MARCH 1983 L'llfr (Aef:) ~Ijlj Robcn a Lh 1Ff,Lt, - Fl..Dic.>R Jm Nc,Wcll
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,. • • _.... , .,- - ''At Union Bank, ure urork hard to ea1·11your i.1·11st.'' -He nry A. Leslie. Pmsiclen 1mid Chi er l'.xec;utiv c (Jlnc(:i' Un.ion Bank works closely wilh man y Alabama attmneys in U1eadminislralion of trusts and estates. Ow ' investn1ent capabilities have increased dramati cally in the past yea r by the addition of a state-of-U1e-artcomputerized system. As Alabama 's largest independ ent bank , we control all our investtnent processing wiUli.n Lhe Trust Dep arlmenl to assure constant attention and cornp.lete confidentiality l'oryoL1rclient s. We invite your questions about Union Bank's tru st services. Ow· exper ienced I rust officers will be glad to discuss m1y busine ss, financial 0 1· aclntinislra tive aspect of ilie services we pro vide. 11111>11 BAJ1K & TRUSl: a,srnrnc, 60 Commerce Street Montgom e1y, Alabama 36104 (205) 265-8201 _ Three in a ro\V ... A winning comb inati on for Alabam a attorneys. $59.95 $69.95 $34.95 THEJ~~f :HARRISONCONJPANY, PU BLISHERS 3110 Crossan~ Pnrk • Norcros., Georgia 30071 __ _. :11ary~~.........._.,,,..,. Th, Abblm,, Scl!Wa. P O la,•~ Mc.-,,g J, AL ..- THE MARCH 1983 l'llfR (aef:) ~IJlj Robcn A lh 1ff,lt, - fl..dic.>r Jm Nc,wcll......t.Utlllg.. 11..dilf.lf BOARD OF EDITORS Phillip E. Ad1ma,. Jr.. Opc:lib • 8,uion W. A1he. 1\uicw'nka • R.obr:rtP . Ocani.Kon.)klbdc: • Vamcm Penn l'>u,,nt , Mo.wp w:c, • Pund: H- GtWct,. It~ Hunuwdk • kobtn ll,. H.uwood . ,, ., T11K•• - • 0...,., L,...... J,, Mol>ilc • Wilham D. M-. E......- • L llr<WltoddM. IJinmngb,m • o..lAnn Smida, l1muftgh1m • J. ~i-art Wh.i1t. lum ins · h.,n, • J, 0. S.,,,,U, oc-offirio,Mom.,..w, OFFICERS N«bomc C. Scone, ,,., 81y &fiacttc • Prahlc nt \V'1U1.1ml\. t-laJnQ)n.,Jr .,. Birmingham• l"-n:tidmt•cka Ourio fl. Ad.tu. o.dcviUc . V'ttt Ptaidcnt. ~ T , H11mcr, ~l.;,...guuo) • Scamty BOARD OF _ ___,,- _..___ ---.,_ COMMISSIONERS i..-::-- 1 -- 11t.Omait.EdwlldP .1'1mcr-,Jr... Owom • 1nd0ttuh.. i:=.~==-=·------··----···- .. -·-= Bankrupt cy practice under r. Rkhard Han.Icy, Otn:nvillc• vd Cir~ J, Gorm,n ~--- .. Hot.1itoo. Jr., Et.ifa,1,11.a• 4th Omait, H.a.nyW . Gainblt, 1r--- ..-----·--· ~--·- the rul~ Jr.,Scl,na • fth Clrc;u.11, Charle$R. Ada.ir, 08\1\ llt • 0th =::.::-~=1·~,v-=~~===-:..t:..,,':E::\:~...-.: E:-::. .,~ "::".:.::: ... -pg. 8+ Qr(W~ W•hcr I•, Cn:,wnoVtt, Tusealoou • 71.h(lrculi-,. H4 W'f"l( Lovt, AnnistQn • Ith Circuit.llobcn Str.1ub, Although the United S12.ccsSupreme Dean,, • och Orcui, .. Witli.un D. Scnagp, fr., ft. in Payn< • 1och Circui c, W~rrcn 8. Ug.htfooc , Coun decision Ntirthen, Piptlinr de 811:nunJNm • nth Cucmi. Srnnrt O'&n_ooq,, Jr .• clued the Bankruptcy Rcfonn Act of Fiottntt • whCircw.JO<C o,...ty , Eao:rJ""C• •JO> 1?78 unconstinnion2l, the promulgation 0.-. 8m H. t1...._ 1,. ~lcbk • 14d>0-. fociP . of• special rule 1w allowed the ~Jr .,J...... • umaro..AlbcnW . Olpland, bw · Mon1gomc-ry • 10olh Cuant, Ludgcr 0 , +\i anan, = ruptcy system ro function pending re Gad•dcn • 17eh Oirau-c~ R..kb.l.rd $, Manlty , medial legi~latioo. Dcmnpolj• • 1lrh Ci.rcuit. Olivier r. Head , Col\&inbm:u• f«h Clrmit, Ted Taylot, Pranvllk • icth Om,i. t, \Vllk Baxky. Oocha11• 1.J:M 01\'.Ull, n,001o . Garren, brcw1on • ;und O ro.air, Har(lold Albruron, Andaluila • a1rd Circuit, G,ry C. Huckaby, 1-lunuv,lk • 1;41h Cuc:un, L E- Gola, Vernon • >1th The gulf separating i?int Or<ult. - v""""' H,m,lroo • '6ch em,1,, !lab tenancy and tenancy m Fmik. l'llmm Ory • '1th Cittu1t, O,,,k> R. H..., J•.. common -.a. • loldl Oiwi&. J, Dao &.a . Fol<y• .,.t, am., Hwl M. i..o...T.a.dcg, • )Cd, Cimul. O,n, -pg. 72 & __ .... Cry . .... a..,,;,.Gornwa R. - Sbcffitld • Jsl.'ld Orau1. Joha D,,.fd KAip, . R.cccru:/\b.b.unaSupreme Coundcci o,11man • 11"l0-. \\'iliom B. Mm11<w1.On rl • )4th Circu11, H, NC'.ll T-.yto,. Sr... Jtuudh, lk • um sions have blurred the distinctions be· OttU 11., l:idwinC. r,_gr.,.Jr.. EvcrgfCCO • ,od, <lmlll, A. tween joint tenoncy ond tcnaney in Philip Rckh II, i1o<oron • l?Ul Circuit. Robert M. common. Anful drafring of deeds is cru Har pcr 1 Auburt1 • }3th Circ.uil, John ft. J)r«u)r, Scoiuboro • wch Circult, \Yi01.1n, Bw" Shc:m11,A thc-1u cial to cooveynncc of the proper estate. GENERAL INFORMATION n. AWN.. 1-,a- • ,.,..._.. - ..... ,... • ,-,. .._ ,..,. , l"'r,.,.. s.,..-.., ,-......_.,._ ., .. - or On the cover .,, 1mffl IO ........ __lff-... ~ , .. ft.~ upoe~ f'ubbalioo (JI 141Id Tiionb tO the Moncgomcry Arca "'1blc'mmt ltnotr.o brdcaned••--al..,- ~ Oio.mbcrof Commcoccfor providing ld'YI uffm.d..All 6dwmMJUf"f • n:qc:c.,to tppr ·0\-.1&.Md the publidtcf~ lfl<~ I IQ ttjtn Ill)' CONickttdc:,i,ircbon.tJ WI this beautiful phocograph of an early ~nr,c:c or «in11m spring in Montgomery. TheAl,b,,,.~ L.."7(l' it J~d to .IC!dlbOtlnxrnbm wltl1ou1 daargi.. I(• member .tklllld n!lllfl't. it •il l ben«cu111)' 10 tubnttl1 <hqe ol ldch.M In oitckt 111>connnuc ~11.og tbt put,IICtbOfl Nonmembtt ....,..,ipWM. $tl,.OO in lhc UnMedSum. »cJ.00 clwwfiaLAl~-bic~Sinsle---M'(,.._ IJ,OCI, ISSUE IN BRIEF Regul ar Featur es President's Page . 68 Executive Director's Report .... ... 69 Book review Letters to the Editor . 71 Alabama Law ofD amages Riding the Circuits . 78 -pg. 87 CLE News and Events . 80 Measurement and proofof damages in Young Lawyers' Section . 83 civil litigation often presents a bewil Avoiding Legal Malpractice dering array of n ues and cx-ceptions. A Claims . ... ... ... 88 new ueatise offers a practical explana· tion of this area of the law. Recent Decisions . 90 Bar Briefs . 94 Legislative Wrap-Up . 98 The Lighter Side of Law . .. ... 106 About Members, Among Do you know how to write Firms .. ... .. .... 109 a fee letter ? General Counsel -pg. 100 Opinion s . .. .. .. no Disciplinary Report . 111 A frequent soLLrceof con.flict between an attorney and client is a misun The Final Judgment . 113 derstanding of the fee arrangement. This Classifieds . 115 po t enti al prob lem ca n be avo ided Et Cetera . 116 through the use of a clearan d concise fee letter. What' s news statewide? -pg. 94 Bar exam challenged in coun, Ala· bama wins ABA Law Day Award, Su preme Coun adopts new criminal nues, Prt.lident- clect of the ABA speaks at Montgomery meeting, and other news briefs of interest inside. GJ>residettt's <¥age Th e idea beh ind this page is to ing to have the cooperatio n ofd 1c Office Association, as our guest speaker at the bring to the attention of d1c members of of the Compt roller and also of the Ad Bench and Bar luncheon. H e is a de the Bar matters whid 1 the writer thinks ministrat ive Office of Couru in atuck lightful and interesting Texas lawyer, might bcof particula r interest and to also ing this problem. and l am confidcnr you will enjoy meet· create an awareness of particular prob ln tl1is regard, ] feel compelled tosra tc ing him and listening ro his rcmark.s. lems fuccd by the Bar. that d1c Disciplinary Co mmission and The Alabama Lawyer die st:lff arc doing an cxcdlcor job in CLE crying ro keep o ur doc ket of disciplinary 1 have rccch,'--dno adverseco1n mcnrs First , let's talk about Co ntinuing proceedings current and to hand le all wid1 respect to the new fonnar of T/Je Legal Educ~tion . 111erc arc 6,943 mem comp laints c.,pcditio usly. Alabama, Lawyer. I would like to remark bers of the Alabama State Bar who arc here d,nt we willcontin ue to make d1is a subject ro the rules governing continu Board of Bar Examiners publication by lawyers for lawyers aod ing legal education. As of the last of Jan· One of the hardest working grou ps of that the Board of Bar Comm issioners uary nincry•rwo percent of those mcm the Bar is the Board of Bar Examiners. has made it abundantl y dea r this must be bcts have complied by submitting their The lawyers who have undertaken to done. We appropriate a good bitofyou r rcpom. We thiok this is a great response serve on this Board really do a tremen money each year to die publication and and the members arc to be commend ed dous job and are fuced wid1 a tremen \V C have a.continuing duty to sec that ,vc for their cooperatio n and assisrancc. We do us burden . Recently appointed to fill give you a first class job. have had some problem with getting re vacancies o n the d1frtL-.:n-mcmberboard Conclusion pons from members who arc exempt , arc Robert L. Potts , Janics F. H ughey , bu r who muse, nevertheless, file a com Jr., Max C. Pope, George P. Ford and The Depar tm ent of Exam i,iers of pliance rcp,,rr. And so you can sec, d1c Dow M. Perry, Jr. ln July, 429 candi Public Accounts has recently comp leted active pra<..1:icingatt orneys have, by and da tes rook ou r exam. Three hu nd red an audit of the records of the Alabama large , complied. A number of extensions thirry-1:ivewe re certified ro the Supreme Bar and c.,ccpr for o ne or 1wo recom had been granted as of January 31st.