Mr. Smiley will focus his practice on Louisiana construction law and green building law.

The son of a Louisiana general contractor, prior to entering law school Mr. Smiley gained work experience in the construction industry.   During law school, Mr. Smiley clerked at Wolfe Law Group managing research, drafting pleadings and working directly with clients on a wide range of matters in both Louisiana and Washington.

“Seth has been a member of the Wolfe Law Group family for two years now, and we’re excited to add him to our roster of counselors,” says Scott Wolfe, founding member of the firm.   “He has two years of hands-on experience with every one of our clients, and he’s highly qualified to join our practice.”

As the founding author of the Louisiana Green Building Law blog (www.lagreenlaw.com), Mr. Smiley will add to the firm’s offerings in green building litigation, contracting and counseling, which already includes two LEED certified attorneys.

Seth Smiley is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  He earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Louisiana State University, and his J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2009.

Reiser states:

Attorneys and employees at Wolfe Law Group always make time to engage in meaningful dialog with colleagues, clients and one another.  During my term as committee chair for the WYLD CLE Department,  I plan on implementing ideas to make legal education accessible and practical with innovative topics.  It is an honor to have been elected to serve this position.

As stated on the WSBA Young Lawyers Division’s website:

The purpose of the Washington Young Lawyers Division shall be to encourage the interest and participation of young lawyers in WSBA activities, to develop and conduct programs of value to young lawyers and the public, to improve the legal system, and to enhance the quality of the legal profession in our state and our country.

For more information about Doug Reiser, you can read his bio on Wolfe Law Group’s website or view his complete professional profile on Avvo.com.

Congratulations Doug!

Scott Wolfe Jr. and Wolfe Law Group, who practice construction law in New Orleans, Louisiana, challenged the new lawyer advertising regulations as they applied to the Internet. Wolfe argued the regulations failed to consider the differences between television and Internet advertising, and regulated Internet ads without a need.

“Louisiana didn’t have a reason to regulate Internet ads, and they didn’t understand how attorneys actually use the Internet to advertise,” Wolfe said. “As a result, the rules were incompatible with the realities of Internet advertising.”

The United States Louisiana Eastern District Court agreed, stating in its 39-page opinion that “the Internet presents unique issues related to advertising, which the State simply failed to consider in formulating this Rule.”

“This is a very important ruling,” Wolfe adds. “The court not only noted that states must have a reason to regulate Internet speech, but it also recognized that the Internet media is different from broadcast media, and is entitled to unique protection.”

Certain other components of the new Louisiana lawyer advertising regulations were upheld, including restrictions on ads that promise results, portray a judge or jury or contain a celebrity endorsement.

While these regulations were upheld, the court noted that the “same Rules as those developed for television, radio and print ads” could not be simply applied to Internet advertising. Judge Feldman based this on a finding that “Internet advertising differs significantly from advertising in traditional media.”

Wolfe, who advertises exclusively online, argued that if the rules took effect an attorney’s participation in legal blogs and social networking sites would be unreasonably restricted. Further, Wolfe argued that Google ad campaigns could costs thousands in administrative evaluation fees.

Wolfe’s lawsuit was filed in the United States Eastern District Court of Louisiana, docket number 08-4994. Read a copy of Judge Feldman’s order at JDSupra.  The plaintiffs were represented by Ernest Svenson of the Svenson Law Firm, and pro-se by Wolfe Law Group.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release, contact Jessica Reiser or visit Wolfe Law Group’s online media center: http://media.wolfelaw.com.

About Wolfe Law Group
Wolfe Law Group is a construction law practice with offices in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana. The firm publishes a blog on Louisiana and Washington construction law titled the Construction Law Montior, and prides itself on thinking different in the legal profession.

Contact
Jessica Hunter, director of public relations
504-894-9653
http://www.wolfelaw.com

Wolfe Law Group’s own Scott Wolfe, Jr. is in the program’s faculty.

Here are the vitals about the program:

Ethical Implications of Marketing in a Web 2.0 World:  From Facebook to LinkedIn, Websites to Blogs

Teleconference, 90 minutes
Thursday, July 16, 2009, 1:00 EST / 12:00 CST
Learn more & register for the program here.
(CLE Ethics Credit.   1.5 in 60 min. states, 1.8 in 50 min. states)

Scott Wolfe co-presented a program by the same name at the ABA Young Lawyer’s Division Spring 2009 Conference.   Slides from that program are shared through SlideShare and embedded below.

The American Bar Association describes the upcoming teleconference as follows:

The Internet continues to provide a seemingly endless supply of lawyer marketing opportunities. Websites and email are practically “old school.” Lawyers are using blogging, social networking sites, search engine optimization and a variety of online referral sources—some ethically sound, others questionable – to market their practices. But how many attorneys are aware of the ethical traps of online marketing? Do you have the knowledge to avoid an ethics violation?

This program includes “real life” success stories and missteps involving innovative uses of the Internet by lawyers, and the rules that may or may not get in the way. For example, hear how one Louisiana attorney has used “online” exclusively to build his construction law practice, while battling the state bar’s attempts to increase advertising regulation. Join our expert panel as we address the relevant rules and recent ethics opinions that lawyers should know about when navigating the maze that is the World Wide Web.

Scott Wolfe, founding member of Wolfe Law Group, is a named plaintiff in the federal lawsuit against the Louisiana State Bar Association challenging the state’s new regulations of attorney advertising.   Learn more about the suit at the blog:  http://www.protectspeech.com.

Scott is co-presenting with Andrea Malone, Micah Buchdahl and Michael Downey.

Mr. Wolfe and Mr Reiser will be presenting “Exploring the Current Status of Chinese Drywall Claims ans Litigation.” Mr. Wolfe will also be co-presenting “Exploring Potential Liability for Damages Caused by Chinese Drywall Problems.”

More information on the seminar can be found here.

Wolfe Law Group recently launched a new practice group to address the imported drywall crisis, in response to the growing concerns of developers, builders, suppliers and other construction professionals,

Following the news of Chinese Drywall problems in Louisiana, the law firm quickly made itself a valuable resource on the topic for the construction industry.  It launched a new blog (www.ChineseDrywallBlog.com), published a Chinese Drywall How-To Legal Guide on Avvo.com, and set up a Chinese Drywall practice group (www.ChineseDrywallDefense.com).

The practice area fits perfectly with the boutique law firm’s existing practice.   Wolfe Law Group focuses its law practice on the construction industry, representing suppliers, contractors, and construction professionals of all shapes and sizes in legal matters that affect their business.  It has offices in New Orleans, Louisiana and Seattle, Washington.

Wolfe Law Group Chinese Drywall Resources:

• Chinese Drywall Blog: http://www.chinesedrywallblog.com
• Chinese Drywall Defense and Representation: http://www.chinesedrywalldefense.com
• Avvo.com Chinese Drywall Legal Guide: What To Do If You Installed Chinese Drywall
• Chinese Drywall YouTube Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=825580CBEEA5E47D

About Wolfe Law Group

Founded in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005, Wolfe Law Group is a construction law practice with offices in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana.  The firm publishes a blog on Louisiana and Washington construction law titled the Construction Law Monitor, and prides itself of thinking different in the legal profession.

Contact
Jessica Hunter, director of public relations

Wolfe Law Group, L.L.C.
206-801-1600
http://www.wolfelaw.com

Press Links:
Media Center:  http://media.wolfelaw.com
Press Releases RSS Feed:  http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wlgmedia
Firm Site:  http://www.wolfelaw.com

Doug’s recent accreditation uniquely prepares our firm -  a construction law boutique – to advise and represent clients on LEED or other green building projects.

Doug is a contributor on Wolfe Law Group’s Louisiana Green Building Law Blog – http://www.lagreenlaw.com.  He is currently preparing to launch a similar blog on green building laws in Washington state.

LEED AP accreditation is no easy task,” says founding The US Green Building Council describes the LEED AP rating on its website as follows:

LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System.

Along with Doug Reiser, founding member of Wolfe Law Group, Scott Wolfe, is also a LEED AP.

New Orleans, Louisiana (WolfeLaw) April 6, 2009 — Today, Wolfe Law Group officially unveils three new topic-specific legal blogs that relate to legal concerns for the construction industry.   The new blogs focus on emerging practice areas for the law firm.

ChineseDrywallBlog.com

Since the emergence of the Chinese Drywall crisis, Wolfe Law Group has been a leader in providing information to builders, suppliers, contractors and other construction participants about how they are affected by the crisis.

Those who may have supplied or installed Chinese Drywall have concerns about their legal rights and obligations, and are interested in learning more about what type of legal options are available to them.

This blog will focus on these topics, and promote the firm’s new Chinese Drywall Defense practice area.

LaGreenLaw.com

The emergence of Green Building and LEED accreditation nationwide has changed building practices. This is especially true in the state of Louisiana, where Hurricane Katrina relief money has attracted non-profit groups interesting in building the city back green.

Contemporaneously, however, emerging legal issues are coming into focus that are specific to green building.

This blog will track the progress of green building in Louisiana and provide insight on the legal components of “building green” in the state.

BrazilConstructionLaw.com

The Brazil Construction Law Blog will provide insight on construction law development and news in the country of Brazil, including information about international arbitration and the laws applicable to companies who are interested in doing business in Brazil.

While the blog is written in English, and written to an English-speaking audience, it can be translated into Portuguese and Spanish.

The blog intends to speak to an audience of businesses interested in foreign contracting, international joint ventures and international construction risk management.

New Orleans, Louisiana (PRWEB) March 24, 2009 – In response to the growing concerns of developers, builders, suppliers and other construction professionals, Wolfe Law Group announced a new practice group to address the imported drywall crisis.

Chinese Drywall imported into the United States between 2001 and 2008 may be contaminated with sulfuric acid, and the issue is causing legal problems across the country.   In Louisiana, some reports estimate that more than 6,000 post-Katrina homes were built with the material.

Many lawsuits, including class action suits, have already been filed against builders, developers, suppliers and other participants in construction projects that involved the use of Chinese Drywall.  The plaintiffs in these suits allege that the drywall is defective, is responsible for damages to building elements, and the cause of health problems.

Wolfe Law Group is prepared to represent and advise construction industry participants implicated in litigation, facing warranty claims, or simply encountering legal uncertainties related to the use of Chinese Drywall.  Speaking about the new practice area, founding member of the firm, Scott Wolfe Jr, commented as follows:

For construction companies and suppliers who have encountered Chinese Drywall, it’s only a matter of time before a complaint affects their business.  With so much at stake, and huge class action lawsuits being filed, companies should be examining their exposure and mitigating their losses.   Our new practice area is specifically geared to help contractors and suppliers accomplish this.

Following the news of Chinese Drywall problems in Louisiana, the law firm quickly made itself a valuable resource on the topic for the construction industry.  It launched a new blog (www.ChineseDrywallBlog.com), published a Chinese Drywall How-To Legal Guide on Avvo.com, and set up a Chinese Drywall practice group (www.ChineseDrywallDefense.com).

The practice area fits perfectly with the boutique law firm’s existing practice.   Wolfe Law Group focuses its law practice on the construction industry, representing suppliers, contractors, and construction professionals of all shapes and sizes in legal matters that affect their business.  It has offices in New Orleans, Louisiana and Seattle, Washington.

Wolfe Law Group Chinese Drywall Resources:

• Chinese Drywall Blog: http://www.chinesedrywallblog.com
• Chinese Drywall Defense and Representation: http://www.chinesedrywalldefense.com
• Avvo.com Chinese Drywall Legal Guide: What To Do If You Installed Chinese Drywall
• Chinese Drywall YouTube Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=825580CBEEA5E47D

About Wolfe Law Group

Founded in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005, Wolfe Law Group is a construction law practice with offices in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana.  The firm publishes a blog on Louisiana and Washington construction law titled the Construction Law Monitor, and prides itself of thinking different in the legal profession.

Contact
Jessica Hunter, director of public relations

Wolfe Law Group, L.L.C.
206-801-1600
http://www.wolfelaw.com

Press Links:
Media Center:  http://media.wolfelaw.com
Press Releases RSS Feed:  http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wlgmedia
Firm Site:  http://www.wolfelaw.com

Wolfe Law Group, a construction law firm in Seattle, WA and New Orleans, LA, launched a new and improved profile page on popular social networking site, Facebook.com.

NEW ORLEANS, LA (WolfeLaw.com) March 14, 2009 — Wolfe Law Group has launched a new profile page on social networking site, Facebook.com.

Wolfe Law Group is a construction law practice with offices in New Orleans, LA and Seattle, WA.   The firm first launched its Facebook profile in 2007, and has since share articles and blog posts about construction law and the legal issues facing the construction industry.

The updated profile page now includes press releases, photo albums and up-to-the-minute news and blog updates.

Scott Wolfe, the firm’s found member, commented on the new page:

“Wolfe Law Group strives to present to our clients and the public free useful information about construction law.  This updated Facebook profile allows us another means to make this information accessible to the public.”

The new Facebook profile is the latest step in the firm’s Internet presence overhaul.

About Wolfe Law Group:
Founded in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005, Wolfe Law Group is a boutique construction law practice with offices in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana.   The firm operates a blog on construction law matters titled the Construction Law Monitor, and prides itself on thinking different in the legal profession.

Contact
Jessica Hunter, director of public relations
Wolfe Law Group, L.L.C.
206-801-1600
http://www.wolfelaw.com

Press Links:
Media Center:  http://media.wolfelaw.com
Press Releases RSS Feed:  http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wlgmedia
Firm Site:  http://www.wolfelaw.com

NEW ORLEANS, LA (PRWeb) March 13, 2009 — Wolfe Law Group’s founding member, Scott Wolfe Jr, is being honored by New Orleans’ City Business Magazine in its annual “Leadership in Law” insert.

Scott is one of seven New Orleans attorneys being inducted into the program’s “Law Hall of Fame,” an honor bestowed on attorneys selected as “Leaders in Law” on three occasions.  Scott was members of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Leadership in Law classes.

Scott was recognized at the City Business event on March 5, 2009, held at the New Orleans Museum of Art.  The Leadership in Law insert will be published by City Business magazine in its March 23, 2009, issue.

About Wolfe Law Group:
Founded in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005, Wolfe Law Group is a boutique construction law practice with offices in Seattle, Washington and New Orleans, Louisiana.   The firm operates a blog on construction law matters titled the Construction Law Monitor, and prides itself on thinking different in the legal profession.

Contact
Jessica Hunter, director of public relations
Wolfe Law Group, L.L.C.
206-801-1600
http://www.wolfelaw.com

Press Links:
Media Center:  http://media.wolfelaw.com
Press Releases RSS Feed:  http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wlgmedia
Firm Site:  http://www.wolfelaw.com