The ChessboardSM
A newsletter for owners and managers of small businesses who want to do good deals, have contracts that work and protect their intellectual property.

Sepetmber 2010
Horse logo no name
From the Law Office of Philip L. Marcus
Your Small Business Lawyersm
Columbia, Maryland 21046 USA
Toll free 877-934-4766 (Col. 301-498-4766)
plm HEADSHOTWelcome to my newsletter.  Please let me know if there is a topic or question you would like me to talk about.  Write to chessboard[at]SmallBizLawyer.us.  And thank you for reading on.

The contents of this newsletter and the linked destinations are not legal advice but general information--in specific situations please seek legal advice from an experienced attorney.
 
Sincerely,
Philip L. Marcus, J.D.

In This Issue
How can it happen that often? Doesn't it break the law of averages?
It's lawyer-joke time, ROFLMAO
Patenting is not always the best protection--try a Trade Secret.
What is the best way to rep. your constituents and clients?
Book Bargain
How can it happen that often, or that infrequently?
On average it doesn't--why is it happening now, evil spirits?

Daily service dispatch volumes go up and down, seemingly without any reason. How do you cope?


With thirty major league teams, barring external conditions, one would expect the poor Cubbies to win the Series on average every thirty years.  But it has been 102, although they won often before then.  Oddly, though, that does not mean the sky is falling or aliens have invaded from space and don't like the Cubs.


Our intuitions about random events turn out to be pretty wrong.  Things usually happen more or less often than average.  But you can learn to get a handle on events.
 
Read more by clicking here for my Articles web page, and then clicking on "It can't happen twice--or can it?"
 
Lawyer-Joke Time
I am a lawyer.  I can tell these.  Just don't laugh so hard I can hear you.

laughingWhy are lawyers like nuclear weapons?
If one side has one, the other side has to get one.  Once launched,
they cannot be recalled.  When they land, they screw up everything
forever.

  Did you hear about the terrorists who took a whole courtroom
  full of lawyers hostage?
  They threatened to release one every hour until their demands were met.

 
How does an attorney sleep?
First he lies on one side, then he lies on the other.

How many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Three. One to climb the ladder. One to shake it. And one to sue the ladder company.
 
Why does the law society prohibit sex between lawyers and their clients?
To prevent clients from being billed twice for essentially the same service.
 
Patenting is not always the best.
Keeping your invention or idea secret may be better.
The law effectively protects secrets ideas, methods, recipes, and inventions if you do your part.  There is no charge for registration, the remedies if someone steals may be better, and many more kinds of innovation can be protected than by patenting.
Click here for my Articles web page, and then click on "Don't just patent it--think again."

Negotiate with Your Constituents
To be effective as a representative you need to bargain with your clients and other constituents.
You cannot be effective simply as a mouthpiece spouting what you are told, or as stiock in their hands.  There is a strategy to make the client/representative relationship work well.
Click here for my Articles web page, and then click on "Negotiate with Your Clients."

Articles Online--a dozen and a half articles full of great ideas for your business.
articles page image
Great marketing novelty--the business card notebook.  I use them.
"Don't get an attorney involved--lawyers are deal breakers."
Yes, sometimes your lawyer will break a deal that should be broken--it isn't ready for prime time.  A good lawyer like Phil Marcus will creatively  make the deal happen but also protect you.
Efficient Virtual Assistant who built most of the mailing list for this newsletter:
About Us Law Office of Philip L. Marcus, the Small Business Lawyer
Cherry Tree House, Columbia, Maryland 21046-1818
Toll-free 877-934-4766 (In Columbia 301-498-4766)
Fax 301-368-2464
35 Years' experience in law and business. MIT-trained. 
BWCC logo
End of Summer Book Deal
Zen coverThis recently published book teaches a new way to negotiate without fear and distraction, even if you have little or no experience.
Click here to order or learn more.
 
List Price: $21.95
Special Price: $18.95 with free additional book while they last.  S & H: Free

(Recently chosen for Spanish translation for Latin America.)
 
Free Consultation
In most cases your initial half-hour telephone consultation is Free