Business of Law

Study Shows Truths About Billing, But Do Clients Care?

A study revealing that corporate clients may not be getting the bargains they thought from law firms has drawn a deafening silence from both camps. Not only do firms charge different rates to different corporate clients for the same type of work, but the longer companies stick with a law…

Feb 1, 2011 7:40 AM CST

Book ‘Clutch’ Cites David Boies as Exemplar of Success

Major sports figures come to mind as newsman Paul Sullivan talks about the qualities that distinguish those who succeed under extreme pressure in his appropriately titled book, Clutch. There are five key characteristics of clutch players, Sullivan writes: focus, discipline, adaptability, being present in the moment, and being driven by…

Feb 1, 2011 7:30 AM CST

Very Superstitious: Some Find Legal Inspiration Through Spiritual Means

As an independent investigative lawyer often charged with tracking down missing persons, Charles Eric Gordon seeks inspiration wherever he can find it. Sometimes that means turning to the early 20th century Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin. “The man was so intuitive,” says Gordon, 58, who can recite from memory the intricacies…

Feb 1, 2011 7:20 AM CST

RSS, Not R.I.P.: Tool That Brings the News to You Is Still Useful

It’s long been said that we overestimate the short-term impact of the Internet but greatly underestimate its long-term impact. The same applies to certain elements of the Net; and RSS, or real simple syndication, is a good illustration of that. In 2003, I wrote an article saying RSS had changed…

Feb 1, 2011 7:10 AM CST

Law on the Open Road: One Man’s Avocation has Become His Niche

Age 4 was formative for Norman Gregory Fernandez. he learned to ride his first mini-motorcycle, and that same year he announced to his father that he was going to be an attorney—so he could live in a mansion, of course. Today, many clients of the law offices of Norman Gregory…

Feb 1, 2011 7:00 AM CST

His Town: Firefighter, Lawyer, Now Mayor of the City He Helped Incorporate

Lawyer Arturo Martínez de Vara’s hometown of Von Ormy, Texas, is a community where people talk about the Texas Revolution as if it were yesterday. Settled before the Alamo fell, Von Ormy, population 1,300 and 15 miles southwest of downtown San Antonio, is rich in history but short on amenities.…

Jan 1, 2011 8:09 AM CST

Social Media or Snake Oil: Does Social Media Measure Up to the Hype?

Is the social media phenomenon overhyped? A growing chorus of voices says yes. Critics argue there are no credible ways to measure return on investment in social media. They also contend there’s no definitive data showing that social media create business, or that the number of followers you have on…

Jan 1, 2011 8:00 AM CST

App Tracks Document Delivery in 2 States

View a video about CivilMap. Mike Kingery and Tyrel Lasley, process servers in Montrose, Colo., are using iPhone technology to move an often troublesome part of the legal practice into the 21st century. Their software program and iPhone app, called CivilMap, is designed to bring efficiency and certainty to the…

Jan 1, 2011 7:50 AM CST

Situations Found: 7 Who Lost Jobs to Recession Are Now Working

For the January 2009 Recession Issue of the ABA Journal, we highlighted seven lawyers out of work and seeking new positions. Checking back, we found that all are gainfully employed as lawyers: some with firms, others as in-house counsel and one as a sole practitioner. Here’s what we learned when…

Jan 1, 2011 7:40 AM CST

Ghostwriters: Virtual Bloggers Can Help Scare Up New Business

Gary Nitzkin, a Southfield, Mich.-based collections attorney, is not superstitious. But in recent months he’s been channeling some rather unusual ghosts to help build visibility for his practice. Nitzkin, an early proponent of blogging, has been writing about issues such as fair debt collection and fraud prevention at his Michigan…

Jan 1, 2011 7:30 AM CST

Virtual Worlds, Real Battles: Trademark Holders Take on Use in Games

The virtual worlds of video games are creating some real-life problems—and court action—for owners of trademarks. In some virtual worlds, players generate their own content for virtual prizes. And like the real world, their avatars prefer Nike, Gucci and Ferrari, camping in corner offices equipped with Herman Miller’s Aeron chairs.…

Jan 1, 2011 7:20 AM CST

Happy New Tech Year: 4 First Steps for the Next 365 Days

The key to successful new year’s resolutions is to make them manageable and doable steps toward larger goals. Making resolutions for improving your relationship with technology can follow a similar path. Think of resolutions as first steps that are simple, easy to accomplish and targeted toward areas that will reduce…

Jan 1, 2011 7:10 AM CST

Lawyer With ‘The Dragon Tattoo’: Business on Track to Pass Sony in Foreign Film Grosses

Attorney William Schopf’s fall schedule included a working trip to the Toronto Film Festival in September and preparation for a major trial starting in November. “I haven’t had the situation yet where I have to tell the judge, ‘I need a continuance because I’ve got to go to Cannes,’ ”…

Dec 1, 2010 7:00 AM CST

Recession Deprives Young Associates of Tools to Move Ahead

As corporate legal work begins to pick up and law firms look to recruit junior-level talent, some hiring partners say they are finding a new wrinkle from the recession: Some associates who managed to avoid layoffs now lack the exposure and experience of their peers from three to five years…

Dec 1, 2010 6:55 AM CST

New Rules, New Work: A Lot is Still to be Decided Under Dodd-Frank

Lawyers interpreting the behemoth Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed by President Barack Obama last summer, may find their workloads—and perhaps their pessimism—renewed. Dodd-Frank is named after co-sponsoring Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Barney Frank, D-Mass. They led the hammering out of compromises resulting in new powers…

Dec 1, 2010 6:50 AM CST