Today I started thinking hard it would be if the lawyer actually didn’t really like many of his clients. If he (or she) just found them irritating. My point is this. Such feelings are normal in relationships of all types, so irritation is likely to be part of the picture in some attorney-client relationships. But here they are paying you for results. This makes it different. How do you manage the relationship?
Over the years I have witnessed a few vigorous debates where the point of contention was over whether the practice of law is a business or a profession. I am sometimes taken aback by the positions some lawyers take.
There are those who really do find the notion of equating the practice of law in any way, shape, or form with the running of a business as an extremely offensive position. In the opposite corner stands the attorney who is in it solely for the money and views the very existence of our rules of professional conduct as a personal affront. Thus, the great debate.
An opportunity to sit on the board of a local nonprofit is finally on the table. Of course, if you accept, the board may ask you to do a little pro bono work from time to time; but hey, it feels like an offer that shouldn’t be turned down. But have you considered all the ethical minefields? We have.
There is no exception in the confidentiality rule that says an attorney needn’t worry about maintaining client confidences if an electronic document is in use. That means metadata. If you don’t know what it is, or you know what it is and having been paying attention to the documents you send, you better read this post.
From time to time I get involved in conversations with lawyers who have called in with a question or concern and as we talk through the situation it becomes clear that part of the problem is the lawyer doesn’t know who his client is. These are the times I find myself asking “How in the world does this happen?” It happens more often than you think!
Before purchasing any policy, make certain you understand what you will be getting for the money you’re about to spend. Sometimes significant price differences between two seemingly similar policies are due to policy differences that are not always readily apparent. Here are the key items you need to understand.
This post is directed toward those of you who fail to accurately record your time on a consistent basis throughout the day, day after day. I know it can be a hassle but there are really good reasons why this should be a priority.
The number of professional liability claims that arise as a result of a substantive legal error has varied a bit, but it generally seems to hover around 46%. In short, this means that roughly 46% of reported claims in any given year are a result of an attorney failing to know the law, failing to properly apply the law, or failing to know or ascertain a deadline…..