My Shingle

December 2007

Listserves: The Problem or the Solution For Improving Lawyer Competency?

December 17, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

When I’m asked to list the resources that have helped improve my competency as a lawyer, I’d place blogs and listserves high on the list. In particular, the guidance that I’ve received from that mother-of-all-solo-listserves, Solosez has helped me tackle issues far more effectively than I could have on my own, while other feedback has [...]

Read more Ethics & Malpractice Issues 5 comments

I Hope That This Hillman Article on Client Choice Isn’t Intended to Create More Hurdles for Shinglers-to-Be

December 16, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

Under legal ethics principles, a clients’ right to the attorney of their choosing trumps even the economic interest of the firm representing the client. For that reason, firms cannot force lawyers to enter into non-compete agreements or impose onerous restrictions that would prevent a client from following a departing attorney to another firm or to [...]

Read more Client Service 1 comment

Reach Out And Make A Connection

December 16, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

Arnie Herz at Legal Sanity offers a great tip, echoed by What About Clients: reconnect with your business network so that you can continue to nurture and reinforce the trusted relationships that produce not only business referrals, but personal fulfillment. Taking a page from Curt Rosengren, Herz recommends that you try speaking with someone personally [...]

Read more Blogging 0 comments

Google Yourself…For Fun and Necessity

December 16, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

AP is reporting here on a recent study by Pew Internet and American Life Project that found that 47 percent of US adult internet users have searched for information about themselves through Google or some other search engine. That’s double the percentage of users who did so in 2002. Mary Madden, a Pew research specialist [...]

Read more Marketing & Making Money 6 comments

Some Disparate Thoughts on Empowerment and Creating Opportunities Through Blogging

December 16, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

Many of us who decide to start a law firm do so to gain autonmy and take charge of our careers; to “own, not loan” our talent. So it’s no wonder that so many solo and small firm lawyers have an affinity towards blogging, which is just as empowering as starting a law firm. For [...]

Read more Blogging 0 comments

About Me

December 14, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

The way I like to tell it, I started my own law firm back in 1993, because frankly, a big law firm wasn’t big enough. Not big enough for my ego which balked at doing the grunt research without the glamour of arguing the cases or meeting with clients. Not even big enough to fit [...]

Read more Uncategorized 2 comments

Real Progress: Biglaw Commits Malpractice Also

December 10, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

When I started this blog, to read the mainstream legal media, you’d have thought that solos were the only lawyers to ever miss deadlines, violate ethics rules or commit malpractice. But I’ve always believed that all lawyers, from those at ginormous firms to those who practice alone, are all equally prone to making mistakes and [...]

Read more Biglaw Practice and Issues 0 comments

Happy Fifth Anniversary, MyShingle [Updated Post]

December 9, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

Five years ago, I launched MyShingle.com with this Welcome Message, proclaiming my vision. Here’s an excerpt: What we’d like to convey here in this welcome message is our vision of MyShingle.com as a site which captures and reflects the innovative, pioneering and “can do” spirit of solo and small firm practice and gives voice, presence [...]

Read more Announcements 15 comments

One More Day to Register for Business Building Accountability Club

December 3, 2007 by Carolyn Elefant

If you’re still interested in registering for the upcoming Business Building Accountabilty Club, scheduled for December 5, there’s still time…up until midnight tonight. To view more details on the event and/or to register (there’s no cost), visit this link. And for those who have already registered, watch for the agenda and course materials in your [...]

Read more Marketing & Making Money 6 comments

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