In the wake of all of the corporate scandals lately, the Government has instituted new rules, regulations, and no doubt a bunch of committees. Something that boggles my mind is known as Circular 230.
In practical part (the only part I understand) this requires some lawyers to put a footer on every single dad blamed email they send out, in substantially this form:
"IRS CIRCULAR 230 Disclosure: Under U.S. Treasury regulations, we are required to inform you that any tax advice contained in this e-mail or any attachment hereto is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid penalties imposed under the Internal Revenue Code."
Note that this is on every email, including lunch invitations and Final Four Office Pools, etc. What good does this do for society?
Do you mean to tell me that if a lawyer advises me how to set up an offshore corporation, or if I am the CEO of Enron and I want to post dummy losses and get tax advice about it, putting a footer on the email makes it all better? That's completely insane. That's as silly as "expert driver on closed course, do not try this at home."
The only good email footer I have seen is from a lawyer I know, his has an unintended grammatical error. Reading it, the footer plainly directs any reader to delete and destroy the email without reading it. Like looking into a hall of mirrors? Whoa man!
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