Chuck Newton

Texas Southern University Achieves An Important Milestone

I have written before about the ever improving Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas.  Mainly the University, but both the University and the Law School have had their problems, but matters are turning around for both.

The TSU law school was created by the 1946 Texas Legislature to create a separate program for African-Americans after Herman Sweatt sued when he was denied admission to the University of Texas School of Law. So, the school's history is rich. But, the law school has evolved from this to be not just an African-American law school, but the most diversified law school in the country, catering to the needs of all races, gender and economic background.

The law school has been the starting place for many legendary congresspeople, judges and legislators in Texas.

As reported recently by the Houston Chronicle, TSU Law achieved a 75% bar passage rate on the most recent bar exam taken in Texas. And, although that was still the lowest of all of the law schools in Texas, it is extremely competitive. More importantly, the bar passage rate reflects the yeoman's work that the Thurgood Marshall School of Law has done to bring it into the top ranks of law schools in Texas.

It is important to keep in mind that TSU Law is a public law school and is ABA accredited. And, one of the great benefits of attending is that it has the lowest tuition in Texas. This last year, tuition and fees were at $12,856.00. Add this to the lower cost of living in Houston, Texas than in most parts of the country, and you have a bargain. There is a lot to say about graduating from law school with little or no debt.

If I were seeking to attend law school, especially in Texas, would TSU be my top pick? Probably not. But, it would be on my short list.

Bed Bug Law Niche

This is my point exactly. Legal niche practices are all around you. You just need to look around at what is going on and ask yourself where is the legal implications of that? Who are the prospective parties involved? Who could pay for my services?

I know this is likely to open up to a lot of humor. Laugh at it if you will.  But, the return of bed bugs is a serious legal issue as well as a medical issue. They are blood suckers. They are proving devastating to those that have bed bug infestations. From my limited reading, bed bug infestations are up -- get this -- 5,000%.  It takes only one bed bug to hitch a ride on clothing, or furniture delivered, or your suit case left in an infected hotel room, for example, to cause an over-powering infestation at some other location. And worse, bed bugs can survive for a year without feeding. An infestation is very difficult, costly and embarrassing with which to deal.

According to an article in The Washington Post, Daniel Whitney, has filed eight lawsuits on behalf of bed bug victims in the State of Maryland, seeking a total of $7 million in damages. And, he has even more lawsuits in the pipeline.

Whitney works on a contingency basis, recovering for his firm 33% to 40% of any settlement of judgment collected. Not a bad little niche discovery for an attorney that typically defended corporate clients in product liability and toxic tort cases.

Bed Bugs were thought extinct in the United States due to liberal use of the infamous poison DDT in the 1950s. But, they survived elsewhere in the World and are now invading hotels, college dorms, government building, department stores, and even Google.

According to George Washington University's newspaper The GW Hatchet, bed bugs have been found in five residence halls.

Sleepy's, the largest mattress retailer in the county, just settled a claim after being accused of delivering mattresses that were infested with bed bugs.

Bed bugs were recently found in the BBC studios at the UN.

Bed bugs were found in the Bloomington hospital in Indiana.

According to NY 1, there have been 336 confirmed cases of bed bugs in the New York school system.

Bed bugs have infiltrated Lincoln Center and the New York Ballet.

And, not that it overly concerns me, but, according to the New York Post, Howard Stern's radio studio in Manhattan as become infested.

According to Fox News, beg bugs have infested the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

ABC 7 News in Denver reports firefighters overcome with bed bugs when putting out a house fire.

Bloomingdale's department store in Manhattan has become invested with beg bugs.

The Bed Bug Registry recently twittered, warning that at holiday parties not to use a bed for a place to put your coat.

And really, where there is an issue, there is a need for expert legal advice on both sides of the divide. There has to be room for lawyers to not only defend those sued for exposing others to bed bugs, but in advising large companies, hotels, schools, retail establishments and others on the proper protocol to protect against legal action.

You can just imagine the serious issues concerning bed bugs apart from the inconvenience of treating for them.  What if they are allowed to invest a nursing care facility or a hospice? What if there is a new born in the house infested? What if a mission critical office is infested? An apartment complex in which the ownership is not taking effective corrective measures? A jail? A courthouse?

What if you generally represent a company or investors that own or operate apartment buildings, commercial properties, public storage facilities, HOA or community associations, condos, maid or cleaning services, medical facilities or doctor groups, hospitals, luxury cruise lines, airlines, or ship product to the public?

It is probably a niche many lawyers should look into.

2000 BLOG POSTS AND COUNTING

I just recently past my 2,000th post on this blog. And, most of these are not throw away posts but original content.

I am not asking that you be proud of me or impressed. I am, however, impressed with myself for reasons you might not expect.

First, I have blogged for me and my interest in ways that I hope might help others, but primarily to interest myself. To keep me engaged. Hundreds of thousands have read my posts, but I think I would have done so even if it were only me readying my posts. In fact, before the Internet and blogging, I use to write down my thoughts on things like I cover on this blog, as well as business ideas, and just keep them in the top drawer of my desk.

Second, it is a chore. Sometimes it is a chore you do not want to do at the moment. But, most blogs result in a flurry of unimpressive posts about things like the directions to the courthouse, and then all updates end. Then, like most things, lawyers cry that blogging does not work. Well, it does. Like most things in life it takes time, patients and a general commitment and stick-to-it-ness for it to payoff.

Third, I am generally out of shape, but I image this is something like what a long distant runner feels.  (Can you have a blogger's high)?  The point is that you start off in a direction, you struggle with the commitment at times, often just feeling the pain but not the overall benefit, but you keep moving on. It is long term goal setting and you can always look back and be proud of yourself for continuing with it day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.

Fourth, life is really serendipitous. Most things start out as an act of faith. You do not know where this is leading, or where it will take you, or if it will ultimately pay off in some way. You can fret yourself out of it if you are not careful. But, you do it because something in you says you have to. Even if it makes no sense to others, or your children think you are a little weird.

This is not my practice blog. It is just one of those things that interest me for whatever slightly strange or perverted reason. Kind of like my enjoyment of trying to find the perfect green olive or blue cheese, or my lack of basis for wanting to build a digital title plant, or trying to figure out in my mind (if nowhere else for now) how to build dirt cheap, cool and quick housing (you know in a George Jetson kind of way). I am not sure where this interest comes or how it get in my mind. Is it a gift or a ministry or a curse of some sort? Who knows really. All I know is that if I do not do it, I am not overly satisfied. I do it for me, but I have very much appreciated you coming along for part of the ride.

Add other blogs on which I have participated, and I do not know how many posts are out there in Googleland. And, this does not count Twitter and Facebook. Frankly, it does not include Basecamp, which is nothing more than a glorified blog on which I conduct and maintain my practice.

I do not consider this the finish line. But also, I am considering some changes ahead as to this blog.

Thanks everyone.

Law Students Can Create Their Own Niche

There is a good post on Lawyerist concerning how law students can go about creating their own niche. Laura Bergus writes that law students can improve their job prospects and create confidence by building on a niche during law school.

I think she is right.

Lawyers generally are not in the greatest demand believe it or not.  However, people that have an expert knowledge or interest in something are in tight supply. For law students, the better that they can define their interest and curiosity, the better they will succeed at the practice of law after graduation.

As Ms. Bergus points out, a niche interest (we do not have to call it knowledge at this point) not only tends to build confidence in you as the lawyer or law student, but it also builds confidence in those who might want to employ you.

The article suggests that you can build upon this interest throughout law school in legal writing assignments, research projects, papers, notes and articles you might pursue. This is simply good advice.

 

Kruikantoor - Portable Office Made From Foam

I saw this on DesignBoom.Com.  It is one of those things that looks intriguing.  And it seems like there should be a need for a portable office.  I am not sure there is, but there seems like there should be.

I would think something like this could be used for traveling law offices where some type of free screening or service is provided.  Also, in tight environments where the home office has to be put up after work to allow for a living space.

Kruikantoor is a portable office made from EPS foam and covered with a coating of polyurea hotspray. the office, consisting of 2 chairs, a table, light, electricity connection and storage, can be put together into one entire unit or taken apart to create a complete office environment. equipped with wheels, 'kruikantoor' allows users to swiftly change work locations.