Operations

On December 10, 2004, MyShingle turned two.  Of course, for now you’ll have to take my word for it since I still can’t access my archives to prove it (right now, the old system is being tested and will hopefully be ready for prime time by the end of next week).  Thanks to all of…

This article, Solo and Small Firm Attorneys Lack Time for Pro Bono, NYLJ (12/13/04) reports on some of the obstacles that solo and small firms face in meeting the recommended 20 hours/year of pro bono.  The article lists the four top reasons lawyers gave for not participating in pro bono programs:  the demand of time…

We’ve had much discussion here over whether an hourly rate can be too low. But can an hourly rate ever be excessive?  Consider the new increases in biglaw billing rates reported in Law Firm Billing Rates Climb Even Higher, National Law Journal (12/9/04). The article reports that at the upper end, one firm charges $875/hour…

Reader attorney Frank Kautz passed on to me this link to the “Laffey Matrix,” which lists the court approved hourly rates for fee shifting case in the District of Columbia.   The rates start at $105/hr for paralegals and law clerks and top out at $380/hour for attorneys with 20 years of experience or more.  The…

Solo practioners in Central New York make about $50,000 a year, making them on average the lowest paid lawyers in the state, followed by solos in Buffalo who, in second place, earn $67,000.  These statistics are included in this article in the Central New York Business Journal (12/5/04) which reports on the findings of the…

By Mark Sindler A rather lengthy criminal prosecution in a Manhattan federal courtroom is nearing its end after having begun in June 2004. It has notoriety if only because the lead defendant is a well-known (at least in New York City) and very capable criminal defense attorney. Her name is Lynne Stewart, and even though…

New York attorney Frederic Abramson of Law, Current Events and Culture asks here whether a judge’s refusal to postpone a jury trial notwithstanding that the attorney handling the case was already engaged in a conflicting trial in another jurisdiction.  Apparently, the judge refused a continuance even after Mr. Abramson, who was covering for his colleague…

Over at  David Giacalone’s web log, there’s more coverage of the situation with Massachusetts court appointed attorneys.  In case you missed David’s prior coverage (which he links back to extensively in his post), a group of Massachusetts court appointed criminal attorneys first initiated a boycott to protest $30/hr fees (now raised to $37.50) and now…