Rocket Lawyer(TM) Announces UK Leadership Team

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire -03/30/12)- Rocket Lawyer?, the fastest growing online legal service, has moved forward in its plan to bring affordable legal help to the UK. As a critical first step, the company is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Mark Edwards, as Corporate Vice President and General Manager of its UK division. Rocket Lawyer is also announcing the opening of its London office and the hiring of key staff who share the company's commitment to making the law more accessible to the British consumer online.

Rocket Lawyer provides easy and affordable legal services and has helped over 20 million people and organizations in the United States. As Rocket Lawyer expands its mission to serve the UK, Mark Edwards brings a wealth of experience and an understanding of the unique needs of British consumers.

"Many people in the UK have been underserved by traditional legal services," said Charley Moore, Founder and Executive Chairman of Rocket Lawyer. "Combine that with the current economic recovery and cuts to government legal aid, and it is even more compelling for us to offer an affordable alternative. We're thrilled to have Mark Edwards at the head of our UK service because of his experience and his shared passion for our mission."

The Rocket Lawyer UK team also includes Imran Shariff, as Head of Operations. Imran joins the team from BSkyB and brings several years of business performance management expertise.

About Mark Edwards, VP and General Manager
With a decade of experience as an innovator and business leader in the UK legal industry, Mark specializes in creating and growing new businesses based on sound market insight and customer need. He sees the team and the people in it as the crucial component for building a successful business.

Prior to joining Rocket Lawyer in 2012, Mark led the legal business development team for LexisNexis UK. There, he managed a cross-functional team, and was responsible for the full lifecycle of product innovation -- from proposition development and business case, through the launch and early sales traction. During his time at LexisNexis UK he built two new product lines.

Previously, Mark was a user experience consultant, working in various industries including telecommunications and health.

Mark has a Computing degree, a masters in User Experience, and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence.

About Rocket Lawyer?
At Rocket Lawyer, we believe everyone deserves easy and affordable legal services. Since 2008 we've helped over 20 million people and small businesses take care of their legal matters -- so they can focus on what really matters. For more information on Rocket Lawyer, please visit http://www.rocketlawyer.com and follow Rocket Lawyer on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

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My LA attorney is Announcing New Low discounts and Guaranteed Savings for ... - PR Web (press release)

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Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 31, 2012

Visit my LA attorney at http://www.my-la-attorney.com/. My LA attorney is a southern California Legal aid service provider. For any legal needs anywhere in the Los Angeles area. Attorneys are standing by locally to help. My LA attorney has lawyers and attorneys standing by in cities located all over California, waiting to serve handle any and all legal problems, or issues that arise.

My LA attorney has been serving communities all over southern California since 2001. With a commitment to quality and service that sets my LA attorney apart from the competition. For all legal needs from Personal Injury Attorneys, to Divorce Lawyers, Attorney Lawyer is number 1 in customer satisfaction. My LA attorney onlys represents the best lawyers and attorneys in field of law from personal injury to family law. Having legal problems can be scary, and finding the right attorney can make or break a case. Let the experts at my LA attorney help

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Lawyer says U.S. blocks investigation of Afghan massacre

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SEATTLE (Reuters) - The lawyer defending the U.S. soldier accused of murdering 17 Afghan civilians claims U.S. authorities are blocking his ability to investigate the incident.

John Henry Browne, the lawyer for Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, said U.S. forces in Afghanistan have prevented his team from interviewing injured civilians at a hospital in Kandahar, and are allowing other potential witnesses to scatter, making it difficult to track them down.

"When prosecutors don't cooperate, it's because they are concerned about the strength of their case," said Browne at a press conference at his downtown Seattle office on Friday.

Bales was formally charged last week with the murders of eight adults and nine children in a pre-dawn shooting rampage in southern Afghanistan on March 11, which further eroded U.S.-Afghan relations already strained by a decade of war.

He could face the death penalty if convicted.

No date has been set for a trial, but U.S. military prosecutors are putting together their case while Browne is preparing his defense.

Browne said he has a team of investigators in Afghanistan now, but they are receiving little cooperation from military prosecutors who filed the charges.

"We are facing an almost complete information blackout from the government, which is having a devastating effect on our ability to investigate the charges preferred against our client," he said in a statement released earlier on Friday.

A reliable account of the events of the night of the massacre has not yet emerged. A recent report indicated Afghan villagers doubt Bales acted alone. Other reports suggest Bales left his base twice during the night.

"I don't believe that's the case, but we don't know for sure at this point," Browne said on Friday.

Browne said his investigators had spoken to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan but had not managed to contact any witnesses.

DENIED ACCESS

"When we tried to interview the injured civilians being treated at Kandahar Hospital we were denied access and told to coordinate with the prosecution team," Browne said in the earlier statement.

"The next day the prosecution team interviewed the civilians i njured. We found out shortly after the prosecution interviews of the injured civilians that the civilians were all released from the hospital and there was no contact information for them." That means potential witnesses will scatter and could prove unreachable, Browne said.

Prosecutors had not shared their investigative findings with his team, and would not share images captured by a surveillance camera on a blimp above the base which the Army says shows Bales returning to the camp after the alleged shooting, he said.

The next step in the case is for Bales - who is being held at a military detention center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas - to undergo a mental assessment by Army doctors independent of both the prosecution and defense, to determine if he is fit to stand trial, known as a "sanity board" in the Army.

That could take several months, Browne said.

After that has occurred, the military justice system requires a preliminary hearing, known as an "Article 32" hearing, to establish whether there is a strong enough case to proceed to a court martial.

Browne said it was too early to say whether post-traumatic stress disorder would feature in his defense against the charges. "I don't know whether it will at all," said Browne.

"First thing we have to find out is whether the government has a case. Until we're convinced the government has a case, we're not going to start speculating on what our defenses are going to be."

(Reporting By Bill Rigby; Editing by Todd Eastham and Paul Simao)

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Philip Harnett Corboy, Jr. Receives Distinguished Alumnus Award from DePaul ... - EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)

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CHICAGO--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Corboy & Demetrio partner Philip Harnett Corboy, Jr. has received the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award from DePaul University College of Law. Philip “Flip” Corboy, Jr. is a 1977 graduate of the law school. Corboy was honored for his leadership roles in the legal community, his life-long charitable work and his 35 years of accomplishments as a trial lawyer.

“This is the highest distinction the College of Law can bestow. The award is to recognize alumni who have reached the pinnacle of their careers, maintaining a level of career excellence over their lifetime”

“This is the highest distinction the College of Law can bestow. The award is to recognize alumni who have reached the pinnacle of their careers, maintaining a level of career excellence over their lifetime,” according to Gregory Mark, Dean of DePaul University College of Law.

Flip Corboy is a past President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and a past President of the Board of Directors of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago, the nation’s second largest legal aid agency. In 2002, Flip was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, the nation’s pre-eminent, invitation-only organization of trial lawyers who are considered the best in their state.

Receiving the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award is just one of many accolades Flip Corboy has received for his accomplishments as a trial lawyer. Flip was named to Best Lawyers in America, 2012 Edition, in the area of personal injury litigation. This was the seventh year in a row Corboy received such an honor. His Chicago law firm, Corboy & Demetrio, was named to Best Law Firms in the Chicago metropolitan market by U.S. News, which publishes U.S. News & World Report.

Flip Corboy was given the elite designation of Illinois Super Lawyer for the eighth year in a row in 2012. Corboy was also named to The Top 100 Lawyers in Illinois by Illinois Super Lawyers for the fourth straight year.

In addition, Corboy has attained the prestigious designation of Leading Lawyer by the Leading Lawyers Network for nine consecutive years since the award’s inception.

Flip Corboy’s record of success is extensive. He has tried or settled more than 55 cases in which plaintiffs have recovered $1 million or more. Those successes include a $22.5 million settlement in 2011 for the family of a Rockford, Illinois, woman who died in a train derailment; an $18 million settlement for a Mexican national killed by piece of falling glass in downtown Chicago; a record-setting $17 million jury verdict for a brain-damaged victim who was knocked down by a limousine; an $11 million settlement for a Chicago dental student burned in an automobile fire; a record-setting $7 million settlement for a 78-year-old woman who was hurt when she was struck by an automatic door at Target; and a record-setting $4.5 million verdict for an Central Illinois couple who were passengers in a car that was hit by a pizza delivery car.

Throughout his career, Flip Corboy has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. Before becoming a nationally-recognized personal injury lawyer, Flip spent seven years as Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office becoming a “first chair” prosecutor and prosecuting major felony cases.

Flip has also maintained a close relationship with the law school that educated him. Corboy sits on Dean’s Council at the DePaul University College of Law and serves on the board of DePaul University’s President's Club.

About Corboy & Demetrio

Corboy & Demetrio is one of the nation’s premier law firms. It represents individuals and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases and is renowned for its achievements in the courtroom and for its contributions to the community. The rights and concerns of its clients are at the core of Corboy & Demetrio’s practice. That commitment, dedication, compassion and relentless drive has resulted in exceptional service and exceptional results for its clients. The firm has acquired more than $3 billion in settlements and verdicts and has attained almost 600 settlements and verdicts in excess of $1 million. To contact Flip Corboy or any of our Chicago personal injury lawyers, call 312-346-3191 or toll free at 800-356-3191. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about our law firm go to corboydemetrio.com.

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San Diego Personal Injury Attorney Announces the Launch of a New Website - PR Web (press release)

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San Diego, CA (PRWEB) March 30, 2012

http://www.SanDiegoPersonalInjuryAttorneyz.org, based in San Diego, California announces the launch of its new website. Clients can find valuable information regarding San Diego personal injury lawyers and other services by visiting this website.

Of the thousands of people involved in automobile accidents each year, many fail to pursue further justice for their injury. A serious car accident can mean time off of work, continual health problems and mounting medical bills during a hospital stay. Insurance companies only cover a small portion of these overwhelming expenses. Anyone involved in a car accident should consult a San Diego personal injury lawyer to find out how they can get what is owed to them after an accident.

Each year thousands of people are involved in automobile accidents that lead to hospitalization, long term injury and even death. The staff at San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys are focused on providing justice for injured parties who need a San Diego personal injury lawyer. With years of experience living and representing clients in and around the San Diego, California area, the law firm knows what it takes to win a case against other drivers after an accident.

The new website, SanDiegoPersonalInjuryAttorneyz.org, has been launched to provide clients with valuable information on what to do in event of an accident. The San Diego auto accident lawyer that is chosen will hire expert witnesses to testify on your behalf during a court hearing. The goal of any lawyer is to work for the best possible outcome for their client. More information on the benefits and things clients should know about automobile accidents can be found on the new http://www.SanDiegoPersonalInjuryAttorneyz.org website.

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Lawyer: French Islamist group had no link with Toulouse gunman - CNN

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Mohammed Merah killed seven people in a series of attacks.NEW: Lawyer: The Forsane Alizza group wants to protect the rights of Muslims in FranceThe Islamist group's leader says it had no contact with gunman Merah, his lawyer says19 suspected members of the Forsane Alizza group were arrested Friday, authorities saidPolice have been investigating whether Merah, blamed for 7 deaths, acted alone

Paris (CNN) -- The leader of an Islamist group whose members were targeted in a series of French police raids denies any contact with Toulouse gunman Mohammed Merah, lawyer Philippe Missamou said Saturday.

The leader of the Forsane Alizza group, Mohammed Achamlane, was among 19 people arrested Friday over alleged connections to radical Islam, Missamou said.

The raids came a week after Merah, who killed seven people in a series of attacks, was shot dead after a long siege in the southwestern city of Toulouse.

French media reports suggested Merah had developed connections with the pro-al Qaeda group, which has a cluster of followers in Toulouse.

Forsane Alizza was outlawed in January for encouraging French citizens to travel to Afghanistan to fight jihad.

Missamou told CNN he had last spoken to Achamlane on Monday.

At this time, Achamlane told him that the group had not had contact with Merah, and that it had nothing to do with Merah's killings in Toulouse, Missamou said.

Achamlane said the group did not support armed combat, the attorney said.

Missamou expects to be allowed to meet with members of the group, which he has represented since January, on Monday or Tuesday.

After that they will be put before a judge and either placed under further examination with charges pending, or released, he said.

Missamou disputed the Interior Ministry's claim that all 19 people arrested are members of Forsane Alizza, saying several were not.

Friday's arrests took place in Toulouse, Marseille, Nantes, Lyon and the Ile de France region, around Paris, the Interior Ministry said.

The ministry's media office said "the police had plans to carry out 19 arrests, and therefore 19 arrests were made in connection with the group Forsane Alizza."

Interior Minister Claude Gueant said that several firearms, including five rifles, four automatic weapons and three Kalashnikovs, had been found in searches of the suspects' homes, as well as a bulletproof vest.

Missamou said he had no information on the claims that firearms were found.

He also said he did not know know whether members of the group have spent time in Pakistan or Afghanistan.

The lawyer disputes the characterization of the group as dangerous, saying it works to contest perceived injustice on the part of the French state.

Its members claim that France does not recognize the multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-religious nature of the country, and passes laws which target Muslims in France, he said.

Police have been investigating whether Merah acted alone in planning his attacks.

He is blamed for the killings of three French paratroopers, a rabbi and three Jewish children ages 4, 5 and 7. Two other people were seriously wounded in the shootings.

Merah told police he had attended an al Qaeda training camp while visiting Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins.

But his uncle, Jamal Azizi, denied statements by French authorities that Merah was an al Qaeda sympathizer and that he had traveled to Afghanistan or Pakistan to train to use arms.

Merah was buried Thursday at a cemetery outside Toulouse.

CNN's Anna Prichard contributed to this report.

updated 9:12 AM EDT, Fri March 23, 2012 Did French intelligence services miss vital clues as Mohammed Merah showed signs of growing radicalization? updated 12:11 PM EDT, Thu March 22, 2012 The Toulouse shootings refocus fears on trained attackers who are determined, living legally in the West and operating alone.updated 7:38 AM EDT, Thu March 22, 2012 'Lone wolves' who plot to carry out small-scale attacks on soft targets could be the future of terrorism, a security expert warns.updated 10:32 AM EDT, Fri March 23, 2012 Mohammed Merah, described as a self-styled al Qaeda jihadist, was named as the chief suspect in a series of deadly shootings.updated 12:08 PM EDT, Thu March 22, 2012 CNN examines whether the handling of the crisis will have a bearing on the presidential poll.updated 6:30 PM EDT, Tue March 20, 2012 In the pink-hued streets of Toulouse, France's "Ville Rose," flags are flying at half-mast: The city is in mourning -- and shock. updated 12:08 AM EDT, Tue March 20, 2012 The city of Toulouse is at the highest security alert level, after a teacher and three children were gunned down at a Jewish school.updated 7:51 PM EDT, Mon March 19, 2012 Agnes Poirier, a political commentator, talks about the disbelief in France after the deadly drive-by shooting at a school in Toulouse.updated 6:06 AM EDT, Thu March 22, 2012 Out of nowhere a gunman appeared in the courtyard of a Jewish school in the French city just as students were arriving for morning classes.Most popular stories right now

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Lawyer: $2.5m spent on refugee's mistrial - The Union Leader

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One of the attorneys who defended a Manchester woman accused of lying about her role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide to gain U.S. citizenship estimated her recent prosecution and trial in federal court in Concord cost taxpayers between $2.5 million and $3 million.

Manchester attorney Mark Howard, a former federal prosecutor who represents Beatrice Munyenyezi, 42, said taxpayers will bear the cost of both her defense and her prosecution because the court deemed her to be indigent.

The three-week-long trial in U.S. District Court ended in a mistrial two weeks ago when jurors couldn't reach a verdict, but the government said Friday she will be retried.

That trial will likely cost an additional $1 million, Howard said.

Cases of public significance can be expensive to prosecute, Howard said, such as when breaking up dangerous gangs or trying big economic fraud cases.

“But to spend that kind of money to prosecute an individual who has done no harm in the 15 years she has been in the United States makes no sense to me,” Howard said.

Prosecutors alleged Munyenyezi, a Hutu, ordered the rape and murder of mostly Tutsi people from a blockade she controlled at a hotel owned by her husband's family.

But Howard insisted at trial that Munyenyezi never participated in genocide crimes and was, in fact, inside the hotel, sick and pregnant with twins during that time.

“In my own opinion, I don't think the evidence supports another prosecution,” Howard said.

On Friday, the government scheduled a second trial for Munyenyezi, set to begin on Sept. 10.

John Kacavas, U.S. attorney for New Hampshire, did not return phone calls seeking comment on Friday. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston, also did not respond.

Howard's estimated costs include attorney fees, agent salaries, the “extraordinary expense” of investigating in a foreign country, bringing witnesses to Concord and hiring experts.

Last year, Howard's co-defense attorney, David Ruoff, spent two weeks in Rwanda, and he and Ruoff both had to return there earlier this year.

Although he and Ruoff are working at much-reduced rates, Howard said, the defense's fees have already climbed to more than $400,000.

Howard said he based his estimates partly on a Freedom of Information Act request by a Kansas newspaper for costs related to a similar trial there last year.

The government refused to release the bulk of the expenses, but Howard said he filled in the blanks in discussions with attorneys there, as well as his own experiences.

The Kansas trial lasted about four weeks, and Howard estimated it cost about the same as the case against Munyenyezi so far, between $2.5 million and $3 million.

In the case against Munyenyezi, the government sent multiple teams of agents to Rwanda five times, Howard said.

During trial, the defense brought 12 witnesses from Rwanda to Concord for a week. The prosecution brought about 15 witnesses from Rwanda for three weeks, Howard said.

Munyenyezi is charged with making false statements on her citizenship application in 2003. The allegation is that she lied about participating in the genocide and her affiliation with the then-ruling party of Rwanda, the Hutus.

The penalty if convicted here would be immediate revocation of her citizenship, a maximum federal prison sentence of 10 years and deportation, Howard said.

Munyenyezi came to the United States with her three daughters in 1998 as a refugee and had worked for the Manchester Housing Authority for $13 an hour.

Munyenyezi has been jailed since her arrest in June 2010.

At trial, the government alleged Munyenyezi controlled local militia in the area of Butare, Rwanda, and oversaw roadblocks being constructed. The government further asserted she controlled those roadblocks and directed others to identify people who were Tutsis, then segregated them to be raped and killed.

Two witnesses testified she killed people, including a nun, shooting the nun herself after ordering her to be raped.

The genocide in Rwanda lasted about 100 days, starting April 6, 1994. Between 500,000 and 800,000 people were estimated to have been killed.

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