Lapin Law Offices celebrates its 6th Anniversary on December 15, 2014. Our focus and motto, which began from our inception, is to be the Nebraska law office that is: Caring, Passionate and Dedicated. That is how we have and will continue to represent each and every client. We, as a firm as well as individually, had a number of highlights in 2014.
We would like to thank our clients, friends and family for helping us reach this 6-year anniversary. We look forward to 2015 and will continue representing injured, abused and disabled Nebraskans as well as achieving other professional and personal goals and highlights.
REVIEW OF OUR 2014 HIGHLIGHTS
Lapin Law Offices, as a firm and individually, had a number of highlights in 2014. One thing that has not changed is our commitment to representing injured, abused and disabled Nebraskans with caring, passion and dedication.
LAPIN LAW OFFICES HIGHLIGHTS
In terms of newsworthy cases, Lapin Law Offices was extremely proud of its efforts in representing the Estate of Joyce Meeks in its claims against the State of Nebraska and other defendants. Our representation began in 2013 and concluded in 2014. Lapin Law Offices was co-counsel with Chicago attorney Timothy Cavanagh of Cavanagh Law Group. Jeremy Dobbe killed Joyce Meeks in a vehicle crash in 2013. Mr. Dobbe was driving a Nebraska Department of Corrections van, under the Inmate Van Driver Program, at the time of the fatal crash. This Program permitted inmates to drive a correctional facility-owned vehicle. On June 25, 2013, while Dobbe was driving the vehicle, possibly under the influence of an illegal drug, crashed the van into a vehicle driven by Joyce Meeks at the intersection of Van Dorn and South 18th Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. Joyce Meeks was married to Leonard Meeks, had three children, and was caring for three of her grandchildren. She died at the scene. Shortly after the crash, Nebraska’s Governor, Dave Heineman, terminated the Inmate Van Driver Program.
Photo by Kristin Streff/ Lincoln Journal Star
As this case involved the State of Nebraska, a claim had to be brought under the Nebraska State Tort Claims Act. The Tort Claim was filed on July 18, 2013. After six months had expired, as required by the Act, a lawsuit was initiated as the State of Nebraska failed to act on the Tort Claim. The parties agreed to mediate the case in an effort to get it resolved. Ultimately, the parties agreed to settle the Tort Claim for $2 million dollars. District Court approval was obtained on April 10, 2014, and Legislative Bill 949, in the 103rd Legislature, was passed on March 24, 2014, and approved by the Governor on March 29, 2014.
Local news did a number of articles and stories about Joyce Meeks death, Mr. Dobbe and the Inmate Driving Program and other information. Some relevant articles from the Lincoln Journal Star include:
- State prison inmate was driving van in fatal crash | By: Jonathan Edwards and Nicholas Bergin
- Prison system to evaluate inmate driving policy after fatal crash | By: Jonathan Edwards
- Prison system suspends inmate van driver program after fatal crash | By: Jonathan Edwards
- Corrections director’s remarks on inmate van driver program | By: Journal Star Staff
- Family seeking $5 million from state after death involving inmate driver | By: Jonathan Edwards
- Family sues state, inmate van driver over fatal crash | By: Lori Pilger
- State agrees to pay $2M for fatal prison van crash | By: Lori Pilger
- Inmate driver gets near-maximum sentence; victim’s husband ‘thankful it’s over with’ | By: Riley Johnson
Other relevant documents related to the Joyce Meeks case include:
Patrick Driver and I were able to help a number of consumers against debt collectors who had violated their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). In many cases, we were able to get the debt collectors to stop all collection efforts as well as pay our clients damages for violations of the FDCPA.
Lapin Law Offices received a number of very positive reviews, some of which we posted on our website and others which were posted on social media. Some of these online reviews include:
From Arizona attorney James Edward Novak:
I highly recommend Lapin Law Offices to anyone who needs representation that has been the victim of a serious injury in Lincoln Nebraska. Jeffrey Lapin and his team at Lapin Law Offices are dedicated, professional and compassionate. Jeffrey Lapin is a true victim’s advocate, who is committed to being their voice and resolve in their injury matter. He understands and cares about the challenges, and losses suffered by victims due to another’s negligence or wrongdoing. He works hard to resolve the matter for the possible results for his clients. He is the only attorney I would call if I was in need of a personal injury attorney in Lincoln Nebraska.
(Source Link: https://www.facebook.com/100008149544605/activity/1496759803938990)
From Philadelphia attorney Brian Fishman
Lapin Law Offices is the class of Nebraska personal injury law firms. Jeffrey Lapin and his team handle all matters of personal injury law including car and motorcycle accidents, slip & falls, workers compensation and medical malpractice. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another in Nebraska, your first call should be to Lapin Law Offices.
In addition, they protect consumers against debt collectors and their unfair and harassing practices. I can’t recommend Lapin Law Offices more highly. Mr. Lapin and his staff will treat you and your family with compassion, empathy and care.
(Source Link: https://www.facebook.com/fishmanlaw/activity/837604289587550)
From St. Louis attorney Christopher Hoffman
I highly recommend the Lapin Law Offices. If you are looking for an attorney, this law firm is excellent. Jeff is a dedicated lawyer and goes the extra distance for his personal injury and car accident clients. Great person and great lawyer. This is a choice you will not regret.
Source: Google+
JEFFREY LAPIN PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
I had a number of professional highlights in 2014. Some of the more noteworthy ones include:
I was selected as a 2014 Great Plains Super Lawyer. SuperLawyers.com, which lists the Super Lawyers, describes itself and the process used to select lawyers:
WHAT IS SUPER LAWYERS
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
Selection Process
Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.
The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. Since Super Lawyers is intended to be used as an aid in selecting a lawyer, we limit the lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.
The Super Lawyers patented selection process involves three basic steps: creation of the candidate pool; evaluation of candidates by the research department; and peer evaluation by practice area.
(Source: http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html)
Jeffrey Lapin’s Super Lawyers profile
I am proud that I was nominated and selected by Super Lawyers.
Another personal achievement was achieving a 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo, which is a popular legal Q&A forum and directory. As described by Avvo:
What is the Avvo Rating?
The Avvo Rating is our effort to evaluate a lawyer’s background, based on the information we know about the lawyer. The rating is calculated using a mathematical model that considers the information shown in a lawyer’s profile, including a lawyer’s years in practice, disciplinary history, professional achievements and industry recognition – all factors that, in our opinion, are relevant to assessing a lawyer’s qualifications.
Avvo ratings are not intended to be the only item a person considers when choosing a lawyer.
(Source: http://www.avvo.com/support/avvo_rating)
I was nominated and re-elected as the Chair of the Nebraska State Bar Association’s (“NSBA”) Law Practice Management Section. As Chair, I spearheaded the movement to update the Section’s By-Laws to better new technology as well as how what I viewed as the primary purposes of the Section. I am also working, through the Legislation Committee, on changes regarding notice under Nebraska’s Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act.
I presented three times to lawyers this year as well as to a group of NICU nurses:
- Ethical Considerations Involving the Use of Electronics by Lawyers – Lincoln Bar Association Monthly Clinic
- Social Media and the Law – What’s New in the NICU? 9th Annual Midwest Regional NICU Conference
- Law Practice Management – NSBA Law Practice and Technology Seminar
- Lawyers Online: Ethics, Security and Best Practices: NSBA Annual Meeting
These are just a review of some of my professional highlights for 2014.
JEFFREY LAPIN PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS
I continued volunteering coaching in 2014 including spring and fall soccer and volleyball. I am especially proud of my fall volleyball teams, Gators and Freedom. The Gators, which were a Fourth Grade YMCA Spirit team, had 9 players, only two pairs of which had played together before. The Gators were able to finish 5th out of 12 teams. This was very good as the teams ahead of us had all played together longer and some were coached by former collegiate volleyball players.
The second team was Freedom, a Fourth Grade YMCA Recreational team, which had no players that had played together and with only two that even knew each other. This was also the first year of playing YMCA volleyball for a couple of them. The Freedom team entered a Recreational Tournament, which included 4 other teams. These were probably 4 of the best 4th Grade Recreational teams. The Freedom team ended up winning 2nd place with a record of 5-3. Freedom actually split the match with the team that won the tournament, which ended up with a record of 6-2. I am very proud of all of the girls on both teams. I am also currently coaching a boy’s YMCA basketball team.
Besides playing volleyball, my daughter continued to love to dance and mastered cartwheels, which she likes to do whenever she can. My wife continued to enjoy her job as a high school administrator and was given new job assignments, which she soon mastered.
PATRICK DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Patrick Driver remained active in his church parish, which went through a major transition that he assisted with. His daughter qualified for a national archery tournament that was held in Louisville, Kentucky. That tournament broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest archery tournament. She also began her first year at Lincoln Southwest High School. His son continues to be active in baseball, football and wrestling.
JILL TINNELLY HIGHLIGHTS
On May 1, 2015, Jill Tinnelly celebrated 16 years of working for me. In her spare time Jill enjoys watching her son, Payton, play baseball and hockey. Her son’s baseball team, the Lincoln Cyclone’s, finished 2nd in Nebraska’s Major 12U division. Payton is also the goalie for the Lincoln Jr. Stars Bantam Travel Team.
I, along with Patrick Driver and Jill Tinnelly, wish to thank everyone reach our 6 year anniversary. We wish to thank our families and friends. We especially want to thank our clients in putting their trust in us in their time of need.
LOOKING FORWARD
We continue to remain committed to representing our clients with caring, passion and dedication. We are planning many new and exciting things for 2015, both professional and personally.
Lapin Law Offices hopes everyone has a happy and healthy 2015.
