Both today and yesterday, I have been observing Rosh Hashanna, the Jewish New Year. When I was in college and law school, I abided the rituals, well, religiously, foregoing work and use of any electronics and spending my time in services. But back then, the prayers and rituals resonated with me in a way that
How Grunt Work Can Get You Grand Work
Conventional wisdom recommends that lawyers involve themselves in organizations like bar or trade associations — either by joining the groups or offering to speak at events — to demonstrate legal and leadership skills and build relationships with colleagues and potential clients through regular contact. Trouble is that this advice is easier said than done. Most
Why Does NAMWOLF, An Association for Women & Minority Lawyers Exclude Solos?
Legal excellence knows no color or gender, reads the tagline for the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Unfortunately, NAMWOLF’s egalitarian notion of legal excellence doesn’t extend to size: shockingly, NAMWOLF bars women and minority owned solo and two-attorney practices from even applying for membership .
For an organization that professes
Lessons from Crowdsourced Advice for a Struggling Solo
Ten days ago, in an effort to reply quickly to a struggling solo who’d contacted me for advice, I reached out to readers to crowdsource a response. The post touched off 40 comments, some offering sound advice to a solo in these circumstances, others not so much. The comments also spawned several sub-discussions on what’s
An Attorney Listing Site to Avoid If You Want To Avoid Ethics Problems
Sometimes, a new concept emerges that’s never been done before because no one ever thought of it. That’s called innovation. But other times, there’s reason that the new concept hasn’t been done before: because it’s a downright stupid idea. Unfortunately, many lawyers can’t tell the difference between innovation and idiocy, which is the only explanation
Crowdsourcing Advice for a Struggling Solo
[Update 9/23–Readers – thank you for your response. We’ve collected an enormous amount of information, some very helpful, some of it obvious and some of it (diving in full force to cases by copying pleadings stood out to me as inadvisable and potential career killer but there are others). I’ve got to read through everything
Online Guide on Starting A Practice; Seeking More Input on Gift Guide
Last month, I posted this form seeking information on your favorite gifts to give to clients and referral sources, as well as gifts that you’d like to receive. The topic of giving gifts versus sending thank yous generated some healthy discussion in the comments – and in fact, if a written note is your preferred
The First Week of Going Solo
The following is a guest post by Carl, a New Jersey Divorce Attorney who recently hung a shingle.
The First Week of Going Solo
Day 1
The first few weeks of hanging a shingle and starting a law practice are a blurry, fear-inducing yet simultaneously exciting tightrope walk along the edge of hope and fear.
Go Rural, Young – and Old – Solos
Last week, the WSJ Law Blog highlighted this story reporting on South Dakota’s push to bring more lawyers to rural parts of the state. As you’d expect, the shortage arises as a result of the older lawyers in rural communities nearing retirement in combination with the departure of younger lawyers for opportunities in larger towns
MyShingle Fashion: How To Dress Like a French Woman: K.I.S.S.
And so begins my next little mini-series for MyShingle! I’m calling it “How To Dress Like a French Woman,” because in this series, I teach you how to build and assemble a Lazy Susan so you have a great place to store your spices.
Er, wait, no, I seem to have gotten my note cards