Chuck Newton

Oh No, Don Ho!

According to CNN, Don Ho has passed away.  Call me a schlock, but I love Don Ho.  (And, do NOT even bring up the Imus thing).

The singer of "Tiny Bubbles" was 76.

Don Ho  had suffered with heart problems for the past several years and had a pacemaker installed last fall. In 2005, he underwent an experimental stem cell procedure on his ailing heart in Thailand.

Besides "Tiny Bubbles," his other well-known songs include "I'll Remember You," "With All My Love" and the "Hawaiian Wedding Song."

Making a Vlog!

I found this on YouTube and thought it was fun and illustrative.

What Type Of Business Structure Do Your Prefer? None.

Susan Cartier Liebel tackles the question of what is best for a solo practitioner in the way of a company or corporate structure?  My preference is none.  None at all.

I have practiced law in a number of different environments over the years and under a number of different structures.  For a solo attorney,  I tend to think that fancy trade names and the establishment of different legal entities have to do more with ego than practicality.

Hourly Fees And Who Has The Risk Of Loss When Your Titantic Case Hits The Iceberg

The Greatest American Lawyer (GAL) suggests that lawyers love hourly billing, and suggesting that it is not the best way to calculate fees.  It is a common refrain these days, and it is accurate in some practice areas.  If you practice transactional law or some type of administrative law, then decapitation fees might be what is best.  In these cases a fee is set and the attorney benefits for being efficient.  But, why should that be true for complicated litigation?  Although viewed from a different perspective, What About Clients? and Human Law Mediation speak well of the iceberg cost of litigation. 

Crazy Daughter-san In Japan

Dance group.

Quit monkeying around!

University of Texas Burnt Orange in Japan?

Now that I've slip into something more comfortable...

Kurogoma (black sesame) soft cream!!  Oh no you di'ent!!!

When You Have Just Had Enough

There is a great post on Solo Lawyer, which reviews a post on GP/Solo entitled Sunsetting A Law Practice.  It follows an attorney who is leaving the solo life after 16 years of representing family law clients.
The issue is whether such attorneys are just fed up with the practice of law, see a better opportunity, or what. 

I agree that lawyers reach a point where they are looking for nirvana, but the feelings about being fed up, and tired, and just plum worn out, are usually systematic of a bigger problem.  Maybe it involves a lack of regular earnings, the lack of association and collaboration, maybe the feeling of pushing the wagon alone.  Certainly, solos need to take heed to deal with these issues early on. 

Trying To Be A Wiseguy?

A short time back Larry Bodine posted his Marketing Lessons From The Sopranos.  His point was that lawyers can learn a thing or two about marketing from watching the famed HBO TV series.  In brief, here are the points:

1.  You've got to be a good "earner" for your outfit;

2.  You must keep revenue going up;

3.  You must develop new business as a team;

4.  Remember to say "thank you" to your referral sources and allies;

5.  A meal is an excellent place to conduct business;

6.  Don't be shy about keeping clients satisfied; and,

7.  Remember that business development takes time.
  

Bing Crosby, Jose Feliciano, Diana Ross And Supremes- 60s Jam

Truly amazing when you think about it.

Not Quite How I Pictured It

Can You Take A Lawyer Seriously When . . .

The other day (or should I say night), in a hard fought case I had been handling, the opposing counsel sent a settlement offer to me by email at 8:57 at night, giving my client until 9:00 the next morning to accept the offer or it would be off the table.  Not only did opposing counsel give my client and I less than 13 hours to decide and respond to the offer after it was transmitted, most of the hours given represented the middle of the night.