Real Headline -- Miami Lawyers to Give Away Free iPad on Facebook!

Oh the iPad, when will it ever end?

Is there any more deadly a discussion than the relative benefits of an iPad, and how lawyers can possibly use them productively?

Strike that, on second thought I would add the pros and cons of a particular school your kid may or may not go to, which food truck truly serves the best fish taco, and any topic of any kind that includes the word "webinar."

Add Facebook to the mix and you have flatlined as far as I'm concerned.

In walks the PI lawyers at FerrerShane:

Over on Facebook we're giving away a free iPad to one lucky winner as soon as we hit 1,000 fans. (So click "like" if you want a chance to win!)

Why are a bunch of Miami attorneys doing a free iPad giveaway?

In all honesty -- and this is the only truthful answer we could give you -- we want to get our name out there as far and wide as possible. What business doesn't? And Facebook is a great way to do that.

Plus, we can't think of many devices on the market today that are better than the iPad. Tablet computing is steadily improving and many lawyers are beginning to incorporate tablet computing technology into their law practices. In fact, we predict traditional laptop computing as we know it today will become obsolete over time.

Which brings us to the second reason we're giving away an iPad on Facebook: we understand the appeal these devices hold for both lawyers and general users. The iPad keeps people up-to-date and - if used correctly - efficient and productive.

Do you "like" this approach, or does it make you want to "poke" somebody in the eye?

Feel free to let us know and we may give away an old Selectric typewriter, which I understand is simply revolutionizing the modern legal practice.

Does Eric Shane Have a Case?

 

Hmm, this seems more like that other Lottery than a nice friendly Village game among friends:

Seven members of a lottery pool in this huge retirement community are accused of cutting out an eighth member from a $16 million jackpot, according to a lawyer representing the woman who is suing to get her share.

"It's unfortunate," said Eric Shane, a Miami lawyer for Jeanette French, 72, who has been a member of the weekly pool for nine years and stands to lose a $1.1 million cut. "She really did consider them friends."
French and all but one of the pool members had worked together at the Hacienda Hills Country Club golf shop in The Villages, which bills itself as America's friendliest hometown. One of the members is listed as the club pro, Robert Jacobus.

But cutting out French, each of the pool members would collect an extra $165,265.53, pre-tax.

According to a civil lawsuit filed in Sumter County, the lottery group's usual practice was to collect money from each player, write the player's name on an envelope and then deposit the tickets in the envelope.

Shane said the group ordinarily covered the $1 entry fee for a pool member who was not at work or who did not have the cash on hand. French was not at work when the money was collected for the Dec. 15 drawing.

But, according to a sworn statement signed by French, pool member Richard Ciccone, 69, called her at home and asked if she wished to play. She said she did. When she arrived for work Dec. 16 — before the players had checked the ticket against the drawing's numbers — Ciccone informed French, "You owe me money" and she paid him.

He then gave her the ticket to check the numbers.

Shane said French compared the numbers and excitedly told Ciccone that they had won and gave him the ticket to doublecheck.

"She didn't think twice about keeping the ticket," Shane said. "They were all friends."

But French was forced to file a lawsuit last week to protect her right to an eighth of the jackpot because she learned that the other pool members planned to split the winnings only seven ways.

"Upon learning of the winning ticket, I was coldly informed that despite my conversation on Dec. 11 with Ciccone, and my years of consistent contribution and membership, my name was 'left off the envelope' and I would not take part in sharing the lottery winnings," French said in an affidavit, which was attached to the lawsuit.

Oh boy -- nothing in writing, an alleged custom and practice that the other friendly Villagers will surely disavow, oral agreements regarding potentially large sums of money.

Does anyone think Eric has a case?

BTW, note to the nice looking guys at Ferrer Shane -- why are all of you folding your arms?

Body language experts tell us folding your arms is defensive, suggesting a closed mind and unwillingness to hear what the person across from you has to say.

On second thought, maybe not a bad pose for a lawyer.