My Shingle

From the monthly archives:

May 2006

More on the Ethics of Leaving A Law Firm

May 30, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

As more lawyers depart large firms to strike out on their own, the ethical issues relating to departing attorneys gains more attention.  Here’s another article on the topic, Practicing Ethics:  Switching Jobs, NY Lawyer (5/26/06).   The article focuses on the following three issues:
* When and what can be told to clients? Most lawyers have a [...]

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Another Biglaw Attorney Headed for Smaller Pastures

May 30, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

For many lawyers, reaching the top of biglaw is enough.  But not Corliss Scorggins Lawson, former chief of biglaw firm Lord, Bissell & Brook’s Atlanta office, who’s just left her post to strike out on her own, as reported in  Lord, Bissell’s Top Atlanta Attorney Leaves to Start Her Own Shop, Fulton County Daily Report [...]

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What GCs Don’t Like About Their Lawyers

May 30, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

Even if you don’t deal with corporate counsel as part of your law practice, this article, GCs Vent Their Frustrations About Outside Counsel (Recorder, 5/23/06) is worth reading, because it can help improve your relationship with any clients.  The article lists what corporate counsel don’t like about their outside counsel.  Unpopular practices include (1) surprising [...]

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FREE Webinar on Branding an Image for Attorneys

May 24, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

A few days ago, I wrote about the
value of marketing.  Since then, I Iearned about a free webinar called
The Power of Branding and Image for Attorneys.  The webinar, which will take place on
Thursday, June 8 at 2 p.m. EST, will be presented by Mark Merenda of
Smart Marketing and
sponsored by Legal Research & Writing Pro, a [...]

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Solo Wins a $4.7 Million Verdict

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

Last months, one of our readers, solo Scott P. Schomer of Schomer Law in Torrance, California won an amazing $4.7 million dollar verdict for his client, a grandmother who’d been left homeless after being defrauded of her Beverly Hills home by her former attorney who along with his wife moved into his former client’s house [...]

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A Law Professor Recognizes the Value of Marketing

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

 
Lawyerpreneur and marketing guru Nader Anise provided me with an article by one of his former law professors who recognizes the value of marketing.  It’s an interesting article though most readers here may already recognize the basic lessons.  My own question is whether law schools are equipped to teach courses on how to start [...]

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Small Firm Lawyer Has Big Ideas for The WV Bar

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

A small firm lawyer, Rob Fisher, has taken the helm at the West Virginia Bar as reported in this article. Based on what he has planned for his state, I sure wish they’d find more like him to lead the ABA.  According to the article, Fisher plans to focus on small firms and solos and [...]

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Are you Fully Paperless?

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

There’s a discussion at Evan Schaeffer’sIllinois Trial Practice Blog over the feasibility of a fully paperless office.  Evan admits, and many commenters agree, that he has some difficulty relying exclusively on electronic documents, particularly when he’s trying to get up to speed on a new, paper-laden matter.   
What do you think?  Do you still print [...]

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South Carolina Makes Discipline Records Available Online

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

According to this article, the South Carolina Bar moved to electronically post disciplines of lawyers on its webstie for 75 years (of course, who knows if the web in its present form will be around by then).  Some lawyers oppose this decision, arguing that it "creates a Scarlet Letter" for anyone who makes a mistake.  [...]

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Finding Networking Possibilities in Everything You Do

May 21, 2006 by Carolyn Elefant

Great story in this Amy Joyce column from today’s Washington Post, entitled Job Connections Start as Social Connections.  Joyce describes how a blind date spawned by match.com went awry romantically, but worked out professionally for the guy when his date helped him to score a job at her company.  The lesson – you never know [...]

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