INTRODUCTION Letters of intent are pre-contract documents. They take many forms and go by different names, including term sheets, memoranda of understanding, commitment letters, and award letters[1] (this paper will use the term “letter of intent” to refer to all such pre-contract documents). Companies use letters of intent as a versatile tool to meet the …
Letters of Intent: Tools and Traps for Supply Chain Management Read More »
Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Estate Planning Basics III. What Happens if You Die Without a Will? IV. Shariah Inheritance V. Drafting Considerations for Islamic Wills VI. Trusts VII. Other Estate Planning Documents VIII. Should I use a Lawyer? IX. Conclusion I. Introduction Many Muslims consider estate planning to be especially important: not just …
Islamic Estate Planning Guide for Georgia Muslims Read More »
Your will has just been drafted. What do you do now? The following is a list of do’s and don’ts to help ensure that your will is valid and ready to serve as a critical component of your estate plan. 1. CHECK YOUR WILL. Read your will carefully. Check your will for accuracy (especially names and numbers) …
I have been doing some research on marketing tactics by lawyers and came across an interesting ethical question. As lawyers know, the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct sets forth the ethical requirements for the practice of law in Georgia. These rules encompass (among many other things) how lawyers may advertise their services under Part 7. …
The Ethics of SEO Backlinks for Lawyers: Advertising in the Internet Age Read More »
Imagine this: You enter into a contract with a wedding caterer. One week before the big day, the wedding caterer tells you its staff has all fallen ill with COVID, it will be unable to serve your wedding, and as a result of financial hardships associated with the pandemic, it will not refund your deposit. …
The Practical Effects of Unenforceable Terms in Contracts Read More »
Imagine the following scenario: A man creates a trust with a do-it-yourself form he found on the internet. He names himself trustee and names his wife and children as beneficiaries of the trust. He walks into his local bank, hands the bank manager the trust agreement, and the bank happily creates a trust account for …
What Happens When a Trust Fails to Name a Successor Trustee? Read More »
Probating a will in solemn form requires providing notice to all of the heirs of the testator (see O.C.G.A. § 53-5-22). If the heirs’ addresses are known and they are cooperative, then the fastest (and cheapest) way for a petitioner to satisfy notice is by having the heirs sign the “Acknowledgement of Service and Assent …
Probate in Solemn Form: Providing Heirs with Notice Read More »
Is a non-compete covenant without any reference to a geographic limitation enforceable under Georgia law? Probably not. To understand why, we must first turn to Georgia statutory law. O.C.G.A. § 13-8-53(a) only enforces non-compete covenants that are “reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope of prohibited activities.” O.C.G.A. § 13-8-53(c)(2) states that a geographic area …
Non-Compete Agreements: Covenant without a Geographic Limitation Read More »
Are non-refundable deposits and late fees enforceable under Georgia contract law? The answer depends on whether they are liquidated damages or a penalty. Liquidated damages are enforceable. Penalties are not. What are liquidated damages? Liquidated damages are damages resulting from a breach of contract which are specified as a stipulated sum. Georgia courts err on …
Non-Refundable Deposits and Late Fees: Unenforceable Contract Penalty? Read More »
