New York just passed mandatory pro bono hours for all new lawyers before they can be admitted to practice law.  This is indentured servitude, not pro bono.  Beginning next year, the 10,000 or so prospective lawyers who pass the New York State Bar exam every year will be required to perform 50 hours of pro [...]

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I've always been my own guinea pig. I've been this way since I was a kid. I would tell my parents I want to experience it myself, make my own decisions. I didn't want their experiences. I wanted the excitement of experiencing for myself what would happen, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I [...]

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We all know that 2012 is going to test all solos, their creativity, their stamina, their ability to 'keep it down' when they want to throw up on the roller coaster ride known as solo practice…especially in the years ahead.  Rather than prognosticate about all the changes which are definitely happening, I'd rather have you [...]

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Last night I got an e-mail from a friend who wanted to let me know a mutual friend's nephew had committed suicide yesterday by jumping in front of a train.   He was 21 years old. I don't know what drove him to believe that tomorrow couldn't possibly be better.  He had his health.  He [...]

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(This is a little long but I hope you’ll find it worthwhile) In a recent article entitled "Startup Generation Ready to Fix Economy" we are learning that today's millennial is not only not a slacker but those who are taking their job security into their own hands is increasing exponentially. Forty percent of those in [...]

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I'll be honest with you. I'm not a fan of the concept but I haven't dismissed it out of hand, either. As I piece various issues together I am seeing this may very well be a serious trend for the future for a number of reasons  - least of which is the economy and our [...]

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That caught your eye?  It catches my eye constantly when I see factions in the legal community measure every other lawyer's passion for the law or time spent per week practicing law as a barometer for whether or not they are a 'real' lawyer. Some of the popular challenges to 'real' status: You have additional [...]

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This New York Times articles has been making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook: Armies of Expensive Lawyers, Replaced By Cheaper Software. The focus is on how Watson-like computers can pretty much eliminate the need for flesh and blood document reviewers ergo eliminating the legions of lawyers who (for the most part) did not elect [...]

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This post was triggered by a very passionate argument about women's contributions to the collective wisdom of the blogosphere between Crime and Federalism and MyShingle and morphed into Military Underdog's smackdown challenging the idea that any specific genitalia has greater responsibilities to their children all while running their legal practices.  While it was kind of [...]

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(Update: 12/15/11) As indicated in the text of this post, this attorney chose solo as a side dish but it also served as a plan B should her full-time position change.  Well, thanks to the economy and a change in the dynamics of her employment, she is now practicing full-time as a solo.  Developing a [...]

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