Latest & Greatest – Friedman and Smith on Contracts and Conveyances of Real Property

By Milton R. Friedman & James Charles Smith

Published by Practising Law Institute

KF 670 .F7 2017

With the recently-released, Friedman and Smith on Contracts and Conveyances of Real Property, author and editor James Charles Smith took on the monumental task of revising one of the key treatises in the area of real estate law. Ever since its first publication in 1954, the original Friedman on Contracts and Conveyances of Real Property, written by the late Milton R. Friedman, has been an authoritative reference resource for real estate attorneys and has been a reliable source for instructing lawyers as to what they should and should not be doing.

Divided into three volumes, Friedman and Smith explores practically every aspect of a real estate transaction from the contract of sale to the closing process and everything in between. Featuring over 140 sample forms, clauses, and checklists, Friedman and Smith also includes in-depth discussions of issues such as misrepresentation, mortgages and other encumbrances, marketable title and title examination, adverse possession and prescription, easements, covenants, and remedies for defaults. The text does not focus merely on one party to the transaction, but rather provides information that is useful to both buyers and sellers.

Before you take part in that next, or perhaps your first, real estate transaction, have a look at Friedman and Smith on Contracts and Conveyances of Real Property. It may just have all of the essential information you need.

Latest & Greatest – Advising Small Businesses

By Steven C. Alberty

Published by Thomson Reuters

KF 1659 .A94 1989

It’s Small Business Resource Month here at the Harris County Law Library. Today, we’re looking at one of the featured resources: the aptly titled, Advising Small Businesses by Steven C. Alberty. Written for lawyers who represent and counsel small businesses, Advising Small Businesses, offers practical information on all aspects of small businesses from their organization through their operation and ultimately their termination. Detailed and exhaustive, this three-volume treatise offers its readers a thorough analysis of the following topics:

  • Choice of entity, including the advantages and disadvantages of each and the tax implications arising from each type of entity;
  • Available financing options, such as debt financing, government financing, and venture capital financing;
  • Applicable state and federal securities laws;
  • Corporate operations, including shareholder voting, buy-sell agreements, and powers, duties, and liabilities of corporate directors and officers;
  • Business transactions, such as insurance coverage, antitrust laws, franchising, and intellectual property;
  • Employee relations and compensation; and,
  • Dissolution and liquidation.

As a companion to this treatise, the Harris County Law Library also has in its collection, Advising Small Businesses: Forms. This indispensable set provides attorneys with practical tools in the shape of “ready-to-use” forms and checklists, which include sample letters, operating agreements, employment policies, and closing documents.

If you an attorney who owns, operates, manages, or advises small businesses, we hope you’ll find this resource helpful. For additional resources that you can find here at the Law Library and online, visit our Events page.

Latest & Greatest – Law of Remedies: Damages – Equity – Restitution

By Dan B. Dobbs & Caprice L. Roberts

Published by West Academic Publishing (2018)

KF 9010 .D6 2018

Now in its third edition, Law of Remedies: Damages – Equity – Restitution, takes some of the guesswork out of determining the type of relief an individual is entitled to and how much relief should be given. The authors of this volume, which is part of West Academic’s Hornbook Series, discuss the main kinds of remedies, their availability, their classification, i.e. whether it is at law or in equity, and the methods of deciding which remedy is best for the case at hand. They delve into the history and development of equitable remedies, such as injunctive relief, specific performance, declaratory judgments, and restitution, and the role that discretion plays in the granting or denying of such equitable relief. The authors also address the principles of damages, i.e. money awards, including how those damages are measured and adjusted. Of interest as well is the discussion of the remedies available for specific types of harms, such as those to interests in land, interference with economic rights, invasion of civil rights and dignitary interests, personal injury and death, fraud and misrepresentation, duress, undue influence, and unconscionable conduct, mistakes, and breach of contract.

Although originally designed to assist law students by explaining legal concepts encountered in their law school courses, hornbooks are also great tools for practitioners who are unfamiliar with an area of law or need to brush up on some legal principles. So, if you need to refresh your memory on the law of remedies, be sure to have a look at the Law of Remedies: Damages – Equity – Restitution.

Take a #shelfie with our #BookmasTree

Season's greetings one and all! In honor of the holiday spirit that captures hearts and minds this time of year, the Harris County Law Library has assembled its very first #BookmasTree. Granted, ours took less time and effort than the magnificent tree on display at the San Diego Law Library, but it's still a sight to behold. From the twinkling Texas lone star at the top to the glimmer of gold print on the evergreen spines of Am. Jur. 2d, the tree presents a festive background for a holiday selfie. Stop by the Harris County Law Library throughout the last month of 2017 to snap your #shelfie (note: that's the same as a selfie, but in front of a library shelf ;). If your #shelfie turns out well, tweet it to us @HCLawLibrary. Happy holidays!