreed to encourage local farmers to join voluntary programs to replace coca with other crops.

Court rules NSA may temporarily resume metadata collection

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ruled Monday that the National Security Agency(NSA) may temporarily resume its program of systematically collecting Americans' phone data in bulk. The program lapsed on June 1 after the expiration of the USA Patriot Act, but the program survived with the passage of the USA Freedom Act, signed into law by President Obama on June 2. Under the measure the NSA can no longer collect phone data of American citizens in bulk after a six month grace period, but the government can still access this data through the records of major telecommunication companies such as Verizon or AT&T.

Protesters gather as Spain "gag law" goes into effect

Thousands gathered across Spain on Tuesday to protest Spain's new public security law that went into effect on Wednesday. The Citizen Security Law, labeled as a "gag law" by protesters, sets fines for burning the national flag, protesting outside of parliament buildings, and distributing photographs of police officers that could threaten their operations. The protesters gathered in a number of cities, including Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Almeria, Granada and Valencia, and faced fines if they were determined to have been "disturbing the peace."

• Daily Press Review

Dozens killed in Philippines ferry accident
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

Senior Israeli officer shoots dead Palestinian stone-thrower in West Bank
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

Silence to be held for Tunisia dead
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

ISIS publicly smashes artifacts from ancient city of Palmyra
CNN International, London, England

Lara Stone in sheer minidress at Serpentine Gallery bash
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

British women 'can't look like Jennifer Lawrence during the summer heatwave'
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Barcelona blocks new tourist accommodation licences
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France

IMF warns of huge financial hole as Greek vote looms
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

Ancient city of Perge rich in sculptures
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain wins duel with German 'copycat'
Independent The, London, England

How the world is a less peaceful place than it was eight years ago
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England

John Inverdale declares he has 'never been so popular' as backlash grows over BBC's revamped Wimbledon highlights
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England

Water park explosion, fire claim a second life
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

Most Women Unhappy with Division of Household Labor
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

IS destroys famous lion statue outside Palmyra museum
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India

WR augments three trains with additional coaches
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India

Okinawa newspapers fire back after anti-media comments at LDP event
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Russian supply ship launched to International Space Station
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Ukraine President cancels trip over protests in eastern Ukraine
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore

Beat the post holiday blues
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

How to put the Greek economy on the path of recovery
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India

Gay, straight couples in Kentucky take legal action after denial of marriage licences
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario

French mother jailed nine years for killing eight of her newborns
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Liberty Reserve Brought Down By 'Joe Bogus': How The Feds Arrested Arthur Budovsky
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S

New opinion poll shows Yes vote slightly ahead in Greece
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S

Turkey reinforces Syria border, Davutoglu says no incursion planned
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S

Saving religious real estate from damnation
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario

Silence to be held for Tunisia dead
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

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