As a practicing attorney and a former actor, I have often asked myself the question Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. asked those in a crowded room at Harvard in 1886: "How can the laborious study of a dry and technical system, the greedy watch for clients and practice of shopkeepers’ arts, the mannerless conflicts over often sordid interests, make out a life?"
What’s the problem with Hamlet? A central preoccupation of the characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is deciphering what’s going on with the title character.
What do we call a lawyer? No, this is not a lawyer joke. I am referring to titles. It has not been one of my regrets that lawyers in the English-speaking world are not addressed with formal titles, as doctors are.
So many of us struggle in silence while striving for excellence, when only a helping hand and understanding—not only from family and friends but also from colleagues and those with leading positions in law firms—could guide our way to attain success as humans and as professionals.
Very early in my legal career while practicing law in Jamaica, a client kept me on my toes with a criminal law matter. In one instance, it was clear I had not been given any written instructions about a matter and that client was getting increasingly agitated. A very senior lawyer sitting beside me passed me a note that simply said, “Get that in writing. You must always protect yourself.”
Check out some tips to establish yourself as a competent and compassionate lawyer to potential clients, from North Carolina lawyer James Gray Robinson.
I am not crazy about the company. No, I don’t mean the people near me. Let me explain. I am retired from my practice, but I am still reflecting on what about the legal system bugs me.
Is law school learning always practical? According to Albert Einstein, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
Law firms are hiring professionals, such as behavioral scientists, data experts, journalists and police officers, to help advise clients on risk and compliance.
There is always going to be the "just one question" potential client who makes initial contact with you. Often, they may not paint the whole story for you, and you in turn may give advice on incomplete facts. In essence, you may well find yourself in a dilemma.
What hath the law to do with justice? And if it does, to what extent does this connection influence our decision to become lawyers? Is the motivation instinctual?
When my daughter was in college back in the '90s, she knew I was a lawyer specializing in health law. She knew I had left private practice after 20 years to become general counsel of a large statewide hospital system. And she knew I spent my workdays at a desk reading, writing and talking on the phone.
From hostage rescuing and fast roping to skydiving and stress shooting, the United States Special Operations Forces has mastered the ability to remain cool under pressure.
Communication. Do we sometimes get it wrong with clients—or otherwise? I learned a valuable lesson early on in my legal career while still an articling student. My boss and good mentor, Hank, invited me to lunch. After the meal, I ordered a cup of tea. As I like it a certain strength, I said to the waiter, one Jean Pierre, “Bag out, please.”
As a law school reference librarian, I field a lot of questions from law students working at internships, externships and summer jobs. Over the years, I’ve seen some recurring issues with the research assignments given to law students, and I thought it might be helpful to discuss some of them here.
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
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