Can We Lawyers Just Shut Up About Twitter And Tweet?

I think I've read one too many blog posts about how to behave on twitter.

I read this one today on how to get "unfollowed."

Twitter is like a big cocktail party. There's different people, having different conversations, some more interesting than others, and some that cause people to run for the bar, or the door.

I tweet. I tweet about law, wine, Miami, current events, and whatever else comes up that may be interesting to me.

The newness of twitter has created an environment where everyone has an opinion as to how it should be used. I'm growing tired of it all.

As a lawyer, I am a member of several e-mail lists. I get e-mails that make my skin crawl, I see the same people that cannot understand how to "respond off line," I read personal stories that have no business on the list, yet I remain. I remain because overall, these lists provide good information, and allow for the back-and-forth that lawyers need to bounce information off each other.

I know that the lawyers on twitter are lawyers. I'm not really interested in a 24/7 tweetfest about law. I don't mind learning the personal side of these lawyers. Let's face it, most people think lawyers are a bunch of boring assholes that charge too much. We know (for the most part) that this is not the case.

I have no interest in what any lawyer is having for dinner, or that their kid won't sleep, or that their flight is delayed. But these "tweets" don't change or ruin my life.

I also don't care if someone disagrees with me. It amazes me that a lawyer, seemingly committed to the constitution, will "unfollow" someone because they have differing political views. I am connected with a serious right-wing conservative lawyer on twitter, and we have nice debates on our differing views. It's America, we're lawyers, it's shameful that a difference of opinion would cause us to "unfollow" each other. Are you truly a lawyer if you cannot take someone publically disagreeing with you and debating your beliefs?

I'm also tired of the preaching about what lawyers should do on twitter. It does not belong to us, or the marketers, the SEO people, or any other faction. Let's lose the arrogance and criticism of those who are just so beneath us. You want to tweet about law all day, go. Just go.

I have my own peeves on twitter. I've unfollowed one person, someone who couldn't take a joke and loudly unfollowed me. He's now realized I was kidding, so he's following me again, although with no apology for his ridiculous personal attacks.

Some people though, are trying to make twitter their own personal conversation. They spend more time trying to avoid the "noise," then they do participating in a good discussion.

Twitter is like an expressway. There's traffic. There's good drivers, and idiots. Some of the good drivers are sometimes idiots. Good drivers have accidents. Sometimes people pull their pants down and stick their ass out of the window. To some it's funny, to others, it destroys their moral well-being.

We all need to lighten up a bit.

So as lawyers, I ask that we just be tolerable. That we tweet about law, music, culture, family, dinner (but not too much) and whatever else makes us interesting.

Again, it's a cocktail party. If you don't like it, quietly grab your date and go have dinner. That's what professionals do.

Oh, and if this post offends you and you must unfollow, I'm MIAMICRIMLAW on twitter.

Have at it.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

Jeena Belil Wants To Talk To Those Freaking Out At BigLaw

Attorney Jeena Belil is one of my favorite people I've never met. We converse on twitter and have very similar philosophies on the practice of law.

Jeena has penned this post, that anyone thinking of going solo must read.

She begins:

"You may be working in a law firm right now and silently freaking out over what is to become of your job, but you may not have to. Now may be the perfect time to go solo. I did, and I’ll never go back. It can be done."

Read it.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

Is It OK To Make Money As A Lawyer?

Last night, a comment I made on twitter caused a raging debate about lawyers and money.

I said: "People who go to law school to become lawyers for the purpose of making money are no different then prostitutes."

My meaning? Prostitutes are engaged in an important function: sex. In some relationships sex is part of love, in others, it's just superficial, like prostitution.

My comment was interpreted as being critical of lawyers who make good money.

After an hour so of debate, some got it.

My point was that those that enter law only to make money, are part of the problem.

If your only purpose for going to law school. for practicing law, is to make money, then you have no sense of the higher calling that is the profession.

Being a lawyer is important.

Making money is a nice thing.

I believe one of the reasons we are so hated in society is because of the notion that we are all "rich." Truth be told, most lawyers are not rich, but "rich" is usually defined as someone who makes $1 more than the person making the accusation.

That being said, we did not take an oath to poverty. When I hear a PI lawyer obtained a $100 million verdict, or a fellow criminal lawyer got a six-figure fee for a big case, or a divorce lawyer is working on a multi-million dollar divorce, I say "way to go."

Doctors make good money, health care costs are out of control, but you dont hear people being critical of doctors salaries. It's not sexy. Unless it's a charity medical procedure, you never hear that a patient received a heart transplant and the doctor received $50,000. When we hear how much people make, the worst in us comes out.

Lawyers work hard to build practices. We go to school at least 3 years longer than most others, and the stresses of the career are not well understood. Many of us lay awake at night, having absorbed as our own the problems of our clients.

And yes, there are scumbags among us, those that give us a "bad name." There is bad in every profession. No segment of the workforce is exempt. Unfortunately when lawyers are criticized, it's often preceded by the term "money grubbing."

I just wish we could weed out those lawyers in law school.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

Just Some Personal Thoughts On The Inauguration

I read the letter that President-elect Obama wrote to his two daughters prior to today’s Inauguration, and so it is in that light, for the benefit of my own two daughters, that I write my thoughts on what I witnessed today.

My wife suggested that we watch the Inauguration together. It is a Tuesday, a normal workday. But the day is more relevant as it is the day after a holiday, the birthday of Martin Luther King. So although I had much work to do, I asked another lawyer to cover a ministerial hearing, cancelled an appointment, and spent the day with my wife.

We drove to a local restaurant and sat at the bar. We ordered drinks, real drinks, and lunch. Throughout the restaurant were the flat-screen TV’s, the one closest to us on CBS.

As it got closer to the ceremony, the bar filled up. At one point the bartender, Arthur said: This is the most people I’ve seen here at this time ever, I already love Obama.” Clearly a tongue-in-cheek comment that Obama was already fixing the deteriorating economy.

I had this prevailing thought: “Why is this such a big deal?” I’ve seen Inaugurations. Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Bush.

Then the prayer by Rick Warren. People in the bar were praying along with him.

Then the cheer when Obama was sworn in. Then the speech.

The bar was silent. People were eating and drinking, and saying nothing.

When President Obama spoke of his father not being able to get a seat in a restaurant less than 60 years ago and now he was taking the oath of the highest office in the land – it hit me.

The significance, at least to me, was that we had elected a black man.

I immediately wondered what it must be like to be black in America, today. The feeling, the empowerment. The joy.

So yes, he’s 47. He’s cool. He plays basketball. He has two girls like me. But what almost drove me to tears was the realization that he is the first black President of the United States.

Tonight I took my kids to dinner, their mother, my wife, was out with my sister. My kids began spontaneously singing the national anthem. My 9 year old was remembering things President Obama said in his speech. She watched it in school today. My 6 year old got excited when I told her she could watch the President dancing with his wife on TV tonight.

Republican, Democrat, whatever. Today was special. Really special.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

James Taylor's Take On MLK

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

What The Arizona Cardinals Can Teach Lawyers And Law Students

The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl.

The "underdog" Arizona Cardinals. The "improbable" Arizona Cardinals. The led-by-the-third-oldest-quarterback-to-go-to-the-Super-Bowl-Arizona Cardinals.

When the Cardinals were set to play the Carolina Panthers last week, an online forum had this post stating 5 reasons why the Cardinals would beat the Panthers.

I analogize it to why lawyers should never under estimate their colleagues, and why you as a lawyer, or soon to be lawyer, should never be intimidated by anyone with a law license.

The anonymous poster, named "Yukmouth 2005" gives the 5 following reasons the Cardinals would beat the Panthers:

I want you to read this from the perspective of a lawyer:

5) The Role of Underdog

"With the exception of diehard Cardinals’ fans, no one expects the Redbirds to pull off the upset in Carolina Saturday night."

"Although the Cardinals shouldn’t need motivation, being overlooked can help this young team gain that little extra focus needed to win on the road. Not to mention that with Carolina being a 9.5 point favorite, the largest spread of the weekend, the Panthers may be looking forward to the NFC Championship Game rather than taking care of business at home."

4) Every streak has to come to an end

The Cardinals are 0-5 in games east of the Mississippi this year and 2-19 over the last 6 seasons, while the Panthers are 8-0 at home this year. Not encouraging stats when you think about it, but every streak has to come to an end right?

3) Edgerrin James

"Edge has been the Britney Spears of the NFL in the last few weeks. Like Britney, he teetered on the edge of irrelevance, only to reinvent himself and thrust himself back into the spotlight. If he continues to be effective when called upon, the Cardinals offense is next to unstoppable. That balanced attack could propel the Cards to victory.

2) Week 8 of the NFL season: Panthers 27, Cardinals 23

How can a 27-23 loss be reason for optimism?

The Cardinals know that they can hang with the Panthers in Carolina because of this game. If they can minimize mistakes and follow a similar game plan to that of Week 8, they should be in strong position to win.

1) Kurt Warner

Plain and simple, Kurt Warner knows how to win in big situations. As the starting quarterback in 1994 at Northern Iowa he won the Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship. In the Arena Football League, Warner was 5-3 as a starter in the playoffs with two arena bowl appearances in his 3 seasons. As a starting quarterback in the NFL, he is 7-2 in the playoffs with two trips to the Super Bowl.

Every time Kurt Warner seems to be counted out, he finds a way to win. His experience and leadership are enough to give the Cardinals a good chance.

Never underestimate yourself, let others do that.

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com

For All Lawyers And Law Students Going Through A "Tough Time"

Hat tip: Tim Ferriss

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. Read his free ebook The Truth About Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer. Please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com