Friday, December 24, 2010

My Review Of The iPad 3G



Yes, you read that right. Mac Fan Boys and Apple worshippers alike, come closer. Grab your Tall Caramel Mocha Latte, your grease laden iPhone, your yet-unread articles on blogging for profit, and light a candle.

Like a child asking for the car for the first time, or like an announcement that a Hollywood couple, married 7 months, is getting divorced, the question from my wife hit me like a ton of bricks: "I want an iPad for Christmas."

Clearly she hadn't read my thrashing of this device, the darling of every Starbucks dwelling lawyer, the toy that would cause over aged children to write hundreds of tweets praising it as a new God to worship.

My first thought was that this was a natural request of hers, being that she is a non-practicing lawyer.

Nonetheless, my ego aside, trashed by my disappointment she didn't know of my non-approval of the big touch screen wonder, I accepted that I would possibly be buying the new silver bullet of the flip-flop wearing lawyer crowd.

"Why," (In Nancy Kerrigan tone) "Why do you want an iPad?"

"So when we travel I can read my email." Many emails regarding my office administration go to my wife because, well, I don't need to explain all that, it's pretty self-explanatory. "And I would like not to be tied to my desktop."

I asked "what about getting me clients with it?" Her confused look made me realize she didn't know the power of this (toy) machine.

Many don't understand my hate for this device, so let me clear that up. I think the iPad is an interesting utility. Not interesting enough to order one and wait at home for it's delivery, or stand in line with all the other "we don't have to be at work - ever - so we can sleep out at the Apple store for their new release that we can't afford, and don't need, but will buy anyway," folks.

It is not the iPad I detest, it's the comical obsession.

So I went to the Apple store. I always laugh, and almost want to cry when I go there. It looks like a human rat laboratory. Dozens of people playing with machines, and then dozens of people playing with machines.

I was an anomaly there. I walked in, found the youngest, thinnest, pale faced (what's with that hair) person with an iPhone and said: "I want to buy an iPad."

"And I want 3G."

Here started the anti-sales job. See, I wanted to spend $629, and he was thinking more like $499. I hesitated to tell him I actually had a job, and the extra buck twenty nine was something I could handle.

"You know there's wireless everywhere?"

Before he could say "like at Starbucks," I said, "not in my car while I'm driving to North Carolina."

"Oh."

That ended that, and I was saved from telling him that my wife doesn't drink coffee, and that I only go to Starbucks for coffee. No need to get him angry at me.

So after a stop at the local rip-off wrapping place, I headed home, hat in hand, chin lowered, and now part of that group of minions to the God that is Steve Jobs.

I actually gave it to my wife during Hanukkah-me being Jewish, her being Catholic (to the offense of several of my over-affected Jewish friends).

Oh was she happy. Which is really all that matters, even if I abdicated my principals and bowed to the societal wonderment that is "slide to open."

Oh, the review.

Well, I typed half this blog post on it, then couldn't do it anymore. You Apple people are taking typo to an all new level. I can't do it. So now I'm pleasantly finishing this on my in-law's Compaq with a 13 inch monitor.

I like the ability to enlarge the screen by spreading your fingers (yes I know Apple dorks, you've been doing that for years), and I like the "turn it and it will turn with you," thing. I have some issues with the ability to view certain legal documents from certain websites, but let's not get into things that most iPad users have no need to do.

I like that seamless sending and receiving email is available without having to go to a website, although setting it up was a bit difficult. (I use Microsoft Exchange as opposed to everyone else who (idolizes) uses Google Mail (is it down again?))

I can't imagine not having 3G, being tied to home, or that coffee place, or some other Bohemian location that takes in lawyers like a homeless shelter.

I haven't downloaded much, don't expect to either. It's not mine, and I won't be taking my iPad to work, I'll stick with taking my daughter to work, on take your daughter to work day.

So please don't respond with a list of "apps" that will change my life. This was bought for a specific purpose - so my wife could check in at my office, and of course, check Fandango for the latest movies.

So drink a toast, wipe a tear, there's an iPad in the Tannebaum household. Somewhere.


Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Saying Farewell To My Embarrassing Blogroll



This blog is about legal ethics. It's about getting in and staying in the Florida Bar. It's about respectable marketing in the profession, and the lack thereof.

When I started this blog it was because there was not a single other blog on the topic of Florida Bar practice. I wanted to create a blogroll (a list of other blogs with links for readers to click and read them) of other blogs that were relevant to legal ethics. I mainly found marketing blogs, a couple law prof blogs, and decided to add the ones that were written by respectable people who (I thought) were about more than shiny things and cheesy marketing.

Today, I looked at my blogroll (Now it's a "roll" of one, the Legal Profession Blog) to see if anyone had an interesting post for me to write about. Here's what's up on those other blogs:

Take the Acritas "100 Top Law Firms" Survey and Be Eligible to Win an iPad

Google Calendar is THE ANSWER to Lawyer Scheduling.

How to Use Twitter for Your Practice.

I don't care if you read this shit, but I'm not required to promote it. Sure, I write about shiny things and tech, and praying to the God that is Apple, but not the way these idiots do. These posts are what I call "listening to rap music because you want to appear cool to your kids." These bloggers have completed their race to the bottom, realizing that no one wants to read about ethics, they want to read about iPads (and win one!).

No one wants to read about character and fitness or respect for the profession, they want to read about tech. Tech tech tech. Hook up with Google and you're set. Get a twitter account and watch the clients pour in to your office. They've decided to wear jeans that are two sizes too small and try and get in with the Starbucks dwelling flip-flop wearing "lawyers."

You can read this crap elsewhere.

Not here.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Big Legal Brain - The Greatest Source Of Practice Management Tips For Lawyers



I know, you think that having an iPhone, iPad, iAnything, a twitter account with a bunch of hot 16 year old (fake) girls following you, and a Facebook fan page are the keys to any successful law practice.

I'm here to break your heart and tell you (again) that this is not the case.

Not convinced? Check out the folks at Big Legal Brain.

I don't know who runs this site, but it's full of substantive ideas for any of today's lawyers who are looking for the silver bullet.

The folk (or folks) at Big Legal Brain contacted me personally yesterday to ask a question. (Actually they didn't, but I read a question they posted on twitter that I could answer so to follow in today's world of complete lies in social media, I can comfortably say that they contacted me personally seeking my advice - see how that works?)

The question - Would love to hear from ethics attorneys about any issues in advertising by sandwich board.

"Wow," I thought. There's a concept I haven't heard about in a while. Not even the local deli is paying someone to walk the street with a sandwich board anymore. I asked Big Legal Brain if their question included the possibility of a megaphone. I haven't heard back yet, but I expect to receive and answer and then I will write about how awesome it is that the people at Big Legal Brain answered my question. This will be in an effort to convince other people on-line that I am someone who others respond to with answers to questions that I ask in response to their questions. I will be validated, and let everyone else know that I am validated.

Big Legal Brain is not just offering non-social media ideas on advertising, they also have the keys to law office management that you just don't see when social media people try to convince you it's all about the shiny things.

Like putting in a bar at the office.

With the right booze selections and prominent set up of your office bar, you should be able to establish a great reputation in the legal community and among your clients. We’ll post later on the top five mixed drinks to attract clients, but in the meantime, let us know the top drink that you use to keep clients in the office and firm profits increasing.

And Big Legal Brain doesn't stop there - they also offer a smattering of social media advice that cuts through the "hire me as your guru because I can make you money" messages we see hourly. Take for example Top 5 steps to create a top 5 list, and Top 3 MS-DOS Commands for your practice.

Can't decide on a document management system? Big Legal Brain knocks it out of the park with their suggestion of paperweights.

A single paperweight, for instance, on a specific stack of papers can signify one part of the document drafting workflow. Using multiple paperweights, ideally color-coded or coded by pattern, opens up potentially endless options for organizing your documents and improving your drafting workflow.

People, this is the stuff of genius. I don't know how long Big Legal Brain will be around, but I for one will be adding them to my blog roll and checking in often to see the latest in "how to make money as a lawyer" ideas.

I just fear that Big Legal Brain will send all the other snake oil salesmen in to the gutter (deeper in the gutter than they already are) when they eventually write about how snake oil is a great holiday gift for those pimple-faced clerks and young associates.

Welcome to the world of lawyer marketing Big Legal Brain. (I'll be sending you a handwritten thank you card.)

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Saturday, December 18, 2010

The ROI Of Social Media For Lawyers Without iPads Or Hundreds Of Thousands Of Twitter Followers Or Other Social Media Crap

There's plenty of lawyers looking to get in to social media for the purpose of making money, and there's plenty of former lawyer marketers ready to take their check to give them the non-existent secrets to social media success.

Those in the social media secrets-for-hire world only survive by convincing lawyers that there is an ROI, or what real people who have real jobs and real conversations refer to "return on investment." Some social media thieves promise clients will line up at the door after you tweet a few things, and others will promise to transform your practice by using something with an Apple and an on-off switch.

All those in the social media-please-hire-me-as-your-social media-consultant-even-though-I've-never really practiced law and if I did, I didn't for long and never brought in any business but please don't ask me about that because it's not helpful for the lies I tell on the internet, world know that they will not convince desperate lawyers of the wonders of social media without stories of the ROI. Tell a lawyer that you know a lawyer that made money by having a Facebook page or twitter account, and that lawyer is hooked.

I have an ROI story.

I met Scott Greenfield by commenting on his blog. We started talking, a lot. Yesterday, he sent me this:



And then, oh, wait, that's it. That's the story.

Sorry, no money here, no new case, no "great convo" with some perceived celebrity, no link to something someone said complimentary of me.

Just a cheesecake.

Apparently it's the #1 New York Cheesecake according to New York Magazine.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Brian Tannebaum's Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide For (Real) Lawyers

Happy Holidays everyone, even those that hate everything I write as they read it from their Starbucks offices and parent's basements.

Here I have for you my last minute guide to great gifts for (real) lawyers. None have an Apple on them, and none will allow you to practice law on the couch. I am receiving no money (yet) from any sellers of these items, and cannot vouch for their quality. I make no warranties except to say that I believe all (real) lawyers will thank you for gifting one of these items to them.



[1] Shoelaces.

If you go to an office, or court, you probably (probably) wont be wearing the (Starbucks) flip-flops. Those that dress the part of a real lawyer know all too well the pain of pulling that lace tight just to see part of it remain in your hand as you wonder how you will now get to work on time.

Lawyers generally don't have an extra pair, and will thank you for thinking of their time-sensitive mornings preparing for battle.



[2] A copy of "Never Eat Alone."

Yeah, I know it's a few years old, but this is simply the best book I've ever read on developing relationships. Be warned - there is nothing about twitter or Facebook, or how to type your brains out on-line trying to build your career. This is about real relationships, with real people.

[3] Speaking of never eating alone...

Dinner. Take a referral source, colleague, friend to dinner, after the first of the year. People like to eat, and they like to eat for free. Don't be cheap either. Again, this only applies to real lawyers who get real cases and real clients from real people. No one wants to be taken to dinner to be sold snake oil, not that the social media lawyer mavens can afford to buy dinner anyway.



[4] A staple remover.

I can never find one in my office. I like the ones that look like letter openers, not the ones that look like the mouth of an alligator.

[5] A small refrigerator.

Best gift I ever received from my staff. The big one in the kitchen is nothing more than a theft magnet. Put a case of diet coke in the communal fridge, and 2 days later it's gone. Having one in your office sends the message "you people suck and you're not touching my shit."



[6] A wireless phone headset.

Why make your lawyer friend sit at her desk while yelling at clients and other lawyers when a wireless headset allows them to release stress by parading down the hall and getting some exercise? It also provides hours of entertainment for the staff.



[7] A Helicopter Tour.

Chances are your lawyer friend doesn't get out much, especially if they practice civil law. They're stuck in an office, not venturing from Starbucks to Starbucks throughout the day nursing that one cup of coffee. Let them see where they live, from somewhere else other than their windowless office.

[8] A double pack of "To Kill A Mockingbird," and "A Time To Kill" DVD's

Nothing says "my practice is meaningless" like a few hours watching real lawyers do real work. Send your Starbucks social media lawyer or BigLaw slave into a tizzy by making them watch these great movies.



[9] A copy of "Dust In The Wind," by Kansas.

No explanation there. Lawyers will understand.


[10] Legal Pads.

What better way to continue to practice law when the lights go out then through the old reliable legal pad? Needs no battery, no charging, no apps, no updates, no customer service people. Tell your lawyer friend there is hope when the Apple store is closed that their thoughts and analysis of a case can be captured.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

US Supreme Court to New York Lawyers: You Are Awesome

Ah, one of my favorite topics - lawyer advertising.

Appears the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the issue of whether New York Lawyers can use nicknames, client testimonials, other messages or images in advertising.

In Cahill v. Alexander, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found that state rules limiting content-based ads violate the First Amendment.

Ready?

I agree.

Nathan Koppel over at the WSJ Law Blog states the position of lawyers (like me) who are not fans of advertising:

Attorneys should be able to rely on word of mouth, or sober informative ads, to reach clients, and not the sort of provocative, colorful ads common in other industries, the thinking among some bar officials goes.

My position on lawyer advertising is that I wish it didn't exist. I wish cell phones didn't exist sometimes as well. But with lawyer advertising, you either prohibit it, or rely on rules in existence.

Model Rule 8.4 covers it all:

It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:

(c) engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;


Saying you can't do this in print, you can't do this on TV, you can't do this in the mail, and you can't do this on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo (anyone really use Plaxo?) is like a dog chasing a tail.

8.4(c). I'm a big fan.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Do You Want More Clients, Or More Referrals?

There are plenty of people running around the internet claiming to know how to get you more clients (for a fee) and referrals (for a fee). There are plenty of lawyers, pen and check, or credit card in hand, ready to pay.

The same lawyers searching the internet for their financial future are also looking for someone who will teach them the secrets of social media.

Sad news: There are no secrets. There are no secrets to getting more clients, referrals, or writing 140 character messages. There are only people who claim there to be secrets in order to convince you that (for a fee) you can know something your competition doesn't.

Marketers will tell you that "just doing a good job" is not enough." I agree. Others need to know you did a good job. In order to get more clients and referrals, you need to make yourself known.

There's a few ways to do this. First though, you have to decide what type of lawyer you want to be.

There are two types of lawyers (there's actually about 8 types of lawyers but for this discussion, there's two) - there are lawyers who want clients, and lawyers who want referrals.

If you want more clients, here's my suggestion:

[1] Direct mail.

[2] Google ad-words.

[3] Billboards.

You'll get a ton of calls, and a ton of cases. Most will be clients looking for a low fee, but that's OK. You can do a bunch of cases cheap and hopefully have a practice that can handle the number of clients. Calls will come in droves, clients will be happy with a nice payment plan over several months, and the real tools you need are a credit card machine and a good calendar program for your computer.

If you want more referrals, you'll first have to understand that what you are seeking is that another person, lawyer or otherwise, will put their credibility on the line and tell someone else that you should be hired.

Here's how you do that, in no particular order:

[1] Do not take advice from anyone who has no experience getting referrals, and only experience getting clients.

[2] Get off the computer, except to write something about your practice.

This can be as simple as a short article about the different types of procedures in your practice area, or a complex page-turner about a recent decision affecting your type of clients. Where do you write this? Start a blog - but only if you're committed to posting at least once a week.

[3] Talk to your current clients about other things besides the case - ask them about their lives.

When you develop a relationship with a client where they feel they can discuss "anything" with you, they will. Some clients will refer you cases during their representation, others you will need to ask when the case is over (assuming you weren't fired). If you are not willing to ask a client to refer you clients, you have a problem.

[4] Meet non-lawyers, go to non-lawyer events, have non-lawyer conversations.

If you think you need to sell your practice to get referrals, you'll be the one at the cocktail party standing alone in the corner on the phone. Clients aren't hiring your practice, they are hiring you.

[5] Never assume a meeting with someone was a waste of time because 10 minutes later there was no referral.

My rule is that within 6 months of meeting someone who may be in a position to refer me a client, I get a call. Sometimes it's a year. It just happens that way.

[6] Pay attention to what is going on in the community.

Pay attention to people you know, even if you just know them by name or reputation. If someone you know won a case, or received some other type of accolade - say congratulations. No need for a formal typewritten letter - an e-mail will do. Do not include in the email an invitation to lunch, unless you know the person well and it would be natural for you to hang out with them. There are people who scour media and send letters to lawyers who win awards - most of them are financial advisors looking for clients.

[7] Spend your advertising and marketing money on things that allow you to be in the presence of others.

Small ads in the local paper are fine, but your $1500 is better spent on a foursome at a golf tournament than on a 4-color ad in a "lawyer's" magazine. Those seeking "clients" would never consider taking time from the office to work "on" their practice instead of "in" their practice.

[8] Always make time to talk to people seeking advice - especially those that are in a position to refer you a client.

I take a lot of calls, and receive a lot of emails seeking opinions and advice. I return them when I have time, but usually pretty quickly because "thanks for calling me back so quickly," makes you the lawyer who deserves an important client.

[9] The best and worst part of having a referral based practice is that you never know who will refer you a client. That is why [8] is vital.

[10] Always, always, always show appreciation - even (especially) if it doesn't work out.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from a lawyer who told me my referral didn't work out, but "thank you." I do this as well. I want to follow up, and let my referral source know why the case didn't work out. Many lawyers don't like to do this because it appears negative. I think it's essential. You can also take the opportunity when a referral doesn't work out to take the referring individual to lunch and talk more about your practice. No one expects anything when a referral doesn't work out, especially a free lunch. This year a few lawyers referred me multiple clients - none hired me. Those lawyers all received holiday gifts. The phrase "it's the thought that counts," is actually true.

[11] Be patient.

Again, if you just want clients, you shouldn't have read this far in the post - type away on ad-words and start stamping mailers. None of your clients will care about anything else but that you charge a "reasonable fee" (read:cheaper than the guy down the street). Good referrals take time. It requires you to have a reputation - not necessarily as a great lawyer, but as a good lawyer. The definition of a good lawyer is not just based on legal skills - it comprises many things.

Becoming a good lawyer happens one client at a time. If you want to have a volume practice of small cases, that's fine - you will get there through advertising -especially internet advertising. But if you want a smaller practice with better cases and higher fees, you'll have to stop seeing the computer as the key to your future. Unfortunately, that suggestion pisses off a lot of people here that are making a living telling you otherwise.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Why In Elizabeth's Death, John Matters

The collective heart of the country breaks over the death of Elizabeth Edwards.

Cancer is a reality, and it's death toll is growing. It is sad that this relatively young woman died of breast cancer.

But our heart is not broken because a woman died of breast cancer.

Our deep sadness is that Elizabeth Edwards, wife of an very famous asshole, died after several years of very public betrayl.

If not for John Edwards, we wouldn't know Elizabeth.

So I read with interest the many online comments yesterday "screaming" that we didn't want to hear from "her husband,' that it was wrong to mention him in stories about her death.

It's what matters here, like it or not.

Some personal notes:

In 2007 I received a call from someone in the Edwards campaign asking if I would come listen to him speak. I wasn't interested, but I went. I liked what he said, met with him after, and eventually held a fundraiser for his campaign.

During that time I received a call from someone who worked on his last campaign (where he ran as VP on the ticket with Senator John Kerry) asking me to support some African-American state senator from Illinois. I said this country was not ready to elect a black president and that I was suppporting Edwards. He told me Edwards was a terrible human being, but would not elaborate. I don't know if he knew about the affair when he said that to me.

I never met Elizabeth, but her name was everywhere - her involvement in the campaign, intense.

To this day I am embarrassed over the support I gave him, the money I raised for him, and all my friends that got involved in his campaign because of me. I don't like when I find out someone is a liar, or not who they seem to be.


John Edwards is in his own living hell right now, and I have no sympathy for him, none. He will always be Elizabeth Edwards husband, the one who fathered a child with a campaign staffer and hid it from his cancer stricken wife.

But let's not believe for a minute that we are sad because a woman died of cancer, or even a famous woman. We are in pain because of the horrible suffering this woman enudred at the hands of her soulless husband, publicly, and with dignity. We are sad, and mad, two different emotions, and we should discuss both.

There of course is a lesson here. When you're famous, everything is elevated. Everything matters. People have affairs every day, people die of cancer.

But Elizabeth Edwards, wife of John Edwards doesn't die every day.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark

Sunday, December 5, 2010

A Sense Of Violated Entitlement

My last post got some play on Above the Law and the ABA Journal. I didn't write anything ingenious, I just said the 1L doing the math should drop out.

The title of this post came directly from an article on cheating in college. It's long, but worth a read. It talks about "this" generation of students. The same generation that I talk about and am told that I'm full of shit.

Back to the entitled law students. Whenever the discussion about the new age of law school not being a ticket to a six-figure salary starts, the debate flames. On one side is those that feel cheated, pushed, forced in to law school by the promise of leaving and opening the door to the same vision Dorothy had upon arrival in Munchkin Land. On the other, the "butch up and shut up" crowd who feel many of these whiners should of never entered law school.

The comments on the ABA site were interesting. I read about 90, and got a good sense of the crowd.

Most importantly, I realized I am considered very old. I am part of that generation that "doesn't get it."

I do, get "it," but I won't try to defend myself on that issue. When infants don't get their way, there's no way to stop them from crying except to feed them and cuddle them until they go to sleep.

The overwhelming theme of the comments was that the notion of going to law school for any other reason but to make money, is total bullshit. So it's worthless for me to say that when I went to law school I had no idea what lawyers made. As I got closer to graduation I knew that government lawyers made about $25-$30 grand, and BigLaw associates made about $50,000. I went to law school to be a criminal defense lawyer. What I read from the comments is that a great deal of law students today have no concern about what they do, they just want the cash. No wonder so many lawyers are unhappy. As the 1L said in the article - he spent more time researching law schools than he did the practice of law.

I wanted to practice criminal law, either at the prosecutor's or public defender's office, and BigLaw wasn't an option for two reasons - one, I clerked for a big firm and hated it, and two, my grades wouldn't even get me an interview. If I had no idea what I wanted to do, I'd be in a very different position. I would have "taken" any job I could get and either found my way to criminal law, or be doing something else today.

I realize after reading all the comments that graduating law school 16 years ago is a lifetime. I've said for years that even in my class, so many went to law school because of L.A. Law - yes, the show. Many thought a law degree meant nice suits, nice offices, and days of fun fun fun in the office.

What people don't understand is that I speak from personal knowledge. It's no secret I represent law students as part of my practice. I talk to them. I ask them why they went to law school. I ask them what they want to do. Many of the answers are "I don't know, and "get a job."

I think that many law students did go to law school due to the perception it was a ticket to a six-figure salary - and for some years it was just that. It's sad to hear people comment that they see no other reason why anyone would go to law school.

I think that many grads don't care if they practice commercial litigation, associate research in the library all day law, or please God don't make the partner angry law, and I think if the goal is to pay off loans, this is not the profession to enter. If you're smart enough to get into law school, you should be smart enough to be able to learn how to do other things. You can make money doing anything - selling appliances, selling insurance, running a franchise, or hundreds of other things. There's too many damn lawyers, and not enough people entering needed professions and careers. Where will all the foreclosure defense lawyers (an area I hear lawyers entering out of law school) go in 5 years?

So I'm sorry it's come to this - law students and lawyers telling me that law school is nothing more than a high level trade school (not having any historical knowledge that many years ago most law school graduates did not go in to private practice or even the practice of law). If you went to law school because you were lied to about a guaranteed check, drop out. If you don't believe you will ever get a job in law, consider finishing and doing something else that may make you (more) money. Most of us lawyers wind up at some point representing clients who make 10 times what we make, and never finished college, or even high school. They also do things that we look at and say "you make money that way?"

I want you to make money, I don't want you to be jobless after graduation. But if you solely went to law school for the salary that would (apparently) make you happy,
you will never be happy as a lawyer.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.Share/Save/Bookmark