A Day in the Life

Here's how I've spent my day.

I had a conference call with a client's personnel and discussed the interplay of three different state materialmen's lien laws, bankruptcy preference law and the efficacy of a field warehousing agreement versus a deed to secure debt in light of the previously mentioned laws and accounting. We have a plan of action; and, we'll see how it works out.

Then I reviewed a bunch of documents in a case to be able to outline what I see as the relevant facts in a dispute and researched various aspects of Colorado and Kentucky law to put in a letter to the other side's lawyer which politely threatens litigation if his client doesn't get reasonable.

About an hour ago, I called a person who had sued my client. He had filed a response to a motion but hadn't served me with the papers as the court rules require (he isn't a lawyer and didn't retain a lawyer). He said he'd fax the papers right over to me. No papers.

Got a settlement check in, that was nice.

Then I reviewed a letter from a railroad denying my client's claim for lost market value of a shipment that the railroad "lost" for five months, during which time the price for the material sky-rocketed, and just before the time the cars were "found," started precipitously dropping. Then I looked at the bills of lading, various tariffs and price lists to determine if a particular document, which would bar my client's claim, was a part of the deal. I'm not sure and am typing this instead of delving further into the concept of incorporation by reference in the age electronic commerce.

Mothers, don't let your babies grow up to be lawyers.