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Do I Need a Business License to Operate in Milwaukee?
 Posted on September 23,2024 in Business Law
Many businesses in Milwaukee are required to obtain a business license before they can legally operate. Whether you are starting a restaurant, retail store, or professional service firm, a license is often necessary to ensure your business complies with local regulations. Even home-based businesses or online operations may need certain permits depending on the type of work you do.

Checking the specific…
Continue Reading Do I Need a Business License to Operate in Milwaukee?

Generative AI still cannot consistently or reliably create content without substantial inaccuracies, racial and gendered biases, or outright fabrications.
In our previous Generative Artificial Intelligence 101 blog post, we defined Generative AI and its many benefits. This time we will discuss why we cannot rely on Generative AI completely, just yet.

While Generative AI is leaps and bounds more advanced than any other type of machine learning program that has ever existed, the current models are still plagued…
Continue Reading Generative Artificial Intelligence 101: Evaluating the Consistency and Reliability of Generative AI for Content Creation

To understand the impact of generative artificial intelligence technology (Generative AI), it is helpful to understand first how this technology differs from artificial intelligence that has been in routine use by many industries.

Artificial intelligence encompasses any theory, computer system, or software that is developed to perform tasks that traditionally required human intelligence. Generative artificial intelligence technology is a subset of this technology.[1]

Starting with the basics, Generative AI is an algorithm that can be used to create…
Continue Reading Generative Artificial Intelligence 101: What Is Generative AI, and What Are Its Benefits?

What is Generative AI, what can it do, and what should you be worried about?
Generative artificial intelligence technology (“Generative AI”) has seen a surge in advancement and attention in the past few years. With the release of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence models (also referred to as “generative AI programs” or simply AI “generators”), Generative AI has integrated itself across many different industries, schools, and even households. As public use of this technology increases, there is a…
Continue Reading Generative Artificial Intelligence 101: An Introduction

This is Erin setting the scene for this week’s post. It’s written by Carter, our high school administrative assistant. It was spurred by our firm’s recent discussions about 1) our culture and how it impacts our actions, and 2) what a target client is. I was happy to see that our people are listening, thinking, and implementing those discussions – even the high schooler. So if he can do it, what’s our excuse if others aren’t? How about you?
Continue Reading OG+S’s Lego Parallel

This week, the ABA released its first formal opinion covering the growing use of generative AI in the practice of law. To ensure clients are protected, the opinion mandates that lawyers using gen AI must “fully consider their applicable ethical obligations” including duties to provide competent legal representation, protect client information, communicate with clients, and charge reasonable fees.

Here are some excerpts from the opinion:

  • “To competently use a GAI tool in a client representation, lawyers need not become

…
Continue Reading Read It or Weep: ABA Issues Opinion on the Growing use of Generative AI in the Practice of Law

As generative AI tools become increasingly sophisticated and widely used, the ability to distinguish between AI-generated and human-written text has become a hot topic. While AI can be an incredibly powerful tool for writing and research, it’s important to understand its strengths, limitations, and potential “tells” that may indicate its use. Below are some tips for detecting AI-generated text and, more importantly, how to improve and personalize AI-assisted writing to make it truly your own.

Last week’s Inside Higher …
Continue Reading Tips on Detecting & Improving AI-generated Text

Typesetting Blocks

“Typography matters because it helps conserve the most valuable resource you have as a writer—reader attention.” Matthew Butterick — Typography for Lawyers.

Lawyers, especially appellate lawyers, spend a lot of time on content and organization. But often when it comes to font and other typographical issues, it is easy to settle for the default—like Times New Roman, bold a few headings, and call it a day. Lawyers often perceive this as the “safe” choice.

Typography is more than what…
Continue Reading Not Just a Matter of Looking Pretty—Why Typography Matters in Legal Writing

We all have good intentions when it comes to volunteering, but oftentimes we either do not know where to start or have limited availability.

But whether you are volunteering weekly, monthly, or even yearly, any time you dedicate your expertise to helping individuals less fortunate, you are involved in public interest volunteering.

Here are opportunities for individuals to find their volunteer journey – whether they are a newly minted volunteer or those with experience seeking to broaden their volunteer…
Continue Reading Get Involved: Public Interest Law Volunteer Opportunities

Before April 24, 2024, Roger G. Merry was a licensed lawyer in the State of Wisconsin despite numerous disciplinary actions. On that date, the Supreme Court finally decided enough is enough and revoked his license, overriding the recommendation of the referee who (amazingly) recommended a one year suspension. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Roger G. Merry, 2024 WI 16. In a concurring opinion, authored by Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, five justices (a majority of the court) agreed with the decision…
Continue Reading Life Means Life, or Not

In rural Wisconsin, attorneys face distinctive obstacles including inadequate access to resources and overburdened calendars (often due to travel).

For attorneys with offices in secluded or rural locations, covering extensive territories to serve their clients and managing multiple duties is essential to maintain their legal practice. Skillfully managing business costs is crucial. Client appointments and court dates necessitate appearances. Leveraging the skills of competent legal assistants can significantly mitigate these hurdles.

Paralegals as trained professionals can perform tasks that…
Continue Reading Rural Lawyers: Reap the Benefits of Teaming Up with Paralegals Remotely

In March 2023, a New York attorney represented a client suing an airline company. The attorney submitted a brief citing over half a dozen cases.

When the judge reviewed the citations, the cases could not be found. The lawyer then admitted to using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to perform the legal research. The artificial intelligence tool had provided fake caselaw and fake citations.

The incident resulted in a $5,000 fine for the attorneys and law firm that submitted the brief.

The…
Continue Reading Artificial Intelligence: The New Frontier in Legal Research?

I’m a little busy.

Most of our clients know my name from receiving invoices, but with 20 years of banking experience, I do a lot of complementary financial activity behind the scenes as well. I document passthrough expenses, reconcile our financial activity internally to make it easier for our accountants, and ensure that the attorney’s time entries are proofread so they appear in an organized, consistent format for the clients on their invoices. I also handle the accounts receivable,…
Continue Reading I’m Juggling More Tasks than a Circus Clown on a Unicycle!

I feel gratitude commemorating two enriching years at Ogden Glazer + Schafer (“OG+S”) as a Paralegal in the Intellectual Property practice. As I reflect on this milestone, I am struck by the journey, the career shift and finding myself in an environment that fosters growth, champions values of DEI, continual learning, and collaboration. Influential author Brené Brown reminds us, “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change” and this change left me feeling unsure yet eager to delve…
Continue Reading Celebrating Two Years as an IP Paralegal: A Journey of Change and Growth

The most followed page on Facebook (other than Facebook’s official page, which is very Meta) is that of Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. He has more than 162 million followers, and every post he shares garners hundreds of thousands of comments and likes within a few hours.
The most-liked social media post of all time is an Instagram post made by soccer player Lionel Messi, a native of Argentina, celebrating his team’s victory in the 2022 …
Continue Reading How to Measure Your Digital Marketing & Set Some Goals

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Each year, Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine does a round-up of the latest legal trends. For the second year in a row I shared my thoughts on a legal marketing trend everyone should be paying attention to.
“Whether you routinely celebrate the work anniversaries of connections on LinkedIn, or have recently purchased a Stanley Quencher, social media is influencing your actions and ideas. And it’s doing the same thing to your clients,” said Emily Stever Kelchen of Kelchen Consulting in Tennessee.
Continue Reading Legal Marketing Trends in 2024