The Greatest American Lawyer

America's Dire Need for Socialized Legal Services

I thought you'd be interested in this ABA Journal story by Senior Writer Debra Cassens Weiss:  Middle-Class Dilemma: Can’t Afford Lawyers, Can’t Qualify for Legal Aid

“The whole system of justice in America is broken,” Tribe said. “The entire legal system is largely structured to be labyrinthine, inaccessible, unusable.”

How One Lawyer Uses Technology to Select Jury Panels

Plaintiffs’ Lawyer Paul Kiesel utilizes laptops with 3G and wireless cell phone technology to conduct real-time social media searches during jury selection to find information about prospective jurors. 

“Last month I had 50 jurors, and as the court clerk read out the names, I had two people in the courtroom and a third person back at the office, with all three of them doing research,” says Kiesel, a partner with Kiesel, Boucher & Larson. Junior lawyers also assisted, and Kiesel estimates the social media research for that case cost less than $5,000.

Read the full story in the ABA Journal - Law News Now:  “Tech Check” by Stephanie Francis Ward.

Out-of-Work Lawyer Struggles to Find Job

Experienced lawyer, Laurie-Ellen Shumaker, applies to over 1,000 jobs and has yet to be called for an interview.  "Interviews are like seeking unicorns," says Shumaker. 

Read the full story here "Unemployed Lawyer Applies for 1,000 Jobs, Scores Zero Interview" by Martha Neil,  the ABA Journal Law News Now.

Success Round Table For Lawyers

Law school teaches you to think like an attorney.  They don't tell you that this is only half of the pie.  Lawyers don't learn about effective communication skills, business skills, how to establish rapport with clients and staff, or how to gain respect and agreement from juries.  The attorneys who are successful are those who either already were blessed with these skills or the ones who learned them through great time and expense.  Attorney and Life Coach Sonya Gallagher discusses The Success Round Table for Lawyers program she is offering through her company Time For Life on today's program.

Play: Success Round Table For Lawyers
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With: Sonia Gallagher

Sponsored by: Greatest American Lawyer

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ANNOUNCER:  Welcome to GAL Radio brought to you by the Greatest American Lawyer Blog changing the way law is practiced through technology, innovation and creativity. Turning the business of law on its head and shaking things up to the betterment of clients, lawyers, law firms, and society. Now here is your host, Damien Allen. 

 

DAMIEN: Good afternoon and welcome to GAL Radio. My name is Damien Allen, and joining me today on the phone is Sonia Gallagher, J.D. She is a life coach and she is the owner/proprietor of Time For Life LLC, Good afternoon, Sonia and welcome to the program. 

SONIA: Hi, Damien. I’m happy to be here. 

 

DAMIEN: It’s a pleasure to have you with us today. Today we are discussing the Success Round Table for Lawyers.  Sonia how did you get started in Time for Life, L.L.C? 

 

SONIA: Well it’s been quite a ride. I can tell you I practiced law for the past 6 years, and I actually owned my own law firm for the past two and during that time I always felt like I was missing something and that I should be working and helping people in a different manner. And during that time I was owning my own firm, I networked about 3 times a week, and it was basically through word of mouth and specific alliances that I got my clients, and just being out there and networking with so many attorneys on a constant basis I noted that there are specific issues we have to deal with on a regular basis and don’t really have the skills to help us. And those issues are client’s business development and client attraction and retention. 

 

The Impact of iPads - Lawyers, Law Firms, And The Legal Profession

     The launch of the new iPad has been surrounded with a lot of hype and a lot of hope for a "Go To" tool that will revolutionize the way we look at tablet style computers, information delivery,  and peripheral devices. Now the the iPad has had a few months on the market, Attorney Joshua Barrett of Black Helterline LLP discusses how the iPad works for him in the real world and where he thinks the future lies for for the iPad and its use in the legal field.

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With: Joshua M. Barrett

Sponsored by: Greatest American Lawyer

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ANNOUNCER:  Welcome to GAL Radio brought to you by the Greatest American Lawyer Blog changing the way law is practiced through technology, innovation and creativity. Turning the business of law on its head and shaking things up to the betterment of clients, lawyers, law firms, and society. Now here is your host, Damien Allen. 

 

DAMIEN: Good afternoon and welcome to GAL Radio. My name is Damien Allen, and joining me today on the phone is Josh Barrett of Black Helterline LLP, in Portland, Oregon. Welcome to the program.

 

JOSH:   Thanks. Hi, Damien.

 

DAMIEN: Today we are talking about the impact of IPads, lawyers, law firms and the legal profession. You recently wrote on Tabletlegal.com that the IPads seemed to work well for you for a lunch meeting. How are you using the IPad, Josh? And what do you see is the great boon for this particular advice?

 

JOSH:   I think the great boon for me, anyway, and I think for a lot of lawyers is that it gives lawyers additional choices about how to deliver legal services. I mean it doesn’t need to be behind a desk and behind a computer all day. I know my clients need me in different places and at different times, and the IPad gives me choices about how and when I can deliver my services and in a way that works well for my clients.

 

DAMIEN: What type of things are you doing with the IPad in your profession?

 

JOSH:   The choices, you know, it’s interesting. It’s not a desk top or a laptop replacement and that’s not a failing. I use it a lot for managing all those little slices of time and all those little projects that come up in a business attorney’s practice.  While I like those days where you can sit down and crank out 8, 10, 12 hours on a big project, a lot of the practice is little, tiny, small answering questions, cranking out a quick agreement, responding to a letter, or a voicemail, and the IPad allows me to do that very easily and take advantage of those little slices of time throughout my day whether I’m off picking up the kids or between client meetings to get those little things done to move my clients’ businesses and their projects forward.

 

Loyola Law School Will Artificially Adjust Every Students Grade Positively by 0.333 pts in the Next Month

In a New York Times article posted yesterday by Catherine Rampell entitled Law Schools, Grades Go Up, Just Like That, Rampell noted that in the last two years, at least 10 law schools have adjusted their grading systems to make them more lenient.

In fact, within the next month Rampell reports that Loyola Law School Los Angeles will adjust every law student’s grade recorded within the last few years by adding on an extra 0.333 to every grade. This change is not because all of the Loyola Law School students were working harder, rather the law school is retroactively inflating its grades to make its students look more attractive in a competitive job market.

You Know You’re Paperless When…

I was in my partner Brian’s office the other day conducting a GoToMeeting and mind map session with an important client.  I was chewing some “fresh breath” gum and was ready to spit it out.  Looking around the office, I realized there wasn’t even a waste paper basket, let alone a recycling bin for paper.

You know you’re paperless when you don’t even need a trash can!

Socialized Medicine…What If There Was Socialized Legal Services?

I was sitting at my kitchen table and all of a sudden it hit me.  I am generally in favor of treating health care as a right, rather than a privilege for the wealthy.  I do believe that it’s a basic human right in a country like ours. 

 But then I had an interesting thought.  What if legal services were socialized and every American had a right to a competent lawyer at no or little cost.  We provide a constitutional right to choice of counsel and a right to a jury trial.  But the practical reality is that most people can’t afford to get anywhere near the courthouse, let alone assert their rights in any meaningful way. 

Just a thought…

iPad for Lawyers: The Easiest Access to Information

I recently posted about integrating an iPad into your law firm's business process.  Each day, I am trying to keep track of the different ways that I find myself using the iPad as an adjunct to my Lenovo X61 laptop computer and iPhone.  I have to agree with Dennis Kennedy who noted on a recent GAL Radio interview titled "Will The iPad Replace The Legal Pad" who observed:

Dennis Kennedy: You know I see the iPad and think it is potentially a transition device, that is going to say ‘we are moving to this mobile platform, that’s always on, access from anywhere, internet will always be available, and we are also starting to look and say how do we use computers, what are we doing and I think that’s , the iPad comes in and says this is a way to get to that mobile platform..So it is a little bit bigger than a phone, not as big as a laptop and that could be the right size and that is the big question for Apple and for everybody else about how this is going to work. Is there room for that device, that size, that additional device, that does what it does, does that fit into the technology we want to have with us all the time."

Integrating the iPad into Your Business Process

Six months ago, I traded in my Blackberry and Verizon account for an iPhone and AT&T.  Within 24 hours, it was clear to me that “apps” were going to be one of the most significant technological developments for law firms that have ever come down the pipe.  Instead of having to lug my laptop around with me everywhere (and understanding that I might only fire it up 20% of the time when I could be using it), I had my iPhone as a portable computer available to access our extranet system, a variety of web applications which integral to our business process, a variety of federal rules and statutes in addition to all the fun stuff. 

When the iPad came to market, I waited because I am not a fan of wireless for either the iPad or iPhone.  I find the wireless connections to be woefully inadequate.  As soon as the 3G model came to market, I immediately grabbed one. 

Over the next few weeks, I will be describing how it is I have integrated the iPad into my business process for the betterment of me and my clients.  Stay tuned…

Summer Associate Classes Dwindle, Clients Grow Reluctant to Pay for Associate Training

According to the New York Law Journal article Clients Grow Cool to the Support of Dwindling Summer Classes, this year’s summer associates will receive more substantive work and individualized attention as a result of the decline. Here are some excerpts:

Technology Addiction: Are You a Technology Addict?

Here's an interesting article from The New York Times about America's technology addiction:  YOUR BRAIN ON COMPUTERS: Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price by Technology Reporter Matt Richtel

Scientists say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information from e-mail and other interruptions.

Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free.

Will The iPad Replace the Legal Pad

With the launch of Apple's iPad, many people wonder what the device will be best suited for and how one can apply it in their practice.  Attorney and Tech Writer Dennis Kennedy discusses the practicality and pitfalls of the iPad and the legal profession.

Play: Will The iPad Replace the Legal Pad
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With: Dennis Kennedy

Sponsored by: Greatest American Lawyer

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Announcer: Welcome to GAL radio, brought to you by the Greatest American Lawyer blog, changing the way law is practiced through technology, innovation, and creativity.  Turning the business of law on its head and shaking things up for the betterment of clients, lawyers, law firms and society. Now here’s your host, Damien Allen.

 
Damien Allen: Good afternoon and welcome to GAL radio my name is Damien Allen and joining you today on the phone is Dennis Kennedy. Dennis is a St. Louis based computer lawyer and legal technology writer. His website is denniskennedy.com is the home of his blog. He is also a monthly writer for the ABA journal. Good afternoon Dennis, , welcome to the program.
 

The Survey Says: More People Want ONLINE Legal Services

Technology and the Internet are constantly reshaping the way we look at the landscape of business.  More and more people have turned to the web to do their banking, shopping, schooling, and entertainment.  A recent survey conducted by Epoq U.K. says more people want their legal services on the web as well.  Attorney Richard Granat discusses the findings of the survey with Damien Allen on today's program.

Play: The Survey Says: More People Want ONLINE Legal Services
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With: Richard Granat

Sponsored by: Greatest American Lawyer

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Announcer: Welcome to GAL radio, brought to you by the Greatest American Lawyer blog, changing the way law is practiced through technology, innovation, and creativity.  Turning the business of law on its head and shaking things up for the betterment of clients, lawyers, law firms and society. Now here’s your host, Damien Allen.

Damien Allen:  Good morning and welcome to GAL Radio.  My name is Damien Allen, and joining me today on the phone once again is Attorney Richard S. Granat of Directlaw.com and Mylawyer.com.  He’s also the Chair of the Elawyering Task Force of the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association  Today we’re discussing the Epoq Legal UK survey on online services.  Good Morning, Richard, and welcome to the program.


Richard S. Granat:  Good morning, Damien.  How are you this morning?

Damien Allen:  I’m doing fine.  Hope you’re doing well, sir.

Richard S. Granat: I am.

Damien Allen:   Epoq Legal UK recently conducted an online survey finding that the majority of those polled expected good law firms to offer their services online in the next couple of years.  Is this desire or need for online legal services on the rise, Richard?

Richard S. Granat:  There’s no question in my mind that it’s increasing, whether it’s the UK or the U.S.  In fact, if the survey would have been conducted in the US, where, I think, we actually have higher internet penetration, I think the numbers would actually be higher.  I also have another data point. We just recently got a survey from our Google representative showing data in the legal category which shows that over a two period the number of people searching legal sites has increased by 192%, almost 200%.  So, we see an increasing trend by the consumer looking for answers on the internet or legal services on the internet.

All-Time Worst Lawyer Billing Practices

As you all know, I’m not much of a fan of hourly billing.  Sometimes, we do it in litigation as part of a blended arrangement where we share risk with the client.  This can either be a flat fee cap or a contingency fee component to hourly work.  But a story I heard from a client the other day got me thinking.   What are the worst billing practices used by lawyers?  Here’s my list:

• Calling a client who doesn’t have a live project to find out how they or their company are doing and then sending a bill to the client for the time spent on the phone.
• Offering to pay for a lunch with the client and then sticking that as a “cost” item on the bill.
• Billing time that doesn’t add any value to the matter.
• Billing for cover letters which contain no substance or analysis.
• Billing the client time when they question the bill.

Come on.  You can do it.  Give me some additions to the list.  I know you have them!

Why Facebook makes blogging that much more important and provides increased ROI

This New York Times Article, by Randall Stross, points out what should be obvious to everyone at this point. Different websites and web applications compete for attention on the internet. As more and more people gravitate towards Facebook, they have less need to start blogs or create their own websites. Further, people who do have blogs are increasingly posting links in Facebook, rather than doing blog posts. What does this mean for lawyers who have expertise to share with the world?

Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Legal Fees

In an article entitled, “Remember the $60, 8-Word E-Mail? Client Shares Hard-Learned Legal Cost-Control Tips,” Martha Neil writing for the ABA Journal, recapped the story of Jennifer Walzer and offered some tips to consumers for avoiding the high costs sometimes associated with legal fees.

Jennifer Walzer needed help with reviewing a standard sublease between her and her landlord. She was referred to a firm consisting of 10-15 lawyers. The firm requested a $2,500 retainer fee and said that the total fee probably would not exceed that amount. However, Walzer ended up being charged $6,450 for the review of the sublease agreement, including $60 for a courtesy email to her from the partner saying, “I hope everything is O.K. Take your time.”

To put this into perspective; her landlord was able to hire legal representation to draft and revise the lease agreement for a total of $1,100. Jennifer’s original post can be found here.

Delivering Online Legal Services: How to Set Up and Operate a Virtual Law Practice

With the advent of the internet and growing new technologies, attorneys need not be bound to the structure of a "brick and mortar" business model.  Lawyers can now reach out to potential clients and resources through the use of extranets, cloud based software platforms, and network legal information as well as better communicate with current clientele over the internet.  Richard Granat joins Damien Allen to discuss "The Virtual Law Firm"

Play: Delivering Online Legal Services: How to Set Up and Operate a Virtual Law Practice
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With: Richard Granat

Sponsored by: Greatest American Lawyer

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Announcer:  Welcome to GAL Radio brought to you by the Greatest American Lawyer blog, changing the way law is practiced through technology, innovation and creativity.  Turning the business of law on its head and shaking things up to the betterment of clients, lawyers, law firms and society.  Now here’s your host, Damien Allen.

 

Damien Allen:  Good afternoon and welcome to GAL Radio.  My name is Damien Allen and joining me today on the phone is Attorney Richard S. Granat of Directlaw.com and Mylawyer.com.  He’s also the Chair of the Elawyering Task Force of the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association, and today we’re discussing delivering online legal services and how to set up an operative virtual law practice, and I know the American Bar Association is issuing guidelines as the major focus for them. Richard, welcome to the program. 

 

Attorney Richard S. Granat:  Hi, Damien.  Good afternoon. 

 

Damien Allen:  Pleasure to have you on the show today, sir.  Could you please tell us what is a virtual law practice?

 

Attorney Richard S. Granat: Well, a virtual law firm is really characterized by access to the law firm through what we call a client portal where clients can sign on with a username and password.  It’s not like a typical website that you see which just has the lawyers biographies and some legal information, but is really a platform under which the law firm can actually deliver legal services to the client and relate to the client online,  collaborate with the client, give legal advice online.  It’s essentially a vehicle for online legal services, and this is something new.  We sign onto our bank or we do our brokerage online, we do our travel online, but law firms are not really done that before.  They haven’t had what we call a secure client portal where the client could actually sign on to the law firm. 

 

Utah Lawyer uses iPad in 4-day Jury Trial

Here's an interesting ABA Journal article about the use of the iPad at trial. Attorney and Partner Peter Summer of Hasenyager & Summerill used his iPad along with the application Keynote to prepare and present all documents at the trial.  Read about his experience here. 

Related Articles: Great Mac Apps for Lawyers

Navigating the Sometimes Tricky Waters of Client Relationships

The relationship between attorney and client is one of the most complex business relationships across all professions.  The high duty that lawyers owe their clients requires them to put the clients' interest first.  Yes, this means putting their clients' interest ahead of their own interest, even when it comes to payment. 

I'm always amazed by the collection tactics of most law firms.  The primary weapons tend to be past due notices, strongly worded letters, and -- worst of all -- leverage.  Now, attorneys aren't supposed to wheel leverage against their clients, but the issue of payment complicates matters sometimes.  Lawyers too often use their position of strength over their clients to get paid.