Developing a Winning Legal Research Strategy

Today, lawyers bent on winning a cases for their clients can access a wide range of tools to aid in their trial strategy. In terms of research, media analysis, mock trials, focus groups, and public opinion surveys are all useful means for gaining insight into people’s perceptions, and should then be considered when developing the legal research strategy.

Knowledge of people’s views should aid a law firm’s decision-making regarding each phase of case management. Legal research can show whether a trial must be pursued,if the default court is the right court to hear it. If, for example,a review of media reporting on the crime, or a survey of public opinionin a community reveals that the members of the jury may be heavily prejudiced against their client, a legal team can file a request for change of venue.

Research of past convictions in the same community may also uncover helpful patterns that can be a reliable predictor of the results for a lawsuit, while accounting for any changes in the area’s demographic profile, as well as critical events that may have greatly influenced public perception. For instance, a town noted to be predominantly populated by gun-owning conservatives may have radically changed their views on the deeply polarizing subject of gun control following a shooting tragedy in a nearby neighborhood, and it is wise for a law team to thoroughly examine such a change, if they are handling a lawsuit regarding a crime involving guns.Other information that may be culled through careful, comprehensive research would be the typical penalties being meted out against similar crimes, or the usual amount of damages that the aggrieved parties are awarded.

The legal research strategy can cover not just the attitudes of the entire community, but also the composition of jury members. Jury research can be powerful because they can reveal trends in attitudes relation to such variables as age, race, gender, political affiliation, occupation, or religious beliefs of the potential or mock juror. A good strategy also accounts for the impact of context – the social situation in which the decision-making occurs. For instance, it is possible that even when younger jurors have strong opinions about the case, they may defer to the older members of the jury during the discussions.

As for public opinion surveys, good legal teams should have high standards regarding relevance of the study, the validity of the conclusions established, the similarity of the sample’s demographic profile, and the repeatability of the researchoutcome. How was the design conceived, and how were extraneous factors prevented from confounding the study? Was there a strong correlation or cause and effect relationship between the independent and dependent variable? Who commissioned the research, and how does that funding affect the claims being made?

Going through all these concerns in formulating a good legal research strategy can be time- and resource-consuming, making it advisable to seek the help of legal consulting firms such as Dubin Research and Consulting in Manhattan, New York. Visit DubinConsulting.com today to know more.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' Slow Start

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been making headlines left and right to begin the 2017-2018 NBA season. Coming off of three straight trips to the NBA finals, the Cavs are one a losing streak that has seen them lose five straight.  The drama for this franchise started in the offseason where it was rumored that their star point guard, Kyrie Irving, was clashing with LeBron James and wanted out of Cleveland.  This saw the Cavs acquiring Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, and a first round draft pick from the Celtics in exchange for the young super star. Couple those acquisitions with the signing of free agent Dwayne Wade, LeBron’s longtime friend and running mate during their championship days in Miami,  and this team looked as deep as ever. 

It has been quite the opposite.  The Cavaliers are currently sitting with a record of 3-5 and have lost four straight games. They have used a handful of different starting lineups to try and mix and match which matchups were the most effective and none of them seem to be clicking. The worst stat of them all is the fact that the Cavs are 0-4 against non-playoff teams this year as they have fallen to teams like the Orlando Magic and Indianapolis Pacers.  For a team that has had little competition in the Eastern Conference last season, there is little reason to worry.  The Cavs have dominated the Eastern Conference in recent years and have seemingly an easier path this season with many eastern conference all-stars being traded to teams in the West. 

At the same time, Cleveland know they have a difference maker waiting in the wings. While most of the new members haven’t gotten to get their chemistry together, perhaps the most exciting acquisition of the offseason hasn’t even stepped foot on the court yet.  Isaiah Thomas, who was an all-star and leading scorer of the league last season, has missed every game of the new season is expecting a return around December or January.  With a starting lineup consisting of Thomas, J.R. Smith, Lebron, Jae Crowder, and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers have one of the best starting fives in the league.  Arguably even more impressive is their bench depth where they stash capable players in: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Kyle Korver, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and Tristan Thomas.  This team is strapped up and ready to attack offensively. They are able to run and shoot with the best as they have filled their roster with court spacers and ball movers. The matchup combinations for Tyronn Lue is a fantasy basketball strategy dream as he will be able mix and match players whenever he seems fit. 

Ultimately, there is no reason to look too much into this start for Cleveland. Once all of their pieces are healthy and familiar with one another lookout. They have enough star power to matchup with any team in the league and look to be a favorite for a conference and NBA championships again this season.

The Ugly Side of MMA

One of the hottest and fastest growing sports in the world right now is MMA and the UFC.  The Ultimate Fighting Championship gives the human race a flashback to our more primitive times where men used to beat each other senesi for fun.  Now, it is for sport with millions of dollars in advertisements, pay per view earnings, and contract bonuses.  This has broughten rise to star fantasy MMA fighters like Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, and George St. Pierre.  These guys put their bodies and physical health on the line every time that bell rings and some of the effects can be crippling for a much longer period of time than a “fighting career”.

Unfortunately, one of these rare instances occurred in Houston in the beginning of November.  At the time there was an event being held by LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance).  This is the rival to MMA and LFA is mixed martial arts promotion broadcast.  The group came together as a result of a merger between Legacy Fighting Championship and Resurrection Fighting Alliance.  At LFA 26, in Houston, Charlie Hancok fought Charlie Ontiveros during the prelimanary rounds of the card. Neither of the fighters had much appeal nor were household names but once the final bell rang everyone had heard what happened.  Charlie Hancock allegedly collapsed and died during the events of the fight.  From reports, the fighter collapased without a strike landed on him. Instead, experts are saying that he was weary from fatigue and this is what caused his body from funcitoning. Alas, the medical team was well positioned on the scene and was able to rush it quickly and act effectively. These actions allowed from this young man’s life to be saved. Contrary to this, the official statement that was released by LFA’s CEO, Ed Soares, said that Hancock collapsed during the fight after the he experienced a kicking blow to his body.  The spokesman said that after enduring the kick, Hancock collapsed to the ground a few seconds after. This is when the referee signaled to the medical team to act appropriately and they managed to resuscitate him on sight. After further tests at a local hospital, it is believed that Hancock suffered kidney failure and he is now in stable condition.

This is certainly not the kind of press that the MMA is looking for.  They have been thriving in mainstream media by promoting their sport to be an explosive and exhilarating sport, but not one where the athletes severely harm their bodies.  If more of America does an MMA analysis of the game and realize the ill effects the sport has on these men and women; then don’t be surprised to see a dip in popularity and some regulation added to protect the fighters. Sometimes all it takes is a situation that comes out to be too close of a call where a fighter could have gotten seriously hurt. In this specific context, the outcome of these events that night could have been much worse and the shockwaves would have been felt throughout the entire MMA community.

Creating a Moody Vibe in Hawaii Oceanfront Homes

Moody may be the last word ordinary people would associate with houses by the beach. After all, beach homes easily evoke images of bright, airy rooms with large windows that offer spectacular views of the ocean. But in Hawaii, oceanfront homes are beginning to adopt this aesthetic, which can be a refreshingcontrast to the laidback island vibe.

Here are some tips for executing this theme masterfully in a beachside mansion:

Use of vintage pieces.The presence of a vintage item easily brings character and a touch of history, and old world glamour to a room. Some examples would be an old wrought iron chandelier, an heirloom armoire, or a mid-century modern accent chair. The key is to give importance to the antique piece, by making it the focal point of a room. The color scheme or the layers and textures should make it stand out, and other items in the space should point towards it. For instance, a homeowner may keep the armoire’s weathered finish instead of having it re-glazed, allowing it to draw attention where everthing else is sleek and polished.

A palette of dark or saturated colors.Color can always easily change the mood in a room. A wall painted in dark neutrals like grey, chestnut, or black, as well as rich jewel tones like emerald green, ruby red, or amethyst help create a striking, mysterious feel in a space, while also making it unlike the typical rooms of beach homes. Even bathrooms and kitchens can feature this vibe, through the use of dark-colored curtains, countertops, and tiled flooring.It’s all about balance.

Unique wallpaper patterns.As an alternative to dark wall paint, homeowners may install wallpaper whose patterns are unique – not too dainty or ornamental. For instance, one that’s gothic-themed, one inspired by Jackson Pollock’s or Mark Rothko’s paintings, or one that captures the texture of concrete, leather, or watercolor on paper. Homeowners can even have these custom-made, based on dark paintings, or exotic patterns that can make guests feel like they are someplace else where adventure awaits. Old, peeling wallpaper could work, too!

A corner for art. Art has been a tried and tested way to bring character to a room, especially if its subject is something profound. Whether it is a painting, a sculpture, a pottery, or tapestry, an artwork makes palpable the presence, the consciousness of another soul, who offers his or her take on a moment, or an abstract concept. Aside from adding beauty to the space, it will easily spark conversations – perfect for when homeowners are playing host to friends and family who have come to enjoy Hawaii’s storied island vibe.

Get in touch with renowned Big Island real estate broker Harold Clarke today to know more about the interior design of the best Hawaii oceanfront homes. Harold Clarke and his topnotch team at Luxury Big Island have the key to the finest luxury homesin Hawaii – homes that have been stylishly and uniquely decorated, to suit the discerning tastes of their owners.

The 2 Minute Drill- Fantay Heaven for QBs

During the last minutes of the second and fourth quarters of the game, there is a two-minute warning that signals the end of the quarter. This is where it gets really intense. At this time, the team with the ball are going to try to gain as much yards as possible, while the opposing team will try to negate that strategy. Both teams not only will have the most players on the field are desperate to make an impact within these last two minutes, whether it is to break a tie, push back the rival team, or make enough yards to increase the chance of a successful field goal. There will be a very apparent fantasy football strategy of use of the Wide Receivers in the plays that will happen during this time.

Since the team with the ball has to make some distance to the get a Touchdown, the plays will consist of the Quarterback making passing plays to either Tight End or Wide REceivers, this would lead to the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends getting more passing receptions, receiving yards, and hopefully touchdowns. With such limited time on the clock, offenses tend to turn to a no huddle type of play calling which maximizes the number of plays they can get off given the little amount of time left on the clock. This makes for fantasy football haven!

The fantasy football strategy behind this is that every offensive player will get a huge bump in usage regardless of their positions due to the fact they will be calling many more plays in the short amount of time left.  Although, there is no way to warrant a direct fantasy pick based on two-minute drills, they often come up in games and often lead to big chunks of fantasy points coming off the board.  Defenses will be more inclined to play deep zone coverage, allowing your Quarterback to make easy shorter completions and have your Receivers rack up the Yards After Catch.  In fantasy football, it is better to get multiple shorter completions due to receptions being so highly valued on DraftKings.

The White Sox Will Be Contenders by 2020

Stop me if you have heard this before: “Watch out for that young team from Chicago, they really have a shot this year”.  We all know how flat out dominant the Cubbies were last year en route to a curse-breaking World Series title that did good for the whole city of Chicago and much of the MLB in general. But, in a couple of years the North siders could have some competition due to the resurgence of their crosstown foes in the White Sox.

If you are a daily fantasy baseball player, you could be scratching your head thinking, “I hardly know anyone on the Sox right now and you're telling me they are going to become contenders after they got rid of their best players over the last two years!?” The answer to that is a resounding YESSS!

To get an idea of how this is possible, you would need to take a look at the transactions that Sox have done over the last two seasons.  Realizing they weren’t quite there to make a serious run at a playoff spot but still having guys that could garner some value to the right contending clubs, the White Sox have strategically gotten rid of their core players slowly but surely.  The big names that were moved include: Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson and a handful of serviceable other players.  What was their net return? Well for a CY Young caliber pitcher (Chris Sale), the Sox got baseball’s number one prospect plus a handful of other developmental players from the Red Sox. In total, the White Sox have far and wide the best farm system in the league.  As of right now, they have six of the top thirty prospects in the MLB and ten of the top one hundred.  They got two of them from the Red Sox, three from the Nationals, and two more from the Cubs after sending the Jose Quintana to their cross-town rival, and one more from the Yankees after shipping the ToddFather to the bronx.  And all of a sudden, a franchise that seemingly has been irrelevant since their miraculous World Series victory in 2005, now have the most hope of almost any franchise in the entire league.

By no means does this mean you should be targeting any of these guys when doing your fantasy baseball analysis because these guys are about three years away from fully get acclimating to what the big leagues is all about.  Instead, this an ode to the Sox for fully committing to a rebuild and acknowledgment for how bright the future looks both the North and South side of Chicago. How cool would it be to see an all Chicago World Series in late October?

Tips for Choosing Among Hawaii Homes for Sale

Hawaii easily lands among the most popular holiday destinations around the world. Many vacationers would, from time to time, be tempted to choose among Hawaii homes for sale to stay in regularly. If you are among these people, you need to be armed with tips to find the best house for your family.

Choose the location wisely. Every family situation is unique. You may be newly married with a baby, or have school-age children, or are empty nesters, or perhaps, have no kids but with lots of pets instead. Depending on your situation, you would have different needs, and the location of your property will be important. For instance, you would want to be near good schools if yours is a growing family. Or you need to be just a short drive away from the hospital if you are a retired couple dealing with a host of medical conditions. The neighborhood is also clearly important. The best ones are highly exclusive, but also let you easily access the beach, as well as the establishments.

Establish your standards. There is a wide selection of properties for sale, and nothing can make you waste your time than not knowing what you want. Establish your standards as regards such factors as price, location, architectural style, and size of the property. Have some room for flexibility, but not so much that would make it hard for you to make a decision.

Partner with a local realtor. Proper research is impossible without the help of a local realtor. You need to know someone who knows the real estate market well, and understands what options suit your lifestyle. More than the information on the features of Hawaii oceanfront homes, for example, which you can easily research on your own, they have information that you need if you are in for the long haul, such as what job or business opportunities will always be in demand in the district?Moreover, the one with local experience can link you up with trustworthy people who can assist you in building your life in Hawaii: home inspectors, repairmen, landscapers, gardeners, and plumbers, among others.

For more on finding the best of the Hawaii homes for sale, talk to leading Big Island real estate broker Harold Clarke today. Harold has decades of experience as a local realtor, and will be more than ready to guide you as you navigate the Hawaii real estate market.

The Unsung Hero - The Caddy

There are few sports that allows one individual to flourish completely on their own.  For football, you have a fifty two man roster and a coaching and training staff nearly half of that. Go to other extreme in tennis where sure you have a swing coach and some trainer; but once you step on the court it is just you and your opponent little or no outside help.  Luckily for PGA strategy, golfers have their trusty and wise caddy at their disposal for the duration of the tournament.

Now being a caddy is by no means a glamorous or easy job.  For the PGA tour, caddies are required to carry the golfer's bag for the entirety of the course.  Lugging a golfer’s clubs for four and a half hours through the humidity at Augusta and you would find yourself questioning what you got yourself into in the first place.  At the end of the day, the caddy isn’t going to win the trophy or get the big check.  Instead, they are the sturdy rock their golfers and friends look to lean on when selecting the proper club on a tween chip shot on the 17th hole in the final round.

The Draftkings PGA fantasy value of a caddy’s impact on a golfer’s game can not be quantified. Instead, their value lies deep in the bond and their motivation for the player to utilize the competitive advantage.  At the end of the day, a better golfer’s talent will prevail over a witty caddy.  Without the use of a caddy, golf wouldn’t be the same.  These men are commodities to the game as they enhance almost every aspect in fantasy analysis.  While they are not able to stand up there and accept the large check at the end of the weekend, they still end up in the victory clubhouse.

Bathroom renovation ideas for Hawaii oceanfront homes

For those looking to sell their Hawaii oceanfront homes,a renovation should be in order. It will breathe new life into the house, making it look fresher and more inviting to prospective buyers. And in any updating effort, the bathroom is among the most important rooms to devote one’s attention to.

Here are some great ideas for bathroom renovation, for Hawaii beach homes for sale:

Tiles with print or patterns. On the walls or on the floor, tiles with prints or patterns allow the homeowner to make a bold statement in what would otherwise be expected as a plain, austere space.

A new, more moderntub. A freestanding tub looks and feels modern and luxurious, lending a spa vibe to a bathroom.You may also give a bath tub a new look with a fresh coat of paint, finish, or glazing on its sides.A tub in matte black could be nice and unexpected, and will go well with brass fixtures, which have become very popular these days.

Touches of black here and there. Most people opt for lighter colors for their bathrooms, including frosty white, ivory, eggshell, beige, and light brown. But designers are now infusing black here and there, and achieving a welcome graphic look: Black on the grout, the sink countertop, or the window casement, or the shell of the low-hung pendant light. Black can also be used on the metal frames of the shower walls, the hooks, the door handles, or the vanities.

Updated fixtures.From the lighting, to the hardware on the cabinets, to the showerheads, faucets, and taps, it pays to have some refinishing or repainting done. They will easily stand out from the rest of the bathroom components, and tell a buyer that attention has been paid to the details.

Repair or replace the cabinets. Cabinets can reveal the age of a bathroom. And if you want it to appear new, enlist the services of a carpenter to update or replace them. Check for molds inside, or for rusty or squeaky hinges. Make sure the doors and drawers open without fuss, and that the paint is clean and polished, because the discerning buyer – the one who is likely to take good care of your property – will probably try to open them.

To seek the advice of an expert in selling your Hawaii oceanfront homes, get in touch with topBig Island real estate broker Harold Clarke today.

Private equity firms weather challenges through outsourcing

Prospects for private equity are a mix of good and bad. According to various industry pundits (most notably, Forbes), the industry is set to witness record-breaking relative allocations.

As an article on Forbes goes, “Private equity looks set for further records this year as new investors enter the asset category and as veterans continue to increase relative allocations.” At the same time, there are reports that fundraising, while predicted to continue to be strong, will slow for a bit. This can be understood in the context of the busy fundraising year that 2016 was: Private equity managers and the investors might be spending more time crafting strategies for their assets, to ensure maximum gains for their investments.

Moreover, the domain is also beset by challenges brought by changes and developments in the global economic situation. Geopolitically, Trump’s victory in the United States, the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, the wars in the Middle East, and the refugee crisis will all impact on the conditions for private equity fundraising and fund performance. In addition, China and India, and many other emerging markets in Asia – earlier viewed as markets of key growths, are bound to hit plateaus, which means decreased opportunities for new private equity endeavors.

And then there is the trend of growing regulation for the investments sector: Compliance has become a major source of operational demands, with policies regarding tax reporting, transparency, accountability, fund performance, and corporate governance, among other aspects, being drafted and enforced with much more enthusiasm than ever before.

Amid these challenges, private equity firms have since been receiving assistance from asset servicing firms. Providers of asset services promote efficiency in operations, enabling companies to operate with a lean organization. Costs for technology acquisition, human resource recruitment are kept at a minimum, as these are handed over to the third party that specializes in middle and back office operations, which cover accounting, data management, accounts reconciliation, shareholder reporting, and risk management.

As they take on these tedious day-to-day roles, managers then gain more time and company resources for the “meat” of private equity operations: Relating to clients, strategizing to achieve maximum returns for the assets under their care, scouting new high-potential ventures that could be a worthwhile investment, drafting lucrative deals, and forging more funding partnerships.

Indeed, asset services can be the private equity firms’ secret weapon in these tumultous time for the investment industry.

The hallmarks of a luxury real estate property in Hawaii

Blessed with the world’s most breathtaking beaches, lush forests, and majestic volcanoes, Hawaii draws vacationers from all over the world, with not a few eventually deciding to call it their home. For the most discerning of this lot, luxury real estateproperties are the only choice for their new home.

The new residents of Hawaii are set to experience the best of the Aloha State from their new lavish mansions, villas, or condominiums, which offer the following enviable features:

Stunning views. Hawaii’s elite relish the spectacular Hawaiian scenery from the floor-to-ceiling windows of their property, which is situated in a prime location. Because of this, every day would easily feel like a vacation. They would be treated to the lovely views of the Pacific Ocean, the white sand beaches, the verdant rolling hills, or exquisitely designed golf courses as soon as they wake up, and on lazy days, simply let the time pass while watching the sun rise on the horizon.

Solid structure. The best luxury real estate properties boast of good architecture. They have solid foundation and structure that are built especially to withstand the tropical climate on this side of the States. Especially for those in oceanfront locations, first-rate homes must be designed with the humidity, harsh sunlight, corrosive saline air, and very windy conditions in mind–high ceilings, sturdy choices for the materials (slate or stainless steel for roofing; granite, marble, or limestone, for the countertops and flooring; impact-rated glass for windows, etc.). In other words, the finest properties must be built to last, and will only tend to appreciate in value over the years.

Custom, high-end kitchens and furnishings. A sense of community and a love of food bind the people of Hawaii. In the weekends, many of them enjoy hosting gatherings of all kinds – from casual barbecue parties by the poolside for the whole family, to soiree garden parties, to elaborate adults-only sit-down dinners. To be able to host these events in the posh neighborhoods, it is quite important for the estates to be appointed with the best custom, high-end furnishings and cooking provisions: well-built cabinetry that’s meant to impress guests, a full wet bar, a spacious dining area, top-of-the-line kitchen appliances (refrigerator, freezer, and range), and an outdoor grill.

Learn more about the swanky island life as experienced in the luxury real estate neighborhoods of Big Island, Hawaii, through top-ranking real estate broker Harold Clarke.

An Effective Statistic: Defensive Rating

No one ever likes their fantasy players to match up against the Spurs. They have such a good defensive team under Gregg Popovich and always do not perform well against their defensive stars. However, most players go insane in their stats when playing against bad defensive teams, such as the young Lakers team. From a fantasy standpoint, it is always good to look out who to pick up based on the teams they are playing against.

The Spurs and Lakers are on the opposite sides of the spectrum and are well known for how good or bad they are defensively, but how about the other teams? How would a fantasy team owner know if it a good idea to pick up someone playing against the Orlando Magic? Well, using the DRtg (Defensive Rating), fantasy owners will have an easier time determining which players to pick up playing against which team. This statistic has become an absolutely key tool for any type of fantasy basketball research because it summarizes so much info that we never could have garnered beforehand.

The DRtg calculates the points allowed per 100 possessions, developed by Dean Oliver. Fantasy players when drafting on any format, whether on daily fantasy leagues for DraftKings of FanDuel, or in other forms of fantasy, such as weekly categories or fantasy points, have an easy tool to figure out who could potentially go off on each game. Looking at these small statistics could give each fantasy owner a calculated guess on which player may be hot rather than randomly picking up players blindly.

This does not guarantee players to automatically do well, but based on their DRtg, these players have an increased probability of being able to take advantage offensively, which increases their fantasy value as opposed to playing against teams like the Spurs or the newly built New Orleans Pelicans with the new acquisition of Demarcus Cousins. The point is to use this tool to help score easy NBA fantasy points on waiver wire pickups by simply looking at the opposing team DRtg and judging if they will perform well or not.

2017 trends for venture capital firms

2017 is going to be an exciting time for venture capital firms, based on the patterns for financing activity in the past years and the continued public interest in the private equity market in general.

This article lists the trends and predictions for this domain for this year.

Decreased funding. In an article published by Venture Beat, Ernst & Young’s venture capital (VC) chief Jeffrey Grabow predicted that funding by VCs will continue to decline, as it had from 2015 to 2016. He explains the phenomenon in the same article: The world has yet to see the impact of the scores of billions of capital that have since been deployed, and so it is time for the market to absorb these investments. Venture capitalists will then be more on observation mode, looking at the actual market performance of VC-backed endeavors rather than actively searching for new enterprises or ideas to fund.

Fewer mergers and acquisitions. Related to the first point, there may be fewer mergers and acquisitions this year, which entail huge investment of resources. Many acquisitions, for example, require complete overhaul of the organization’s infrastructure, as well as the conduct of rigorous improvements and procurement of tools and recruitment of talent. Because of this, 2017 will instead be marked more by buyers standing by to wait for the proverbial unicorns, and will tend to be very selective when it comes to opting to acquire startups and small enterprises.

Growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) innovations. Startups based on artificial intelligence innovations are likely to draw the most interest among venture capitalists. In Silicon Valley, Venture Beat reports that leading VCs in the tech industry are on the lookout for AI-based innovations that they can support, which are also linked to many other products that will emerge in other industries, such as retail, financial services, and healthcare.

Greater reliance on outsourced services. With the amount of work needed to ensure the continued good performance of acquisitions, venture capital firms need all the help they can get especially in maintaining their day-to-day operations. The assistance offered by asset servicing firms comes in handy, particularly in the area of middle and back office. More third party providers are now being tapped to handle such tasks as accounting, tax reporting, data management, risk management, fund administration, and compliance management – functions made easier to accomplish with better tools, well-trained staff, and access to expertise.

Boutique administrators offer bespoke asset servicing solutions to smaller funds

Today, funds sourcing their asset servicing solutions are moving away from larger, broader administrators, and turning to boutique fund administrators. Hedge fund managers, particularly those in charge of smaller funds, may have much more to gain from administrators that provide bespoke solutions.

Why are boutique administrators preferable for smaller hedge funds?

Larger financial institutions usually provide asset servicing solutions based on short-term agreements, typically lasting one year or less. That leaves fund managers holding the proverbial bag if they are not able to find a suitable replacement. But with boutique fund administrators, managers can take advantage of services on a longer-term basis. A firmer relationship between both sides can easily emerge, as boutique administrators tend to work closer with hedge funds, especially small ones, than the big companies do. These administrators take pride in their reliability and in delivering what needs to be delivered in a timely manner.

Boutique administrators also allow fund managers to take advantage of tailor-fit and scalable services that meet their vehicles’ particular demands. They can then focus more intensively on their clients, and offer services that larger players, despite their wherewithal in the industry, ordinarily cannot offer.

What services can these administrators offer?

The range of asset servicing solutions offered by boutique fund administrators may include fund accounting, various investor services, preparation of annual and semi-annual reports and financial statements, valuation of assets, compliance services, and all necessary regulatory reports. This is just a partial list of services, and the services therein may vary depending on the particular needs of the hedge fund.

It is also important for administrators to have only the most advanced technologies available, technologies that can facilitate quick completion of reports and easy access for fund managers. These include the liberal use of cloud computing, which allows for the storage of large amounts of data, as well as convenience in access for the individuals and firms that need the data.

More funds are outsourcing these tasks to third-party companies

Boutique fund administration as a broad-based means of providing asset servicing solutions is best handled by third party firms. More hedge funds, large and small alike, have outsourced boutique administration to a variety of companies, many of whom have years of experience and established reputations in the industry. A lot of these companies also specialize in dealing with smaller and medium-sized funds, offering the requisite back- and middle-office services, among other specific needs.

Luxury real estate on the rise in Big Island

Big Island has long been known for high-end homes and residences, but lately, it has bloomed into a luxury destination offering the most exotic and finest in recreation, shopping, dining, among others. The presence of renowned hotels and resorts in Big Island has increased its credence as a world-class destination – and has given Big Island the boost its need to expand its luxury real estate market.

The natural beauty of Big Island captures the heart of any traveler, and rightly so: the pristine and clear waters, the lush mountains, the fascinating marine life and the majestic volcanoes. All these natural wonders now serve as the centerpiece of luxury real estate properties being developed on the island. The most prized asset of Big Island, after all, is its scenic view of the Pacific Ocean and the beautiful sunset – truly unique sights that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world.

Top-tier hotels and resorts have risen in Big Island to cater to the growing demand for luxury accommodation. The five-diamond Four Seasons Hotel, the Ritz Carlton, and the Hilton hotels promise guests unparalleled service and upscale amenities for all their needs. These lush properties offer spas and fitness facilities, and a diverse set of sport and recreation activities.

The growth of Big Island real estate is marked by the upsurge in interest in land to build. There are various bids to develop parts of Big Island into grand golf courses, posh estates, and multi-million residences. In the coming years, various communities are expected to rise in Big Island, offering single homes to condominium units.

Many investors are eyeing to build oceanfront properties such as vacation homes and resorts, both of which are income-generating investments that can grow in time. Rental homes also possess the potential to become a big part of the real estate market, with the daily average visitor in Big Island hitting more than 22,000 individuals.

These future developments paint a picture of a vibrant and dynamic Big Island catering to a high-end clientele looking for a tranquil yet exciting place to live in.

Real estate in Big Island is on the upswing, and now is the perfect time to invest in the market. Connect with Harold Clarke today to learn how you can be part of the Big Island luxury real estate market. Whether you are interested in buying, selling or investing, Harold of Luxury Big Island can certainly assist you.