Why Do People Take the Weather So Personally?

No. 1,471 If you just stand around in a group or strike up a conversation, chances are good that the weather will be the first topic of conversation. Why? Is snowfall in the middle of April so incredible? And why do so many people seem to think that the weather has anything to do with […]

Predicting the Future

No. 1,470 While driving around last Friday afternoon I heard numerous predictions of the outcome and score of Friday night’s hockey game. The Penguins had won every game against the Philadelphia Flyers during the regular season. The first playoff game had been a 7-0 slaughter. The Flyer’s goalie situation was a mess. The Penguins had […]

Beware Visiting Anybody’s Campaign Websites If You Are Worried About Data Mining.

No. 1,469 Marginal Revolution warns that the Facebook campaign website of Senator Patrick Lahey, who vigorously interrogated Mark Zuckerberg, is engaged in the same kind of of data retrieval and use. If true, chances are that Senator Lahey didn’t even know about it, because those details are generally left to consultants they hire. I have […]

Nutmeg Lawyer on Civility.

No. 1,468 Here’s a link to another of my fave’s: Nutmeg Lawyer. Here he explains something every lawyer should have learned in kindergarten. But some of us need to be reminded. While it is worth the click above to read the whole thing, here’s a couple of graphs for millennials and others with short attention […]

Make Layups, Not Three Pointers.

No. 1,467 We haven’t mentioned a favorite blog lately, Time Management Ninja. So here’s a quick tip from Scott Jarrow’s TMN.

Out to Sea.

No. 1,466 Here’s something you don’t see every day, courtesy of Atlas Obscura, one of our favorite websites. The Kiipsaar Lighthouse was built on solid land in 1933, but beach erosion has put it off shore. Check before going to visit. It leans and may well collapse before you get around to visiting Saaremaa, Estonia.

Lawyer-Client Privilege Protects Us All

While a firestorm rages around the use of personal information voluntarily given on an insecure website, a much more serious issue is being raised by the raid on the office, home and hotel room of the President’s personal attorney. Â This was accomplished after a judge heard argument by the Special Counsel, in private, that there was probable cause that such a raid would produce evidence of a crime. Of course, this was all done in secret, so we will not immediately know what was presented to the court. Â Meanwhile, the Special Counsel has seized a treasure trove of documents, most of which have nothing to do with the Special Counsel’s mission. If it is later determined that the information was seized illegally, it will nevertheless be known to prosecutors, police and perhaps to the public.

Its Still a Predatory World.

No. No. 1,464 One constant reminder that there are bad people out there is the continuous barrage of malware-bearing emails we receive. Over time they have become more and more sophisticated. They used to be easy to spot due to misspelling, failure to observe grammar fundamentals, lack of content and other indicators that the author […]

“It Was a Cold Bright Day in April and the Clocks Were Striking Thirteen.”

No. 1,463 The first words of Orwell’s great masterpiece, “1984”. It could have been a day like today, also cold, bright and in April. I’ve often thought that this book played a decisive role in shaping post-WWII Western society. We didn’t want to live in that World and we didn’t want to be Winston Smith. […]

Loneliness of the Long Distance Lawyer

No. 1,462 Are you surprised that, as reported in the ABA Journal, lawyers lead all categories of workers in feeling lonely? Yes, most of us experience long periods in front of computer screens, drafting pleadings, briefs and the like. But in a law firm there should be many other opportunities for collegiality. Yet the feelings […]

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Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

Pittsburgh Legal Back Talk

Legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus.

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