The Law Firm of Caserta, Spiriti & Gonzalez, is providing a helping hand to Floridians, allowing “eligible” low income individuals access to a full service lawfirm with deeply discounted legal care.

The services will fall under the firm’s Affordable Legal Lift Program ™. This program was spearheaded by Senior Member, David Caserta, who after returning back from Tallahassee and witnessing first hand the devastating State Budget Cuts, immediately called a meeting with the firm’s Managing Member, Joe Spiriti, to discuss how the firm could reach out to the overwhelming number of Floridians that cannot afford legal services. Aided by Attorney/Member Maria Cristina Gonzalez, who previously dedicate several years as a family law practitioner with the Dade County Legal Aid Society, Spiriti reviewed some of the public and private programs offered in several states. After weeks of review and joined commitments by all of the Attorneys in the firm, the Affordable Legal Lift Program™ was created.

To be eligible for the Affordable Legal Lift Program ™, individuals will need to fill out a simple application, provide current paystubs, or similar proof of income, and fall within the Client Financial Eligibility Guidelines, which have been set by the firm. The Guidelines are based on Size of Household and Annual Income.

Under the Affordable Legal Lift Program ™, Caserta, Spiriti & Gonzalez will provide as much as a 50% discount off their usual and customary hourly rate. In addition, on Contingency Fee Cases (Where the fee is usually expressed as a percentage of the amount collected or awarded), Caserta, Spiriti & Gonzalez may accept a reduced fee as low as 20% if the case is settled before formal court proceedings begin or 25% if settled after filing the lawsuit.

“With the increased number of foreclosures and level of unemployment, everyone needs to give each other a Lift,” says Caserta.

The law firm of Mitchell Williams Selig Gates & Woodyard PLLC is ramping up its presence in Austin by acquiring a local boutique insurance law firm.

Mitchell Williams, a Little Rock, Ark.-based full-service firm, has taken all five attorneys from longtime Austin firm Long Burner Parks & DeLargy PC to grow its Austin office.

The Austin office of Mitchell Williams was opened by Bill Bingham, who died unexpectedly last December after opening the office a year ago, says Harry Hamlin, managing partner at Mitchell Williams.

Hamlin says the Austin office will likely add three more attorneys by year's end, and grow to about 15 attorneys within three years.

The 50-year old firm has 60 attorneys in its Little Rock office and eight attorneys in a Rogers, Ark., office.

"Initially, we want at least a lateral litigator and lateral transactional attorney. We have immediate needs for those," says Hamlin. "And if it turns out two or three want to come as a group, we'd definitely look at that."

The firm leases space on the ninth floor of the Littlefield Building at Sixth Street and Congress Avenue.

"We had identified Texas because we have a lot of clients with business interests in Texas," says Hamlin.

Those clients include real estate companies, regional banks and insurance companies.

"Texas was logical -- it was just a question of where in Texas," he adds.

Hamlin says the Austin move was based on the firm's steady work for insurance companies, with attorneys regularly representing clients before the Department of Insurance and other state agencies.

The move is also part of a firm-wide initiative to grow in the southern region, Hamlin says.

"This is the first time our firm has gone to another market and brought on this many attorneys," says Hamlin. "We are looking at other [nationwide] markets to do the same thing--smaller groups of attorneys that complement the work we are already doing."

The State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Governors and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee has selected Craig Hunter Wisnom, attorney for Bogutz & Gordon, P.C., as the 2008 recipient for the CLE Award.

The CLE award is given to the State Bar member who has made outstanding contributions to Continuing Legal Education efforts by devoting time and expertise to CLE projects, which may include authoring or editing publications or planning and delivering quality CLE seminars.

Wisnom will be congratulated at the State Bar’s Annual Luncheon on Friday, June 20, 2008, which will be held in conjunction with the Annual State Bar Convention at the Westin La Paloma at 3800 E. Sunrise Drive in Tucson.

A certified specialist in estate and trust law by the State Bar of Arizona, Wisnom has practiced law for 12 years in Arizona in the areas of estate planning, estate and gift taxation, probate and trust administration. He currently serves on the Estate and Trust Advisory Committee, Board of Directors of the Southern Arizona Estate Planners Council. Wisnom is also the past chair of the Probate and Trust Section for the State Bar of Arizona.

By Anne Sutton | The Associated Press

State lawmakers on Wednesday said they don't plan to pursue abuse of power findings against Gov. Sarah Palin, but they do want to know why their subpoenas were ignored in last fall's Troopergate investigation.

Some are steamed that possible witnesses, including several of Palin's top aides, snubbed a September legislative hearing into Palin's firing of her public safety director Walt Monegan.

They want to talk to Attorney General Talis Colberg about why the witnesses didn't show.

"Did he tell them not to answer the subpoenas? It concerns me that if we let it go, next time we try to subpoena people, they'll think there's no authority there," said House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski.

Colberg and Palin did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

The Legislative Council last year, in an unanimous bipartisan vote, ordered an investigation into Monegan's firing, and Palin agreed to cooperate - until she was named John McCain's running mate.

Palin - through her campaign - accused lawmakers of manipulating the probe to be potentially damaging ahead of the November election.

Palin said she would cooperate only with a separate probe by the Alaska State Personnel Board.

Meanwhile Colberg, a Republican appointed by Palin, filed a lawsuit challenging the subpoenas issued in the legislative probe. He claimed the Senate Judiciary Committee had no jurisdiction to issue them and questioned whether the Legislative Council had the authority to begin a probe.

At the time, Colberg said he advised the state employees to either show up and testify or don't and join the lawsuit, which was ultimately dismissed by a judge.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, could hold hearings as early as next week.

"My own interest is in examination of the process and the relationship of the Attorney General: whether he works for the citizens of Alaska, the governor or the people whom he advised to ignore subpoenas issued by the Legislature," Ramras said.

He asked committee member and attorney Lindsey Holmes, D-Anchorage, to look into whether Colberg could refuse to testify, claiming attorney-client privilege.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Hollis French, D-Anchorage, said the Senate is still discussing whether to hold hearings.

The 14 people who were subpoenaed did ultimately testify or provide written statements, "which was good but doesn't undo fact that you were ordered to show up and didn't," French said.

State statute provides for fines and a maximum of six months in jail for contempt of legislative subpoenas, but French said the statute is rarely used.

The Troopergate investigation was looking into whether Palin and others pressured Monegan to fire a state trooper who was involved in a contentious divorce with Palin's sister, and then fired Monegan when he wouldn't dismiss the trooper.

Palin maintains that Monegan was ousted over budget disagreements.

Special counsel Stephen Branchflower found that Palin had abused her office but the firing was legal since Monegan was an at-will employee.

A subsequent investigation by the Alaska State Personnel Board found there was no probable cause to believe Palin or any other state official violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - Although there has been progress over the last two years in funding domestic violence shelters in Arizona, roughly 2/3 of all women seeking shelter are still turned away due to lack of space. Both the Governor and the legislature support an appropriation of least $3 million to increase the number of shelter spaces and help to end turn-aways. $3 million is reportedly included in the Senate draft budget. Domestic Violence WHAT'S GOING ON?

Lots going on! $3 million for additional shelter beds seems very likely to be included in the final state budget. More immediately, SB1227, which allows victims of domestic violence to terminate their lease for safety reasons, has passed and is ready to go to the Governor- thanks to all who sent emails! SB1424, which allows for enhanced penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders, has passed, and is headed for the Governor's desk as well.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ARIZONA WOMEN?

Both bills will keep victims safer, and send an important message to abusers that Arizona takes domestic violence seriously. WHAT CAN I DO? Contact Sponsors Senator Jim Waring and President Tim Bee. These men are heroes who fought off powerful interest groups in order to get these two bills passed. Thank them for helping SB1227 and SB 1424 go all the way. Jim Waring jwaring@azleg.gov Tim Bee tbee@azleg.gov

Sirote & Permutt PC recently expanded its mortgage banking litigation practice to assist financial services and mortgage banking companies with legal challenges surrounding the subprime mortgage banking crisis.

The Birmingham-based firm repositioned 16 lawyers into the team with industry-focused knowledge. The team will be led by Sirote Shareholder C. Lee Reeves, according to the press release.

"Because of the challenging environment that exists today and because of our heavy involvement in mortgage banking generally, we have prioritized the importance of our mortgage banking litigation group to best take care of the needs of our clients."

Sirote & Permutt PC operates offices in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile.

Birmingham Business Journal - by Crystal Jarvis Staff