Futurelawyer

How to Improve Your Email Etiquette

How to Improve Your Email Etiquette (with video) - wikiHow. More and more, the practice of law depends upon email. We exchange emails with clients, prospective clients, other attorneys, Government officials, and a host of other persons with whom contact was previously a written letter, accompanied with a two week delay. Email is a wonderful way to increase the speed and efficiency of contact; however, it is a mine field of problems. Written letters have long been documentary evidence in trials. Emails, as trial evidence, are of relatively recent vintage. However, do you take as much care with your email correspondence as you do your written correspondence? Every lawyer should read this list of dos and don'ts for effective use of email. If you follow these rules, you will be a better lawyer, and you will make a better impression. Oh, and don't forget that lawyers don't have a monopoly on sending stupid emails. Use the discovery process to get at the emails, which are now used in just about every business transaction.

The Two And A Half Wave Lawyer

Chuck Newton: Oh The Pain! Oh The Opportunity!. Chuck Newton is a Third Wave lawyer. He is able to practice law solely from his home. He connects with other lawyers virtually, and does everything on the web from a comfortable chair in his home. Most of us, including the FutureLawyer, are spending more time working at computer terminals in the home. However, many of us require some commercial space and a secretary to practice law. I have clients who come to the office to conduct real estate closings, and sign wills, and meet with me. I have a secretary who schedules appointments, does paralegal tasks, correspondence, and a host of other things that make my practice bearable. However, I am a Two And A Half Wave lawyer, as I practice out of a converted home in an Office Zoned neighborhood. Chuck is right that there are many bargains on rental office space out there now. May I humbly suggest that, if you don't need the trappings of a fancy office tower, that you look for bargain houses in properly zoned neighborhoods, and buy them cheap. Once the mortgage is paid off, you will have a place to hang your lawyer hat and no rent to pay. In addition, at these prices, the property will likely have some real value by the time you retire.

Mass Email Defamation - Truth Isn't Always A Defense

In reversal, 1st Circuit orders business defamation case to trial — involving statement not alleged to be false. Can a true statement be defamatory? According to the 1st Circuit, it can. This case is also interesting because a mass email by Staples prompted the lawsuit in the first place. Defamatory mass emails is somewhat like a mass tort. It can be extremely damaging; and, if this plaintiff ever gets by a Summary Judgment, it could be interesting.

Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, The Intelligent Office Is Just Right

:: The Intelligent Office of Garden City allows you to work anywhere professionally ::. Are you paying thousands of dollars a month in rent for your law office in a big office tower downtown? Do you pay more than Thirty Thousand Dollars a year in salary to a person to sit in the lobby of your office answering phones and making appointments? Third Wave lawyering, as espoused by Chuck Newton, and Home Office Lawyering, spearheaded by Grant Griffiths, postulates leaving all that behind, and going home for good. However, if you can't go cold turkey on your addiction to the trappings of law practice power, Intelligent Office may have an answer. For mere hundreds of dollars a month, you can have a professional receptionist answer the phones, and all sorts of other virtual office services. Intelligent Office even maintains meeting rooms and does secure mail delivery and file storage. Call it A La Carte law office.

Chuck Newton Third Wave Manifesto

Chuck Newton: Our Third Wave Manifesto Is Published By Texas Bar Journal. Good friend, Chuck Newton, who gave a name to those of us who don't work in a big law office, and whose third wave of law practice is gaining rapid acceptance in mainstream law practice, is finally getting some traction for his ideas. I prefer his spare room tycoon designation; however, I still go to a regular office, although I practice at home a lot. Computers, and the Internet, have made it possible to be a lawyer wherever you happen to be. Chuck is a talented writer, a good man, and an innovative thinker. What more could you ask?

Techdirt: First Thing We Do Is Automate Away All The Lawyers...

Techdirt: First Thing We Do Is Automate Away All The Lawyers.... Of course, the Falstaff-Prince Hal exchange in which Falstaff says "The first thing we do is kill all the lawyers" is one of the most misused quotes from the Bard of Avon. In fact, Falstaff is telling Prince Hal how to destroy society. The thesis of this post is that much of what lawyers do can be automated; and, while it is true that there are benefits to beginning some legal work with an automated product, we all know that there is no substitute for a lawyer's time and advice. If you want to create a society in which litigation becomes even more of a pastime than it is already; then, by all means, automate the lawyerly profession. Experience tells me that there will always be work for lawyers as long as there are greedy, dishonest, grasping citizens trying to get money from others. It's only human.

10-Things-Lawyers-Can-Do-Today-In-Web-2 - Jaffe

10-Things-Lawyers-Can-Do-Today-In-Web-2 - Jaffe. As you might imagine, I get a lot of email from P.R. people, touting the latest and greatest software or gadget for the legal profession. I love trying out new stuff, and telling other lawyers what I think. When I got a P.R. blurb from a representative of Jaffe Associates, which is a P.R. firm for lawyers, I had a flash about the photo of an artist painting a picture of an artist painting a picture, ad infinitum. You know the one. P.R. about P.R. What a concept. Then, I read Mr. Jaffe's article, and realized that a lot of you needed to read it. It is hard to believe that only 2% of lawyers have web sites or blogs. And, those of you who are reading blogs like this one are also in the minority. So, if you haven't taken the time to explore what the Web can do for you and your firm, get started. Send this article to other lawyers you know.

Illinois Appellate Lawyer Blog - Resource Sharing For Lawyers

Link: Illinois Appellate Lawyer Blog :: Published by Chicago, Illinois Appellate Lawyer Steven R. Merican. Steve Merican, an Illinois appellate lawyer, sent me an email recently about his new blog, and highlighting this post. As a solo myself, his suggestion that solo or small firm appellate lawyers should consider sharing resources appealed to me (pardon the pun). I have advocated for years that solo practice is the best way to go for independent types, who really don't want the fancy office tower expenses. But, it can be lonely out there. Thanks to the immedicacy and scope of the Internet, relationships and resource sharing are there for the taking. What are you doing to expand your Internet base?

The Jury Expert - September 2008

Link: The Jury Expert - September 2008. The Internet contains a treasure trove of useful and free information for trial lawyers. Now, Rita Handrich, the Editor of the new trial skills journal published by the American Society of Trial Consultants  advises that the Journal is online and free for access. The Journal  features social sciences research articles by academics with commentary by trial consultants as well as articles on litigation advocacy skills by experienced trial consultants. Free is the best price, isn't it?

Oh, No, Mr. Bill!- Typos and Errors Lead to Slashed Fees for Attorney

Link: Law.com - Typos and Errors Lead to Slashed Fees for Attorney. One of the toughest things, in a busy law practice, is to make certain that correspondence and pleadings go out of the office free of typos and other grammatical errors. I have spoken and posted before about "computer malpractice", in which too little proofreading is done to documents that use previous computer created documents as models. I am just as guilty of this as the next lawyer; and, while the errors in this particular pleading are egregious, every lawyer must shudder and say "there, but for the grace of God, go I". Law practice is stressful; but, one thing we can control is the quality of the written work product we send out into the world. I promised myself I wouldn't post again about the amazing Rays, and their playoff run until they make it to the World Series; however, Joe Maddon's mantra of "hustle, hustle, hustle", as the one thing every player CAN control, applies here. You can't control the weather, clients, or Judges. You CAN control the quality of your pleadings. Be careful out there.