Dr. Ronald B. Standler
Attorney in Massachusetts

Education Law, Copyright Law

c.v.     Biography     Fees     Technology Law     Education Law     Copyright Law     Contact

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Dr. R. Standler

I am licensed to practice law only in Massachusetts, including all state and federal courts in Massachusetts and the U.S. Supreme Court.   Therefore, I can provide legal advice to you only if either:
  1. you live in Massachusetts and need legal advice about a problem or transaction in Massachusetts,
  2. your local attorney hires me as a consultant, or
  3. you live outside the USA and are interested in:
    1. law in Massachusetts USA,
    2. drafting or reviewing contracts with companies in Massachusetts,
    3. copyright law in the USA, or
    4. safety standards for products.
If you are seeking an attorney in a state in the USA other than Massachusetts, please see my hints for how to find an attorney, as statutes regulating the practice of law prohibit my providing legal advice to people outside of Massachusetts.

My Services

During my life, when I consulted a physician or attorney, I wanted to understand what was happening to me and be involved in making decisions that affected my life, instead of blindly trusting an expert to do what was best for me.   Since I became an attorney in 1998, most of my clients are highly educated people (e.g., professors, engineers, scientists) who similarly want to be deeply involved in their case.   I understand and respect this need of clients to be deeply involved and in control of their lives. I often provide my clients with copies of judicial opinions to read, so my clients can see how judges apply the law. I routinely provide my clients with memoranda of law that I write on their case, to inform and educate my clients. I am committed to being available to promptly answer my client's questions, instead of being too busy with other cases or projects.

Some of my clients have needed me to draft a contract for them. I inform my clients of relevant legal issues that should be included in the contract, or at least discussed during negotiations. My client then negotiates directly with the other party to reach an agreement. This method allows my client, and the other party, to control their negotiations, without being dominated by uncompromising attorneys. I then memorialize the parties' agreement in a written contract, using plain English instead of run-on sentences full of legal jargon. I believe this approach results in a better agreement — one less likely to be breached or found inadequate — than something copied from a form book.

Educating clients about law, giving detailed answers to client's questions, drafting custom contracts instead of copying from form books, etc. increase the amount of time that I spend on a client's project, and so increase the cost of legal services.   I am not the right attorney for you if you are looking for the cheapest possible service.

Professional ethics requires that I say I have not been certified as a specialist in any area of law.   I work in the following areas of law that are mostly related to my 16 years of research or teaching experience in science and engineering after I earned my Ph.D. degree in physics in 1977.

I personally do all work on my client's case or problem, so that my client gets the full benefit of my education and experience.

Higher-Education Law

In part because I was a full-time student in universities for 13 years and a professor for another 10 years, I help solve legal problems that occur in academic work in colleges and universities.   Some of my interests in education law (e.g., injuries in science laboratories, policy for appropriate computer use, plagiarism, copyright) also involve elementary schools and high schools.

Copyright Law

As an author, I know the skill and intellectual labor that is required to produce good writing. Copyright law helps to protect and reward an author's work.

Consulting with Litigators in Torts

I have programmed computers since 1968, I earned a Ph.D. in physics in 1977, and I was engaged in scientific and engineering research and development during 1977-93, which gives me technical insight in computer law and technology law.   Sometimes you need more than an attorney to solve a legal problem with technology!

I have a separate webpage on my skills in consulting with litigators on scientific evidence in torts, and my legal research skills.   Most of my consulting is in the area of fires caused by defective surge suppressors, or injury by lightning.

See my separate list of topics.

Amicus Briefs

I am also interested in writing amicus briefs. Obvious topics include the subject matter of my essays in higher-education law, copyright law, technology law, as well as privacy law. Please hire me at least one month before the deadline for the brief, to allow adequate time for legal research, drafting a brief, and circulating draft(s) for comments.

My Credentials

education:

Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, NH 03301
J.D., May 1998
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM 87801, USA
Ph.D. in physics, 1977
University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208
B.Sc. in physics, 1971

memberships:

American Association for the Advancement of Science, member since 1971
Sigma Xi – The Scientific Research Society, member since 1980
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), member 1983-86, senior member since 1986
IEEE Sections: Electromagnetic Compatibility Society

experience:

My curriculum vitae gives full details, including a complete bibliography of my publications, and a summary of my professional experience. By way of introduction, here is a terse synopsis: I shall personally do all work on my client's case or problem, so that my client gets the full benefit of my education and experience.

I have posted a discussion of my skills in law. While that document was written for attorneys who are considering hiring me as a consultant, it may give you useful information about me.

My Fees

My fees.

Contact:

Please do not send details of your problem to me until after I have determined that I do not have a conflict of interest.

In your initial inquiry, please give me your full name and mailing address.   (Strangely, most people who sent their legal question to me via e-mail omitted these details, until I began asking.     I disclose my true name and mailing address to you and it is only fair that you do the same to me.)

Dr. Ronald B. Standler
P.O. Box 3780
Concord, NH 03302-3780
USA





I prefer initial communication via e-mail, because it can be difficult to understand unfamiliar names and telephone numbers in messages on my answering machine.



Copyright 1998-2013 by Ronald B. Standler
This document at   http://www.rbs2.com/atty.htm
first posted 19 Dec 1998, revised 15 Sep 2013.

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