We’re starting a new series of malpractice questions and answers presented by our faculty member, Allison Woods, who teaches ethics at Solo Practice University. It’s a quick, easy reminder to avoid making some serious mistakes. Look for them once a month. And hope you get an ‘A’. Can you answer our first question successfully?

Law schools keep churning out graduates in ever-increasing numbers into a market that has been shrinking, due, in part to the economic downturn. The legal profession has been hit hard. In recent years, many prestigious law firms, with staffs running into the many hundreds, have pared their ranks, not only of staff but, as well associates, even partners. And there have been quite-a-few firm mergers, and other firms have simply closed-up shop.

In many instances, newly-minted associates are often doing the work of paralegals, and the paralegals, in turn are increasingly handling duties generally assigned to secretaries or administrative assistants. The downturn has especially hit hard attorneys who hung out their shingles. What do we need to know in order to move forward?