Chuck Newton

Dinah Shore & Pearl Bailey Sing "Mack The Knife"

Dinah Shore And Ella Fitzgerald

For your weekend enjoyment.

Martindale - What-The-Hell Websites

I will not trouble you long with this post.  However, this question occurred to me.  Is there anything more atrocious than one of those  LexisNexis  - Martindale- Hubbell websites?  People pay good money for something so standard and so bad.  Frankly, I cannot help but think that they are no help to one's legal practice.  I saw a print ad today for a lawyer in my area that looked interesting.  The main purpose of the ad was to point consumers to his website.  I thought I run into people all of the time that need this type of representation and I do not want to do it.  Maybe, I thought, this would be a good referral site?  NOT.  They all look a like.  They are banal.  In my opinion they distract more than they attract.  And, because they fall into broad categories, like bankruptcy and real estate, they fail generally to mention anything about the lawyer's interesting niche that is displayed in the expensive refer to advertising.  And, then there is the useless practice area "Newsletter" button.  I guess lawyers are looking for "set it and forget it" type of website.  What they get, however, is a hazard.  These websites are proof positive that most lawyers are just terrible at marketing and promoting their practices.  And, it really is ashame because setting up a blog instead is more informative, of more use to the target audience, and probably less costly at all.  It just take a little time ever so often.

My Brave And Crazy Daughter

Unknown to me at the time, my oldest daughter, Mary Newton, decided to go hitchhiking in Japan.  She and her friend bummed rides, accepted free shelter and free food.  They apparently had a marvelous time  and experience, which she details on her blog.  Maybe I am just looking at this from my jaded American perspective, but I keep asking myself, "what was going through her mind?"  What kind of rapist, pervert or sadistic serial killer would give two young girls a ride or a place to stay?  Did my daughter and her friend not see to previews to the movie Hostel.  Japan is a different culture, obviously.  But, are there not crazy people in Japan?  I think the cultural difference is that normal people in Japan (families) will actually give someone a ride, a place to stay and food.  In a way they are probably more Christian than are we Christians.  I am not a predator, but then I would not pull over on the interstate and give someone a ride except in the most dire of circumstances.

The Judiciary Gets Wiki With It

As reported on Robert Ambrogi's LawSites, the  7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has entered into the brave new world of collaborative technology.  The first in the country, the Circuit has launched its own wiki that will allow lawyers and judges to post and change notes on procedure and practice.  It is reported that Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook, who spearheaded the project, stated, "The goal is to concentrate on procedure (in both the court of appeals and the district courts) but not to cover substance. We aren't interested in comments about the meaning of ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code and will take down any pages that go beyond the scope of practice and procedure (including jurisdiction)."  It is truly revolutionary because even though limited to procedure and practice issues, Court do not typically collaborate on any issue with anyone outside of its four walls.  It is something that I believe our local federal courts should try at least as in regard to the procedure and practice areas.  (Judge Easterbrook pictured).

DigiDesk

Future Lawyer directed me to this video on the DigiDesk.  Like a concept car at the auto show, this represents Microsoft's vision of the future.  My first impression, like at the auto show, was OMG, how unbelievably cool.  But, my second impression, just as at the auto show, but how practical is this.  Third Wave attorneys like tech (especially cheap tech), and that is the reason that Future Lawyer is such a valuable resource.  However, Third Wave lawyers want affordable practicality.  Understandably, this desk of the future appears to be for the factory floor, but from a law practice standpoint it seem to go in the wrong direction.  The lawyer of the future is not to be tethered to a desk or anything else.  The Third Wave lawyer wants to be in the moment, practicing whenever and wherever the Third Lawyer stands (or sits).

Overhead Creep

I keep getting a lot of email and responses as to why having staff and an outside office is bad if you have an established practice that benefits from it.  I say nothing is wrong with it.  I just caution against it.  The problem is overhead creep -- the gradual, unintended, and almost whimsical inflation of overhead that sneaks up on all of us -- in our personal and business lives.

Et tu, Brute?

I feel to some extent like I have been flogged, stabbed, beaten, or banned from the city for leprosy (metaphorically speaking of course).  And for what?  For suggesting in a prior post that a new solo forgo the thought of staff and outside space and learn to excel in his chosen practice area by himself.  No less than 23 emails telling me what a cooky cuss I am.  How I must be out of my mind.  That is not what lawyers do.  That I was a bit too hard on the young lawyer.  You would think that I am Don Imus.

What Part Of Solo Do You Not Understand?

I was communicating (via email) with a solo attorney (a home office attorney) today - a good carpet commuter and Third Waver from what I can tell.  But his goal is to bring in more money so he can hire a legal assistant.  My question was "why do you want to do that"?  Traditional staffing to a home office lawyer is much like taking on debt.  "Do you want to take on debt"?

Mentoring Needed More Than Money

Starting a Third Wave law firm is just not that expensive.  You might not be able to have everything you prefer starting off, but you have a law license, you have a table or desk, you have a chair of some kind, and you have a computer and printer.  Get a phone of some type (with voice mail) and you are in businesses.  Sure, you can make it harder than this from a cash basis, but it does not have to be.  You do not need a big office, a staff, and all of the trappings of success.  What you need is a little how to.