By BRIAN NGUGI, [email protected]

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battled to break out of deadlocked polls Tuesday after clashing

It says the group claimed responsibility for botched terrorist attack at Mombasa’s Central Police

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The need for Government to take heed of the feelings of smaller firms over the UK’s exit from the European Union, was the key point to emerge from a debate that kicked off Wolverhampton Business Week.

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Few would expect a public relations agency to run on the business model of a law firm, but that is the unusual route founder Cho Pei Lin has charted for her company Asia PR Werkz.

And it is a route that has turned out well for the firm, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, making it one of the oldest home-grown PR firms.

Much like in a law firm, Asia PR Werkz operates largely based on a shareholder agreement that allows individuals to join the agency as directors and take up shares in the company.

These directors – the PR equivalent of law firm partners – develop their own clientele and lead their own teams, although they share premises, resources and networks.

The aim, says managing director Ms Cho, 38, is to help ensure that the business is able to carry on and flourish in the long run.

The firm has more than 30 staff, led by five directors, and counts among its biggest clients organisations such as Nestle Singapore, AXA Singapore, Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Singapore government agencies. It raked in over $4 million in revenue last year.

“I’ve always been very intrigued by law firms like Drew & Napier and Allen & Gledhill – their founding partners are no longer around, yet lawyers still want to join the company, and the brand still continues to grow,” Ms Cho told The Straits Times in a recent interview.

“I wanted our company to be able to do the same. Because for many PR firms, longevity is a problem. There are about 150 PR agencies here. But how many – and let’s not talk about the international brands – are actually able to survive and grow?”

Ms Cho says Asia PR Werkz’s corporate structure is built on a two-pronged strategy: to allow the directors to take ownership of their work, and to allow diversity across portfolios in the company, as the directors each focus on different areas of work.

“Working with a PR agency is really quite similar to law. Clients come to you when you’re able to give good strategic advice or consultancy services. So it’s important that our corporate structure is able to draw people who are here to stay and lead the business forward,” she noted.

Ms Cho, who graduated from the National University of Singapore with a law degree in 2001, gave up her two-year-old job as a lawyer at Harry Elias Partnership – which she enjoyed, despite the extensive working hours – to start her own business in 2003.

“The turning point for me came when my mother presented me with an ultimatum of sorts. I was to go for a family holiday as promised – because I had been working non-stop, which left me hardly any time to spend with my family and friends – or to not go home at all,” she recalled with a laugh.

Driven in part by a desire to become her own boss, Ms Cho took her mother’s terms and, together with her good friend Julie Chiang, who is also a director at Asia PR Werkz, took out $20,000 in savings to set up PR Werkz.

A year later, PR Werkz merged with Asia PR.comz, a technology-focused PR company that was set up in 1996 by another friend, to become today’s Asia PR Werkz. Hence it marks its 20th anniversary this year.

Ms Cho then spent three months learning about corporate structures and contracts from senior partners at law firms, auditors and board directors, before sitting down to draw up the shareholder contract.

“The journey really wasn’t easy. At the beginning, we weren’t getting paid, we couldn’t even afford to buy a photocopier. We really had to build up our brand name from scratch,” said Ms Cho.

Using her legal background, Ms Cho made her foray into litigation PR, or the management of communication processes during the course of an ongoing lawsuit or legal dispute.

She is known in the industry today as one of the first people to introduce litigation PR to Singapore.

Ms Cho’s vision is for more and younger directors to take the baton and continue to grow the company.

To stay ahead of the game, for instance, Asia PR Werkz last year brought in a new director, Ms Sharon Koh, 38, to head digital and social media projects amid growing demand for such services.

Ms Cho also hopes the firm will be able to inspire more PR practitioners here, like it did for one of its directors, Ms Lim Wee Ling.

Ms Lim, 38, a former civil servant, admits she used to be sceptical about spending money on engaging PR agencies, “when it seemed like whatever they did, we could do ourselves too”.

But a curiosity to see how PR really works, coupled with a desire to try working in the private sector, led her to join Asia PR Werkz as a consultant in 2006 – a move that changed her mind about the profession. In 2010, Ms Lim was promoted to associate director, and then to director a year later.

“At the end of the day, I realised that mediocre agencies do exist. You can get by by just taking a brief from a client and doing whatever they tell you to do,” she noted.

“But you can also take the lead. You can come up with ideas, challenge your clients, change their minds, or suggest things they have never thought about. Being able to do this makes all the difference, and it has also helped me see the depth that goes into PR work.”

Ms Cho added: “There will come a time when I will retire… Whatever it is that I’ll be doing, the hope is that Asia PR Werkz can continue, and there will be more people who will help bring the business to even greater heights.”

tsjwoo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 26, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

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/EINPresswire.com/ —
Edge Legal Marketing, a Minneapolis-based marketing and public relations firm serving the needs of entities in the legal market, today announced that the company has been named as a Best Law Firm Public Relations Agency and as a Best Law Firm Advertising Agency in the 2016 New York Law Journal Reader Rankings.

“It is always an honor to be named in the Reader Rankings by those we serve in the legal community,” says Amy Juers, CEO of Edge Legal Marketing. “The role of marketing and public relations has been changing drastically, as they become more connected than ever before. Edge has evolved too and we are proud that our efforts have been noticed. As organizations within the legal industry look for tactics that will meet their strategic goals, we will continue to use our long-standing expertise to advise clients on solutions to meet challenges while increasing visibility. Edge focuses on new ways to contribute ideas in the changing landscape and on proven ways to cut through the clutter with messaging that will gain attention while remaining true to the brand.”

Published since 2010, the New York Law Journal Reader Rankings allows the New York legal community to submit votes for their favorite vendors. In 2016, over 8,000 votes were submitted in more than 100 categories. This is the third year Edge has been named within the Best Law Firm Public Relations Agency and Best Law Firm PR Agency categories.

A complete list of the results of the 2016 Reader Rankings survey is available in the most recent issue of the New York Law Journal.

Edge has also been named in two categories of Texas Lawyer’s Texas’ Best, four categories of the MarCom Awards, two categories of the New Jersey Law Journal’s Readers’ Poll, in two categories for the National Law Journal and the sister company to Edge Legal Marketing, Accounting Edge Marketing, won the K2 Enterprises Quality Award for Social Media. To learn more about Edge Legal Marketing, visit www.edgelegalmarketing.com.

About Edge Legal Marketing
Edge Legal Marketing (www.edgelegalmarketing.com) delivers marketing and public relations expertise to entities in the legal market. The company helps B2B businesses market and sell their products and services to corporate legal departments, law firms, federal and state courts and legal associations. Edge Legal Marketing services include strategic planning, marketing and e-marketing action plans, alliance building, website development, market research, public relations and advertising (concept and media plans).

Media Contact:
Vicki LaBrosse
Director of Media Relations
Edge Legal Marketing
651-552-7753
Email Contact

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Construction law attorneys Beth-Ann Schulman and Jennifer Haynes have joined Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. (http://www.boydjen.com) in the firm’s newest location in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando, Florida (PRWEB) September 26, 2016

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. (http://www.boydjen.com) is pleased to announce that Beth-Ann Schulman and Jennifer G. Haynes have joined the firm. The two attorneys will work from the newest Boyd & Jenerette location in Orlando, Florida.

“We are excited to welcome Beth and Jennifer, and to grow Boyd & Jenerette’s existing office network with a presence in the dynamic Orlando market,” said Benford Samuels, a shareholder in the Jacksonville office. “Florida is now the third most populous state in the country, and this rapid development is reflected in the residential, commercial and roadway construction market.”

The Construction Law Group, which represents insurance carriers, general contractors, subcontractors, developers, and design professionals across Florida, is the first of the firm’s practice groups to expand its presence in the Central Florida market.

Boyd & Jenerette also maintains Florida offices in Jacksonville and Coconut Creek, as well as an office in Savannah, Georgia.

INTRODUCING THE ORLANDO ATTORNEYS AND SUPPORT STAFF

Beth-Ann Schulman leads the Construction Law practice group and also manages the Orlando office. She is Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Mediator, a Florida Approved Arbitrator, listed in Florida Trend Legal Elite (2013, 2014) and is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Ms. Schulman represents general contractors, subcontractors, developers, and design professionals in all areas of construction law in both a litigation and transactional capacity. She started her legal construction experience with Moye, O’Brien, O’Rourke, Pickert & Martin, a nationally recognized construction law firm. At Moye, O’Brien, Ms. Schulman represented owners and contractors primarily related to theme park construction, horizontal heavy civil construction projects, Florida lien claims and the representation of design professionals. Additionally, she is experienced in drafting delay claims, contracts, subcontracts and various other transactions relating to the construction industry. In 2006, Ms. Schulman started Travelers’ Florida staff counsel construction defect litigation practice. At Travelers, Ms. Schulman was the product line lead for the state of Florida and served on the national construction defect leadership board. For the last four years, Ms. Schulman has been in private practice serving the construction industry.

Ms. Schulman holds an M.S. in Taxation from the University of Central Florida – College of Business Administration (2001), a J.D. from Stetson University College of Law (1996), and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Central Florida (1993). She is licensed Certified Public Accountant. Ms. Schulman is admitted to practice law in Florida (1997), the District of Columbia (1999), and all U.S. District Courts in Florida.

Jennifer G. Haynes is joining the firm as an associate in the Orlando office. She concentrates her practice in construction law, with an emphasis on construction defect litigation. Ms. Haynes holds a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law (2005) and a B.A. in Sports Management and Marketing from Marshall University (2001). She is licensed to practice law in Florida (2006) and in the U.S. District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.

Also joining the firm in the Orlando office are Teresa A. Neufeld, paralegal, and Fabiola Gonzalez, legal assistant.

ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION LAW GROUP

The Boyd & Jenerette Construction Law Group offers clients a full-service construction law practice throughout Florida. The firm understands the specialized needs of those in the construction industry, from pre-suit intervention when litigation can be avoided, to a full trial when needed. Litigation avoidance is a priority for Boyd & Jenerette, so the firm works closely with owners, contractors, design professionals, developers, and suppliers on a day-to-day basis to support a range of business and legal needs, including contract drafting and review, insurance coverage, licensing, liens, and surety work. Several attorneys’ practices concentrate in professional liability defense of design professionals.

Three attorneys in the Construction Law Group—Elizabeth B. Ferguson, Michael J. Childers and Beth-Ann Schulman —are Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Construction Law. They specialize in residential, commercial and roadway construction law matters. The Construction Law Group also works hand-in-hand with the Workers’ Compensation and Employment Group to assist clients with employment issues and stop work orders.

ABOUT BOYD & JENERETTE, P.A.

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. (http://www.boydjen.com) is a civil litigation law firm with offices in Florida and Georgia. The Firm’s practice areas include insurance bad faith and coverage, workers’ compensation, Longshore and Defense Base Act claims, Admiralty and Jones Act claims, immigration, construction, transportation, commercial litigation, and the defense of claims involving auto, premises, product or professional liability. The Firm is also experienced in handling civil appeals in state and federal courts, as well as alternative dispute resolution.

The Firm maintains a commitment to excellence in advocacy when pursuing client’s goals through pre-suit resolution, mediation, arbitration or trial. Our team of experienced attorneys and staff members work to help insurance carriers, their insureds, self-insured entities and others manage risk and reduce exposure through training, counsel and an aggressive, cost effective defense litigation strategy.

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. strives to build long-term client relationships through outstanding service, which is reflected in part through attorney credentials and peer recognition. Eight of the Firm’s attorneys are Board Certified by The Florida Bar, including one in the area of Civil Trial, one in Appellate Law, three in Construction Law, and three in Workers’ Compensation. The Firm is AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and 13 of the Firm’s attorneys are also AV Peer Review Rated at an individual level.

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. is recognized in the 2016 “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® in the following areas: Tier 1, Jacksonville, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Tier 2, Jacksonville, Insurance Law. The Firm is honored to have been recognized in Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings for six consecutive years (2011 – 2016).

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. was founded by Charles T. Boyd, Jr. and Noah H. Jenerette, Jr. in 1952. It is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with additional offices in Coconut Creek, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. Details are online at http://www.boydjen.com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13713231.htm

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INTERNATIONAL law firm Ashurst is on track to achieve its goal of creating 300 jobs within five years of opening its Glasgow legal and business support services centre.

The firm, which will receive a total of £2.4 million from Scottish Development International if it meets the target within five years of its August 2012 launch, now employs 230 people in its Waterloo Street base.

Mike Polson, managing partner of the office, said the firm is “very much on track” despite the legal world changing “dramatically in terms of efficiency and innovation” in the past three years.

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SINGAPORE — Despite the glut of lawyers here, Singapore’s third and newest law school at SIM University (UniSIM), which targets mature students and focuses on community law, attracted an overwhelming response for its inaugural admission exercise, with 388 applicants competing for 60 places.

While it said the large number of applications shows a “strong desire among Singaporeans to pursue a legal career”, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) noted that demand for legal services and lawyers is “market-driven and dependent on the economy and societal needs”.

“Those wishing to study law should therefore enter knowing that competition will be stiff if they wish to pursue a career as a lawyer,” said MinLaw. “This is a point that the ministry has highlighted since 2014 and made relevant statistics available so that students contemplating law programmes can make informed choices.”

The third law school was set up after recommendations from a committee looking into the supply of lawyers noted a shortage of those practising community law, which includes criminal and family law.

MinLaw said that in 2014, around 3,600 lawyers with a valid practising certificate indicated that they practised corporate and commercial law, while around 1,600 of them indicated that they practised family and/or criminal law. Previously, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Law Indranee Rajah had said more community law practitioners are needed to meet the sustained demand, noting that roughly 10 per cent of the pool are over the age of 65.

The overall oversupply of lawyers was flagged by Law Minister K Shanmugam two years ago, when he asked aspiring lawyers to temper their expectations in terms of pay and job opportunities, and that the spurt in the number of Singaporeans reading law overseas could result in an oversupply in the coming years. Last month, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon raised the issue again in his speech at the Mass Call Ceremony, an annual event organised by the Supreme Court of Singapore for the admission of newly admitted advocates and solicitors to the Singapore Bar. 

He said a committee would be set up to tackle the issue — specifically by reviewing ways in which law firms offer training contracts to fresh law graduates, make decisions to retain them and later nurture them. He also suggested that trainees who are not offered employment contracts could serve as paralegals until their admission to full professional status at a later time.

Applications for UniSIM’s School of Law, which will begin classes in January next year, had opened in March and over 90 per cent of the applicants are working professionals, including paralegals, law enforcement officers, court employees and social workers. 

The university said the majority of the applicants are mature students with an average working experience of 11 years. Twenty-seven applicants have been accepted for the Bachelor of Laws programme, which is meant for students with A-Levels or diploma qualifications. Another 33 have been offered places in the Juris Doctor programme, meant for students who already have a Bachelor’s degree in other disciplines.

The selection process included an interview with a panel of four members to assess the candidates’ commitment to the practice of criminal and family law. UniSIM School of Law dean Leslie Chew said many of the applicants have a “compelling real-life experience that persuaded the interviewers that they are serious about becoming criminal law practitioners and family lawyers”. He added: “They are the kind of students with exactly the right background and disposition that we are looking (for) to meet the increasing social need for such lawyers in Singapore.”

Asked if UniSIM’s intake should be increased given the robust demand, some community law practitioners said a wait-and-see approach should be adopted.

Mr Sunil Sudheesan, who is acting president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore, suggested relooking the situation after UniSIM’s first law cohort graduates.

He also pointed out that UniSIM’s law graduates will be trained in other practice areas and may not practise community law exclusively. “You enjoy criminal (law) work … but if it doesn’t pay your bills you may have to do other things (apart from criminal law),” he said.

Ms Christine Low, who practises family and criminal law, said there have been “significantly more enquires” about divorce cases in the past two years, particularly from the expatriate community. “This indicates that the trend of increasing divorce cases is continuing,” she said. “It is therefore likely that more lawyers will be required to meet this demand.”

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Known for expertise in personal injury and criminal defense cases, Van Norman LawFirm has been a big name in legal scene in Scottsdale. The honchos of the company invited some of the local press people to their office to discuss the potential aspects of DUI cases, also talking of their offer on free initial consultation, which is likely to benefit many.

Van Norman Law Firm is among the known legal firms in the region, and their work has reflected in the hundreds of cases they have handled so far. Their recent event at their office was more like a ‘meet and greet’ event, where they talked to the local press about how the recent Supreme Court ruling can impact thousands of cases and announced their free consultation offer.

Founder Kevin Van Norman, who is also a celebrated Scottsdale DUI lawyer, started by talking to the press about Supreme Court ruling, which asked suppress the results of around 11 cases, mainly because there were chances of possible malfunctioning of machinery used by Scottsdale Police Department. He added that the new ruling is likely to be one of the key aspects of changes, adding that more defendants are now likely to suspect problems in blood testing equipment. As a revered Scottsdale criminal attorney, he also expressed his views on the matter, discussing aspects that many had questions about.

The main highlight of the event, however, was their announcement of offering free consultation. The publicist of the company started by talking of the same, adding that the law firm is committed to helping people, and therefore, all the cases can now get free initial consultation. She also added that the company is working extremely hard to ensure that clients get support within hours, and they are also investing in their client care systems. She assured clients that DUI cases, although complicated, can be handled with the right approach.

For defendants looking for Scottsdale Lawyer, this is surely a big step for sure. At least, with leading names offering the initial ideas, the case structure can get easier for sure.

About Van Norman Law

Van Norman Law Firm Scottsdale is among the best branded names in handling personal injury cases and criminal defense clients. The company has worked on hundreds of cases and is known for their team of legal experts, who are always available to discuss aspects with clients for the best possible assistance and representation.

Media Contact
Company Name: Van Norman Law
Email: contact@vannormanlaw.com
Phone: (480) 405-3357
Address:7272 E Indian School Rd #203
City: Scottsdale
State: AZ
Country: United States
Website: https://www.vannormanlaw.com

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. Frankly and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@franklyinc.com

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NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Orbital ATK, Inc. (“Orbital” or the “Company”) (NYSE:OA) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, and docketed under 16-cv-01031, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Orbital securities between June 1, 2015 and August 9, 2016 inclusive (the “Class Period”). This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). 

If you are a shareholder who purchased Orbital securities during the Class Period, you have until October 11, 2016 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class.  A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. 

[Click here to join this class action]

Orbital develops and produces aerospace, defense, and aviation-related products for the U.S. Government, allied nations, prime contractors, and other customers in the United States and internationally.  The Company was formed through a February 2015 merger between Orbital Sciences Corporation and Alliant Techsystems Inc.  In September 2012, Orbital entered into a $2.3 billion long-term contract (the “Contract”) with the U.S. Army to manufacture and supply small caliber ammunition at the U.S. Army’s Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects.  Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Orbital lacked effective control over financial reporting; (ii) as a result, the Company failed to record an anticipated loss on the Contract after the loss became evident in 2015, as required by generally accepted accounting principles; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, Orbital’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. 

On August 10, 2016, pre-market, Orbital announced that the Company would miss its Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-Q filing deadline for its most recent quarter and that “the Company’s previously issued financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”), the nine-month transition period ended December 31, 2015 (“2015 transition period”), the quarters in fiscal 2015 and the 2015 transition period, and the quarter ended April 3, 2016 . . . should no longer be relied upon” as a results of misstatements relating primarily to the Contract.  The Company advised investors that “[a]fter considering the misstatements . . . the Company believes that the Contract will result in a net loss over its 10-year term.”  The Company further stated these issues “indicate the existence of one or more material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.” 

On this news, Orbital’s share price fell $17.98, or 20.25%, to close at $70.79 on August 10, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

/EIN News/ —  

CONTACT:
                    Robert S. Willoughby
                    Pomerantz LLP
                    rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
                    

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