Law firms penalized for failing to produce WTC insurance documents
Two law firms, Wiley Rein LLP
and Coughlin Duffy LLP , and their associate Zurich American Insurance Company have been penalized with $1.25 million in sanctions by the New York federal judge. Both law firms and the insurance company have been found guilty for failing to produce WTC's insurance documents in the court. The printout of 62-page document was produced on the day of terrorist attacks for Zurich American's chief underwriter Mary Merkel. The document is considered to be a vital proof for WTC's insurance claims. The fraud was committed in an attempt to minimize WTC claims against the insurance company. The federal judge's ruling was in response to a dispute on whether WTC leaseholders Larry Silverstein had acquired liability coverage from Zurich American before 9/11 for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and for Westfield Corp.
Whitehill launches software to automate law firms' business process
Whitehill Technologies, Inc. has introduced Whitehill BPI for Legal 5.6 software that would support law firms in workflow and data integration.
By adopting this newly designed software, the firms can automate critical procedures and thus enhance their efficiency in a big way. For instance, when a firm enters into a new business relationship, it has to tackle complex and lengthy processes to make sure that there are no disputes with existing matters. Whitehill BPI will enable the firm to bill the client at the earliest. It would also assist the firms in other crucial aspects such as hiring of new people and monitoring requests and ethical walls. Law firms use ethical walls to protect sensitive information. "Law firms can use the graphical modeling interface in Whitehill BPI for Legal to model, design, and automate any business process," informed Rob Stote, the product manager of Whitehill Technologies.
BIZARRE NEWS
Irresponsible behavior causes flood
A pair of undergarments, a bra and knickers, were responsible for a flood and road collapse in County Durham, England. Somebody had flushed the underwear in a toilet causing a sewage pipe blockage under a busy road. A heavy downpour accompanied by grease and fat caused the pipe to burst, and the road to collapse. It resulted in damaging more than 20 homes and caused excrement and dirty water to flow down Middleton Lane. The repairs would take five days and cost the government £15,000 ($29,700). "It was a very irresponsible behavior," exclaimed a spokesman from Northumbrian Water, a water company. "These pipes are not designed to carry bras and knickers."
