Should Your Firm Be Looking for Government Work?

Getting the opportunity to serve as outside counsel for a government entity is highly sought after. For the firms that get the opportunity, it can equate to a big payday. As a recent AP article showed, states like Florida...

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Winter Is Here for Tort Litigators, Lawsuits on Decline

According to a new study published in the Wall Street Journal examining recent statistics found that individual tort lawsuits are down. By a lot. Maybe even "Winter Is Coming" -style numbers. The hard numbers show that in 2015 less...

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Donating Recoveries? Game On!

It's bad enough that former athletes often go broke, but add to that corporate profiteering on their images after they retire -- really? "Come on, man," as Charles Barkley would say. Don't know basketball? Then how about Chris Spielman,...

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Why You Should Never Rely on Wikipedia for Legal Research

We've all been there before. Caught, like a deer in headlights, with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever about a particular legal concept. So rather than diving into real legal research, we jump on Google to run a basic search. Then,...

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Should Your Firm Be Suing Opioid Drug Makers?

Being a lawyer can sometimes be really rewarding. Not only can you help people in their time of need, but you get to make a living doing so.  Despite the tinge of conscience, where there's potential to recover for...

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Tips to Make Your Law Firm Stand Out

Marvin Mitchelson, the famed Hollywood divorce lawyer, had an office that stood out. From his office-length window across from the Los Angeles Country Club, he could see the hustle headed toward Rodeo Drive. He adorned his space with antique...

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Parrot Evidence Rule, Like Parol Evidence Rule, but for Crime

Not many lawyers ever actually get to grapple with the great legal conundrum of the Parrot Evidence Rule. Surprisingly, it's somewhat similar to the Parol Evidence Rule, apart from the easy to forget part. But rather than dealing with extrinsic...

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When Whistleblowing Breaks the Law, Are Your Clients Protected?

Whistleblower cases can present legally fascinating constitutional law actions involving a few different First Amendment issues. When a whistleblower discloses information to the public, or an appropriate agency with oversight, not only are there constitutional protections, there are frequently...

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BigLaw Gets Another Boutique Law Firm

Closing in on almost 4,000 lawyers, DLA Piper picks up law firms like a tire tread picks up rocks -- it's rolling. Continuing its worldwide expansion, the BigLaw firm has brought in another boutique law firm. Liner LLP, and...

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3 Transgender Policies to Help Attract Top Talent for Your Firm

Lawyers, take a moment to be proud of your profession. For the past several years, law firms have ranked highest on the Human Rights Campaign's "Corporate Equality Index." This year's report shows that law firms are, again, ahead of...

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Tips on Productivity: Go Slow and Steady

Many years ago, I drove a 1969 Volkswagen almost 1,000 miles up and down the California coast to attend a deposition. It was a beautiful trip, especially along the cliffy stretch between San Simeon and Carmel. Not everybody gets...

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Pleading for the Public: How Readable Is Your Writing?

When drafting a pleading, most practitioners focus on proving their case to a judge, and never give a second thought about the general public as an audience. This may seem like the right strategy, but there are certainly some...

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When Pleading Do You Write plaintiff, Plaintiff, or PLAINTIFF?

Your legal writing style, believe it or not, matters. Judges, and their clerks, appreciate clear writing devoid of unnecessary terms and phrases. However, when it comes to legal writing, court and local rules, and even individual judges' standing orders,...

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Solo Lawyers: Tips for Working on Your Summer Vacation

'Working vacation' is an oxymoron, especially for solo attorneys. So why do we plunge head first into the ritual? It's like starting a journey, knowing that you'll never get to your destination. But such is the attorney's fate, and...

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Time to Raise Your Billable Rate?

When is it time to raise your billable rate? When you want to buy a new BMW. Just kidding, sort of. Deciding when to raise your rates depends on a number of factors, but always involves calculating the bottom...

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What's Your Practice Worth?

Thinking about selling your practice? If so, the next question may help you make up your mind. How much is it worth? It's hard to say, kind of like explaining to clients the value of their case or the...

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How to Handle Media Backlash From Your Most Unpopular Client

A handful of attorneys are lucky enough to have the problem of dealing with public backlash for representing unpopular, high profile clients. When the media makes your client a villain, it's not always easy for a lawyer to step...

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Should Your Firm Enter the New Niche Drone Law Market?

Have you been waiting for an exciting niche area of law to take your practice to new heights? If so, and you are in any way, shape, or form technically capable, you may want to consider studying up on...

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Law Firms Resist Changing Business Model, Despite Growing Competition

Lawyers are not very serious about changing their business model, according to a recent survey of nearly 400 law firms. Less than one-fourth of the survey respondents said they were seriously considering a change in their legal service delivery...

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No New Clients? Learn Critical Acquisition Strategies Now, for Free

A train needs coal, a car needs gas, and a lawyer needs clients. Solo practitioners, you didn't go to law school to learn to market your legal practice, or to learn to build websites; you went to learn to...

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Ethical Issues With Referral Fees

There's a joke that aspiring attorneys go to law school because they aren't good at math. But it's no joke when it comes to calculating referral fees and fee-splitting between attorneys. Make a mistake, and it could cost you...

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How to Kill Email and Save Time

Email can be a time-killer, so why not fight back? When junk mail starts to outnumber legit mail, it's time to put them to sleep with the fishes. And what about those old emails that keep hanging around like...

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What to Do When a Client Puts a Gun to Your Head

"But for the grace of God, goes John Bradford." It's a quote attributed to the religious reformer, commenting as prisoners were led to execution. He was later burned at the stake. It's also apropos for lawyers who have advocated...

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Academics Can't Explain 'Astonishing' Decline in Plaintiffs' Win Rate

Plaintiffs mysteriously lost twice as many federal cases in 2009 than they had 24 years earlier, according to a new study. Two University of Connecticut law professors said the plaintiffs' win rate declined about 50 percent from 1985 to...

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Fight for Your Right to Party, or How Lawyers Can Take Vacations

Move to France. That's the short answer to how lawyers can demand vacation days. In France, employees are entitled to five weeks of paid vacation each year by law. Unlike most countries, however, the United States has no right...

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'Participatory Defense' Helps Public Defenders

It's a hard thing, defending so many people in court that you don't even recognize your clients' faces. But that is a given for many public defenders, like those in Santa Clara County, California, who handle scores of cases...

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Lawyer Blames Junk Email for Missed Deposition

It's hardly news when a lawyer misses an important email because it happens all the time, right? After all, what with all the junk mail from vendors and others, it's easy to overlook an important email once in a...

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Law Firms Beef Up Specialty Business

When President Trump fired half of the U.S. Attorneys in the country, they had to go somewhere. So Andrew Luger, a former U.S. Attorney, joined Jones Day as a partner in its investigations and white collar defense practice. He...

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Tax Lawyers, Should You Get a CPA License?

The 'Accidental Tax Lawyer' is not the name of a movie. It's a title from a blog post about a lawyer thinking about going back to school to become a certified public accountant. But if it were a movie,...

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