Put Into Practice Newsletter
March 2021
Jay Reeves, author
The Lawyer Who Lost His Bucket List
“Life is what happens when we’re busy making plans.”

Once upon a time there was a lawyer who had a bucket list. This was not just any bucket list. It was the Best Bucket List Ever...
Time For A Real Estate Risk Management Spring Cleaning

Generally, Covid-19 has negatively impacted most folks’ lives, the economy and many law practices. Yet, I am hearing from real estate lawyers across North Carolina that their residential and commercial practices are busier than ever to the point that some attorneys have had to turn away work in order to maintain quality control.
Practice Points with Mark Scruggs: What Is Your Blue Chair?

What keeps you doing what you are doing? When you think, “I would like to try something new,” what stops you? What is your next thought? Is it, “But I can’t because…?"

When someone asks me what I do for a living, I say, “I’m a lawyer!” 
Tom Lenfestey and Camille Stell Release New Book on Succession Planning

Tom Lenfestey and Camille Stell recently released a new book for lawyers contemplating their next stage, Designing a Succession Plan for Your Law Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Preparing Your Firm for Maximum Value. The book, edited by Jay Reeves, is available for purchase on Amazon.
NC Updates
Temporary Emergency Video Notarization Law Expired March 1, 2021
The North Carolina General Assembly has not finalized an extension of the temporary emergency video notarization law and the law expired at 12:01 a.m. on March 1, 2021. As of Monday, March 1, 2021, all notarial acts will revert back to the original law and require in person presence by the signer. See the Special Update from the NC Secretary of State here.
State Bar Accepting Comments On Proposed Formal Ethics Opinion Through March 26
The North Carolina State Bar Ethics Committee approved the publication of one new opinion, proposed 2021 Formal Ethics Opinion 1, Contemporaneous Residential Real Estate Closings, available here for review. Comments on the proposed opinion may be sent to ethicscomments@ncbar.gov through Friday, March 26.
NC Legal Feeding Frenzy | Registration Open | March 1-31
The NC Legal Feeding Frenzy is an annual joint program of the NCBA Young Lawyers Division and Feeding the Carolinas food banks. It aims to fight hunger across North Carolina by uniting the legal community in support of local food banks. To register or for more information on this year’s event, please visit the LFF2021 website, blog post and video.
NCBA Professional Vitality Committee Unveils New E-book
The NCBA Professional Vitality Committee revised and retitled its book on succession planning (Turning Out the Lights) to Retire? Reset? Reinvent? – Planning for the Next Stage of Your Law Practice. Lots of forms, checklists, and practical information in this free ebook.
Risk Management Spotlight
File Management: Retention and Destruction
With spring around the corner, what better time to revisit your file management system. A law office depends on its filing system to function efficiently. From the opening to the closing of the file, having set standards for procedure ensures everyone in the office handle files in the same manner. Adopting a firm wide policy saves time and money and reduces the risk of a malpractice claim.
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