Solo Practice

Goodbye/Hello

Posted on March 13, 2009
This wasn't quite the celebratory transition I had in mind but life events have simply made it necessary so here goes...2-3 months ago now I finally got around to moving this blog's content to its own Website using Wordpress. That's what all the blog consultants out there say to get your own site so people like Google can't just shut you down (i...

In Civil-Contempt Cases, Jail Time Can Stretch On for Years

Posted on February 10, 2009
Ah, my favorite legal topic covered over in the WSJ?civil contempt. If you get into court much and thus need to deal with entering orders and inevitably enforcing orders ya better know your 4 types of contempt and how to get them and how to defend them.

Do Ya Need a New Calendar?

Posted on February 10, 2009
One would think that this wouldn?t be too big of an issue for us well-educated legal professionals but for the record in the first 35 days of 2009 I?ve been party to 3 separate cases where opposing attorneys have failed to appear. I?m not sure that I?ve ever had that happen a single time in the past and now three times in just over a month...

So Here's What Happened...

Posted on February 07, 2009
And I think it's an instructive tale for you small firm practitioners out there: I took a long vacation (10 days) to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and I've (and this blog has too) paid the price since my return. I have no complaints and I don't think the Firm's suffered in the least, I just haven't had a lot of extra blog time...

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What's in a Name...and More

Posted on December 20, 2008
A nice review in the a href="http://www.isba.org/ibj/"Bar Journal's/a monthly a href="http://www.isba.org/ibj/2008/12/644_loss_prevention.html"Loss Prevention column/a. Some key points for sole practitioners:br /br /pbWhat's your name?/b/p p style="font-style: italic;"Me - a name I call myself...

Goal-Setting with a Purpose

Posted on December 20, 2008
I must say my focus has been on really finishing '08 out strong as I hurry to close-up shop before heading out of town on Christmas Eve but I saw this over at Consumerism Commentary...a href="http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/12/19/9-tips-for-choosing-and-achieving-a-purpose-in-life/"9 Tips for Choosing and Achieving a Purpose in Life/a...

Long-Term Care Consumer Information

Posted on December 20, 2008
Saw this a href="http://www.isba.org/publications/barnews/2008/11/capitol.html"little nugget recently/a:br /br /span style="font-style: italic;" class="body-bold"Elder care. /spanspan style="font-style: italic;"Public Act 95-823 requires long- term care facilities to complete annual ?Consumer Choice Information Reports? and make them available to the public, including posting them on the internet and giving them to prospective residents and their families...

Recession = ?Force Majeure???

Posted on December 20, 2008
I don?t think I?ve dealt with a force majeure issue since first year Contracts but I am always on the lookout for some old fashion creative lawyering. And I found some reported recently regarding the a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/business/05norris...

The Governor and I

Posted on December 10, 2008
Did I ever mention that I used to work at a law firm that had also previously employed our fair Governor Blagojevich? In lieu of the current state of affairs I thought a brief mention might be appropriate. Yep, it was actually the last place I worked prior to starting my current practice...

Big Firm "Bill Padding"

Posted on December 10, 2008
Over the last several months we've had a case against a fairly large Chicago firm regarding a dissolution of marriage and it has been fairly eye-opening and borderline laughable to view first-hand the techniques they use to run up legal fees against their client (unnecessarily I would say)...

Don?t Be Afraid to Get Paid!

Posted on December 04, 2008
That?s the title of a great piece from a recent ISBA Illinois Bar Journal article. It looks like it?s accessible without a password so that?s a nice policy change by ISBA. Seriously, it might be the best and most relevant article I?ve ever read in a legal publication! It includes great advice from legal consultant Ellen Freedman about the most critical issue for legal services business owners: getting your customers to pay you...

Draconian Cuts but Some Nice New Copiers at 32 W. Randolph

Posted on December 04, 2008
Well, from the way Todd Stroger's talking 1/4 of Cook County's employees might get cut if the Cook County Board doesn't agree to his proposal to borrow some $700 million. But, I did see some nice new copy machines up on the 14th Floor at 32 W. Randolph outside the parentage courtrooms...

The Six Habits of Highly Respectful Physicians, er ah, Attorneys

Posted on December 04, 2008
Saw this in the Times regarding so-called "etiquette based medicine." The author recommended six steps for physicians to use at an initial patient meeting...I think the steps could be helpful for an initial attorney-client meeting:? Ask permission to enter the room; wait for an answer...

Warning Signs of Law Firm Failure

Posted on November 28, 2008
Here?s the full article and the 3 shared characteristics shared by failing firms: Below average financial performances that included excessive leverage, significant deferred obligations, low productivity and poor realization was one main category.Internal dynamics involving leadership problems, incompatible goals among partners, differences in compensation philosophies and a lack of succession planning was the second common theme...

Cinderella ?pull-ups? and Painted Toe-Nails (on a 3-year old)

Posted on November 28, 2008
Question, are we really going to hear about the next 20 years of child custody battles of Brian Urlacher? I hope not. I?d guess it will slow down once ?ole Brian retires from the Bears. If you?re looking for the issue in the case, the question is, are Cinderalla pull-ups and painted toenails a ?serious endangerment? to the child (750 ILCS 5/607)? I think not...

Pricing in a Recession

Posted on November 28, 2008
Well, I'm not running for office right now so I don't mind using the "R" word or bagel as Josh Lyman used to call it on The West Wing. We're trying to deal with the real issues facing legal professionals here at SIC and reality suggests we're nearing a recession...

Book Review: The Servant

Posted on November 22, 2008
By James C. Hunter Reviewed by Peter R. Olson In ?The Servant? James Hunter uses the biblical concept of servant hood as exemplified by Jesus Christ to teach ethical business leadership principals based on the premise of serving others. ?The Servant? takes readers on a fictional journey to a Michigan monastery where six people of varying backgrounds end up together in a leadership seminar taught by former Fortune 500 executive Leonard Hoffman n/k/a Brother Simeon (fictional)...

It Would be Nice to have the Court File

Posted on November 22, 2008
I'm going to try NOT to talk about the low-tech, paper court filing system in Cook County...at least for most of this post because it's actually a slightly different issue I want to raise. The issue that bothers me is within the Cook County Domestic Relations Division (I think this is division-wide although nearly all of my domestic practice these days is at Daley so this my be a Daley specific issue) when your case is court, your case file is not actually brought to the courtroom...

Profile: Jeffrey Steinback

Posted on November 19, 2008
If you didn't see this, take a read of the nice profile from November's Chicago Lawyer. He's a sole practitioner with a very niche practice...For Steinback ? a veteran criminal defense attorney who is considered one of Chicago?s leading experts on federal sentencing guidelines, as well as a master plea bargainer whose practice focuses largely on resolving white-collar criminal matters short of trial ? it is the whole person, rather than a mere description contained within the four corners of an indictment, that is at the heart of his work...

3 Posts in 1...What a Deal!

Posted on November 19, 2008
Watch me seamlessly interweave three separate topics into one post:Supreme Court Rule 711 Abuse;The Importance of Being Detail-Oriented; and,Sloppy, Hand-written, Last-Minute changes to a final Judgment. The above are mostly all tied to the same incident with one exception...

Dick Cheney and Opposing Counsel

Posted on November 11, 2008
Leaving his politics aside, I have great admiration for the Vice-President as a political infighter. If you've read any of the books that have come out regarding the Bush administration or there are a couple Cheney biographies as well (I'd personally recommend either of these here or here), the power Cheney's office yielded was quite impressive...

Don't Hide Assets in Real Estate!

Posted on November 11, 2008
Namely because real estate is the most public of assets so it won't be hidden long! If you're in family law at all you're going to have cases in a dissolution of marriage setting or child support collection setting where a litigant wants to hide her/his assets...

Getting your Fees in Divorce Proceedings

Posted on November 11, 2008
Mary Umberger included this snippet in a recent column which is informing...Thinking about a divorce? These days, the real estate market may be a third party in an already-sticky situation.Some family-law attorneys say the condition of the housing market is causing them to rethink the way they get paid for their counsel in divorce cases...

How Many Billables do You Bring?

Posted on November 08, 2008
That's the subject written about here at Law.com. The above or some question regarding your "book of business" is a question you must be able to answer for several reasons.Not to be blasphemous since right now I'm a passionate sole practitioner but the reality is that there's a great chance that one day I won't be and really shouldn't be...

Obama the Olympian

Posted on November 07, 2008
We try not to be too partisan here at SIC, but there's one thing we're surely in favor of and that's sports! So if Obama's win gives Chicago 2016 a nudge I can't complain. More people and time on the international stage is bound to help us Chicago, entrepreneurs/lawyers, right? And I know one lawyer who's got $20k in attorney fees in a house down there near the proposed Olympic Village that could use a little marketing nudge.

Client Meetings for the Home Office Lawyer

Posted on November 05, 2008
Two wonderfully enlightening posts recently on the above from two of my favorite blogs: MyShingle and Chuck Newton. Carolyn deals with the nitty gritty of using "virtual" offices (like Regus) for client meetings while Chuck provides an expansive tome that deals with where to meet and much more...

My 'Motion of the Month'

Posted on October 31, 2008
This month it's been the old Motion to Vacate pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-1203, generally due to improper notice on the part of the moving party. These aren't quite as juicy as the 2-301 motions where you can wipe out maintenance awards, $500k in back child support, and even wed those who were seemingly previously divorced, but they're a nice tool too...

No Jury Demand, Please

Posted on October 30, 2008
If you've got the Plaintiff that is, or at least according to this DOJ Study covered over at Law.com...Plaintiffs won in 56 percent of all general civil trial cases. Judges ruled in their favor in 68 percent of the cases, while juries favored the plaintiffs 54 percent of the time...

Urlacher, Dent, Briggs...

Posted on October 30, 2008
Not just a list of Chicago athletes but rather potential clients...market to those Chicago sports teams to build your domestic relations practice. Here's another...bit player Jason Caffey from a few of the Bulls dynasty teams.

Sheriff's Office Gambling

Posted on October 30, 2008
I'm as big a critic of the performance of the Cook County Sheriff's Office as anybody, but is a office football pool something really worth of the I-Team's attention? I think half the businesses in Chicago would be guilty of this transgression.

I'm Not in the "Club" so my Case was Defaulted and More...

Posted on October 30, 2008
I finished up a very frustrating case this week that was quite eye-opening as it related to my client getting a fair shake before the court. I was representing an out-of-state Defendant in a courtroom that I don't frequent against a Plaintiff and Plaintiff's counsel that it seemed appeared in the courtroom regularly...

More Court Appointed Business??

Posted on October 27, 2008
I know I'll be watching the implementation of Public Act 95-0846 closely relating to court appointed counsel in juvenile court cases (see a synopsis below from The Juvenile Justice Initiative). And note that the language is "requires" and thus mandatory...

Some Good Old Fashion Creative Lawyering

Posted on October 27, 2008
There's not enough of this quite frankly. Too much of what I observe is akin to an echo chamber of lawyers repeating the same arguments over and over. Or being too lazy to do any legal research to better represent a client. If you're not making a creative sort of off-the-wall argument every few months or so, you may not be representing your clients effectively...

Fathering Resources for your clients

Posted on October 27, 2008
Saw this in the Sunday Trib. regarding Goodwill's YES! Father's Project. Here's an overview from the Website:Goodwill is helping young fathers, aged 18 to 21, take responsibility for themselves, their children, their family and community with the YES! Fathers Project...

Free ADR CLE @ Daley

Posted on October 27, 2008
Saw this little nugget in October's Bar News:A monthly series of free brown-bag luncheon seminars on Cook County Circuit Court mandatory arbitration and mediation procedures is co-sponsored by the ISBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. The programs are conducted by the Law and Chancery Divisions from 12 noon to 1:45 p...

An Order is an Order is an Order

Posted on October 24, 2008
Isn't it? An order entered by a sworn-in judge is an enforceable order, no? I've been dealing with a particular judge in a case recently who seems to take the position that if he/she didn't enter a particular order it shouldn't be given as much weight or on an one occasion it should be ignored because he/she wouldn't have entered it...

How to "Connect"

Posted on October 17, 2008
Well, Clinton '92 taught me it was all about the two-handed handshake and the level of intimacy was dictated by the location of the non-shaking hand...ya know is it just cupping the hand or does it go up on a person's shoulder. And then Dale Carnegie essentially takes the position that the key is being interested in others...

Lawyer = Professional Writer

Posted on October 16, 2008
I just finished up another version of our firm's quarterly client newsletter and it got me dwelling on the absolute necessity of good writing skills by lawyers. I learn a tremendous amount when drafting our newsletter writing an overview article, answering client questions, and then analyzing several cases within our practice areas...

Benefit from the Foreclosure Mess

Posted on October 16, 2008
I had lunch with a lawyer friend/mentor recently who mentioned some court appointed work he'd gotten involved with recently and I'd guess there's plenty of work in this area now. The role is that of "Special Administrator" in foreclosure cases where a defendant is deceased...

You Must Be an Expert on This Issue!

Posted on October 13, 2008
If you're any degree of a "trial" lawyer or practice in any area where you're in court a lot, you must be an expert on service of process/personal jurisdiction/subject matter jurisdiction issues.These matters impact every case that you file or defend and can potentially undermine all your great lawyering if not done right, up front...

Lock Up the Lawyers!

Posted on October 10, 2008
I strolled off the elevator on the 30th Floor at Daley this morning around 945am and there were some television cameras interviewing what appeared to be a young, female attorney. I asked around a bit and was told a Jewish, female attorney skipped a court appearance yesterday and therefore a Judge held her in contempt and apparently she was detained this morning...

Chicago Lawyer Jailed: The Conclusion

Posted on October 07, 2008
Just a follow-up to a previous post about Chicago lawyer Allison Smith's being jailed for direct criminal contempt of court at Daley. The First District Appellate Court overturned her conviction. Thanks to a commenter for forwarding the decision.The underlying message seemed to be that the trial court was wrong on a substantive ruling regarding the lawyer's Motion to Strike a trial date...

Hot Off the Presses

Posted on October 06, 2008
Just heard this from a reliable source:I'm happy to report that the City Council Finance Committee today unanimously passed Ald. Burke's proposed Ordinance to bar transfer taxes on the transfer of interest in marital home real estate pursuant to Judgment for Divorce or Separation,, including an amendment which I suggested making the proposal retroactive (to 1992!)...

Tribune Commentary on Judicial Elections

Posted on October 06, 2008
Saw this interesting commentary in Sunday's Trib. by Roy Hofer, former CBA President, entitled 'A judge-to-be beat our flawed selection system.' It outlines the case of Attorney Kristyna Colleen Ryan who apparently won a Chicago Democratic primary and is unopposed in the general so thus will be sitting on a bench in Cook County soon...

Client Trust Accounts and Bank Failures

Posted on October 02, 2008
MN Lawyers Mutual had an interesting piece in its last newsletter cover the issue above. The article's fairly extensive. The general rule is that you shouldn't hold more than $100,000 of a client's money in a single bank since that's the max coverage on FDIC insurance...

Lawyer Divorce Solicitations

Posted on October 02, 2008
There was an interesting thread recently on one of the list serves I frequent. It seems several lawyers on the list had recently been retained by clients to defend dissolution of marriage (divorce) actions and upon meeting with the new clients heard that the clients had gotten several lawyer solicitations/advertisements upon the dissolution case being filed...

IL Constitutional Convention

Posted on October 02, 2008
Is everyone following this litigation regarding the ballot wording related to whether or not we should call a constitutional convention here in Illinois? Eric Zorn has been all over it in the Trib. and they editorialized about it yesterday too. Two cheers to the Chicago Bar Association for bringing suit regarding the ballot wording...

Your Family Law Practice...Not Always High-Minded Jurisprudence

Posted on September 30, 2008
Lawyer: Pro golfer's wife denies stealing phoneSep 29, 2:06 pm EDTJACKSON, Miss. (AP)?An attorney for John Daly?s estranged wife, Sherrie Daly, says she did not steal the pro golfer?s cell phone. Randy Fishman said Monday that ?this is a divorce case and people accuse each other of stuff all the time...

Judges and Time Management??

Posted on September 29, 2008
Why in 90% of courtrooms do judges just set like 80% of cases at 9/930/10am? If you practice where I practice, every status hearing in most courtrooms gets set at the same time so you have 30 cases scheduled for say 930am. So inevitably those courtrooms get backed up and time gets wasted...

Some "Petition for Rule to Show Cause" Nuggets

Posted on September 29, 2008
If you practice in the domestic relations field you need to be an expert on petitioning to hold a party in contempt of court and defending your client against being held in contempt of court. This is the most common pleading you'll deal with in the family law field...

4 Tech Tips

Posted on September 20, 2008
From Friday's CBA Technology and Practice Management Committee:1) Buy an orange briefcase for your computer. This lessens the possibility of anyone stealing it at airports, etc. Red is good too; 2) Put message on your PDA offering reward if returned, has worked for me three times, once with cabbie; 3) Use Acrobat for marking up case law and other docs -- can do in color and type comments; 4) Buy and use Time Map, particularly for litigators.

An Overview of Loan Forgiveness Programs for Public Sector Lawyers

Posted on September 20, 2008
I suppose the devil will be in the details and it's too late for me, but here's our federal government's handout to lawyers who choose to work as federal or state prosecutors, public defenders, and something called "public interest legal services." So go to a state school, work in one of these sectors for a few years and your law school loans are gone.

So you wanna be a Judge?

Posted on September 20, 2008
Well, it ain't all black robes and high-minded jurisprudence. Sometimes you get human excrement thrown at you.

Lap Dances and Legal Fees

Posted on September 19, 2008
Here's the story from today's Trib. about a DeKalb lawyers who had his law license suspended for acts relating to his representation of a stripper and bartering her legal fees downward in exchange for stripteases.Let me say for starters, I don't like to make light of the failures of other attorneys because I'm not here to suggest I'm without failing and I hate it when I see lawyers "outing" other lawyers in various list serve forums...

Sheriff OKs deal to ban Political Hiring

Posted on September 12, 2008
Alright, I'm waiting with baited breath for the Sheriff to now function smoothly and efficiently. Here's the Sun-Times article and a blurb:Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart on Thursday agreed to settle a federal lawsuit that seeks to eliminate political hiring in his office...

9/16...More Free CLE

Posted on September 12, 2008
Some free domestic relations-related CLE @ CBA from the Woman's Bar Association of IL (I think men are invited too):THE WOMEN?S BAR ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS presents A Domestic Relations Round table Discussion: ?Non-traditional Wage Earners? led by The Honorable Raul Vega

There is Light at the end of the Tunnel

Posted on September 11, 2008
I was struck by two articles I saw recently where attorneys have successfully melded their legal careers around their passions. I struggle with this all the time asking myself what do I possibly care about divorces and real estate transactions? In other words, but for my current profession and my law firm background, I wouldn't care too much about these fields, i...

It's Just a Status Hearing, Judge

Posted on September 11, 2008
I used that line a couple weeks ago and the judge who wanted to get the particular case moving nearly bit my head off because I used the line in the context of explaining why our client wasn't in court for a status hearing. Of course in this case I was correct, at least in my point maybe not my smugness...

Threatening Attorneys with Disciplinary Action

Posted on September 11, 2008
Chicago Lawyer had an interesting piece on this subject in the September issue (unfortunately it's not online). This issue is Rule 1.2(e) of the Illinois rules of professional conduct. Here's the text of the Rule:(e) A lawyer shall not present, participate in presenting, or threaten to present criminal charges or professional disciplinary actions to obtain an advantage in a civil matter...

The Risks of Taking Cases at Inconvenient Courthouses

Posted on September 02, 2008
I've always practiced in "volume" law firms. I don't say that as a criticism I simply mention it to explain that I've never worked in a big dollar trial practice where I think you essentially take the big money cases just about wherever you can find them because the potential payoff is worth the inconvenience...

Increased Order of Protection Remedies

Posted on August 21, 2008
Here's an overview regarding the new Cindy Bischof Law that allows courts to order GPS tracking for people accused of violating protection orders who are let out on bail and determined to be at high risk for violence. It also allows judges to put a convicted violator on a GPS ankle bracelet...

The "Interesting" Reasons Why Clients Choose Attorneys

Posted on August 18, 2008
I witnessed an interesting/sad/eye-opening example of attorney selection last week at Daley that unfortunately probably speaks to the stupid reasons why client's choose lawyers and I suppose should emphasize the importance of client education as part of your marketing...

Thick Skin and Attorney Withdrawal

Posted on August 07, 2008
I think the fact of withdrawing from a case is one of the ways that attorney's are too non-businesslike. Name a service provider that you use that wouldn't stop service if their bill went unpaid for more than 2-3 months. And yet I see lawyers staying in cases way too long...

I Always Miss All the Fun

Posted on August 07, 2008
Saw this little nugget today and heard about it on Chicago Public Radio:Cook County Circuit Clerk's office evacuated at Daley Center after bomb threat.I was at Daley until about 11:50am so I must have just missed the dramatics. The piece isn't too specific but it must have been room 802...

Non-Engagement Letter

Posted on July 30, 2008
I just found myself doing one of these so I thought I'd post what we use to communicate with non-clients the fact that we're not representing them. You do not want to unwittingly create an attorney-client relationship when you don't actually want to represent someone...

Report on Conditions at Cook County Jail

Posted on July 25, 2008
If you need some interesting reading of a public policy nature to read over the weekend why not try out the Justice Department's review of the Cook County Jail...here's the full report, the U.S. Attorney's press release, and the Chicago Tribune's treatment of the report's release...

Tell a Story about Yourself...

Posted on July 25, 2008
A good advice piece regarding developing your "elevator speech."Here's a simple three step model to describing yourself:Meaningful minute. Civiello advises clients preparing lengthy presentations to start by distilling their messages into 60 seconds. Her basic formula goes like this: "Say who you are, what you do, and why you do it better...

I'd Like to Stop Beating Up on the Cook County Sheriff, BUT...

Posted on July 23, 2008
The facts are hard to ignore.I had an incarcerated client with a court date set for yesterday. And after waiting for some time in the courtroom, one of the Sheriff's deputies explains to me that my client wasn't going to be brought in yesterday...or more simply, the Cook County Sheriff forgot to bring my client to court! We've posted about difficulty with the Sheriff previously here and here regarding service of process and previous difficulty with the jail...

Follow the Path of the Summons/Affidavit Return...

Posted on July 16, 2008
It sounds like some sort of kids game doesn't it? Unfortunately this "game" can be a pain in the @$%$#@ when the Cook County Sheriff's proof of service affidavit doesn't find its way to the court file like it's supposed to. This was a new one for me earlier this week...

Free Conference Call Software

Posted on July 08, 2008
Here's another free Web-based service I recently discovered: Rondee.com. They offer free, Web-based conference calls for up to 100 participants. This is a great service for the home office lawyer who doesn't have an extensive and expensive telephone system...

The Pace of Justice at 32 W. Randolph

Posted on July 08, 2008
I had a pretrial conference over in courtroom 1403 over at 32 W. Randolph today with Judge Reynolds. She's a nice edition to the team over there...it's a very difficult court call.By way of a little background, the court at 32 W. Randolph deals with parentage cases...

Free Invoicing Software from Intuit

Posted on July 08, 2008
There's nothing more important than getting clients to pay your bills. I recently experimented with Billing Manager from Intuit, a free, online invoicing software from the makers of QuickBooks. It's probably not a full accounting solution for your firm, but for a start-up not ready to make a big investment I like what it offers...

Do Judges Earn Royalties from the Law Bulletin??

Posted on July 08, 2008
I say that mostly in jest but I was handling a name change case today at Daley. There were several other name change cases in the courtroom along with my case and many of them were pro se. A name change case requires publication in a county-wide newspaper for three weeks...

Get Inside Their Heads not Their Hearts

Posted on June 30, 2008
I saw this little nugget in a recent edition of The Economist. It was a study by Adam Galinsky over at Northwestern that looked at two related approaches often used in negotiations: perspective-taking and empathy. Although the terms are often used interchangeably they're actually different...

Lawyer E-mail Addresses

Posted on June 27, 2008
I'm bothered when lawyers or law firms do not include e-mail contact information on their letterheads or anywhere where I can find it. It's not efficient.For example, today I needed a property inspection report from another attorney so instead of shooting him a quick e-mail and getting it returned to me...

Sorry, We Ignored the Court's Order

Posted on June 09, 2008
The Cook County Sheriff that is...I mean they don't come right out and say it but sit around a courtroom sometime and observe. I often do. A couple recent tales from the 30th Floor (Daley Center that is).First, I was in court the Wednesday after Memorial Day weekend...

Oops, I Forgot to Blog

Posted on June 09, 2008
Well, not really but I saw that posting here and I liked the title.No you just have a few long weekend commitments out of town, the law practice starts to really heat-up, and then there's this new writing gig and the blogging lags. I have a weekly commitment over a Technolawyer Newswire...

Don't Send Your Secretary or Paralegal To Court

Posted on June 03, 2008
I was sitting in court at Daley yesterday waiting for my case to be called and I observed a young woman step up on a case who was not a lawyer which she readily admitted. After some questioning the judge angrily demanded that her firm get a lawyer over here immediately...

Don't Be Too Judge Reliant

Posted on May 22, 2008
I'm making a little confession here about a stupid thing I did recently to save you a future hassle.I over-relied on a particular judge's idiosyncrasies to the detriment of what I wanted done. Nothing major or particularly fatal longer-term but I had a less than perfectly productive court date...

That Bothers Me!

Posted on May 22, 2008
Well lets see here, there are golf driving ranges that charge more for hitting off grass than off mats; loud music played in public places; and, people who have more than one hand on the table while eating. Yep, those three things bother me!But keeping it in lawyerland here, how 'bout judges that hold-up their courtrooms for 5-10 minutes per case by drafting court orders for pro se litigants...

When Possible, Do the Work Pre-Court...it Saves Everyone

Posted on May 22, 2008
Why do so many lawyers have this affinity for doing everything at the last minute? Even when it's not at all necessary and often hurtful.Let me explain, earlier this week I had a status hearing on a domestic relations case. A temporary visitation schedule had run out and we hadn't quite come to a final case settlement...

Looking for Work on Facebook

Posted on May 10, 2008
A nice overview about how various professionals are building business and getting jobs on Facebook.

Another LegalMatch Comment

Posted on May 10, 2008
Don't mean to pile on poor old LegalMatch. I've written about our firms experience with them in the past. But I did see another comment pop-up about another firms experience with them so I thought I'd post it:LegalMatch is a nightmare. Sure, you eventually earn more than you pay, but not without significant pain...

3 Years + $150k = Commencement with Jerry Springer

Posted on May 09, 2008
Check him out a week from today over at 357 East Chicago Avenue (NU Law School). He'll head straight over from NBC Tower and naked cousins fighting about incest to the austere Northwestern Law School who's graduates include current Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.

Lawyer Civility

Posted on May 07, 2008
I must admit that I kind of chuckle when I constantly read about various bar leaders and supreme court judges constantly harping on the subject of lawyer civility. Not because I don't think it's a legitimate concern for bar leaders to have, but it often seems like it's something these folks who are a long way from the front lines of our court systems like to talk about without actually experiencing the day-to-day grind of say traffic or domestic relations court on a regular basis...

At Least You Got What You Needed Mr. Connected Lawyer!

Posted on May 07, 2008
There's another rant over at The Connected Lawyer about antiquated court filing systems in various Illinois counties. I feel his pain and have written about the issue in this space previously. This was my experience this morning...So I've been appointed by the court to represent a Respondent in some post-decree (post-divorce) litigation...

Emergency Motion Strategy

Posted on May 04, 2008
Do you ever file these? Frankly I think a lot like Orders of Protection there's a tendency for them to be abused, but, when done right they can give you a big tactical advantage. By definition, an Emergency Motion is a motion that's presented in court without the normal requisite 5 business days notice...

Name Change, Change

Posted on May 04, 2008
So as you can tell I had a little fun at the old courthouse Friday. Among my pleasures was filing a new Name Change case. I'd just had one of these finished up in February so I thought I knew the procedures so you can imagine my surprise when I went to file the new case in the Chancery Division and was told, Name Change cases are now within the County Division...

28 N. Clark "No Fee" Filing Box GONE!

Posted on May 04, 2008
Probably not the end of the world but just don't be like me on Friday running a bit late to court over at 32 W. Randolph and wanting to avoid having to get through security and wait for an elevator over at Daley, I scooted up to the second floor at 28 N...

Parking Costs in Fee Petition

Posted on April 30, 2008
So in domestic relations contempt of court land we're often filing Fee Petitions or having them filed against us. They're actually quite informative, you really get to see what other lawyers are billing clients and they help you know the market for attorneys fees...

You're Released Immediately (Which Means 12 Hours Later)

Posted on April 29, 2008
Just so everyone can better educate their clients, if necessary, let me share my experience getting a prisoner out of Cook County Jail yesterday. This is the case I've written about previously. So we were in court yesterday morning and the judge "released" her immediately...

If I Knew Just One Thing When I Started My Practice...

Posted on April 28, 2008
Ah lets make it two...So I'm on enough lawyer list serves that invariably and frequently some newbie asks advice in some form of the above. I thought there were some interesting points made recently.First, and this should be a no-brainer, CONTROL YOUR EXPENSES...

Be Everywhere on the 'Net

Posted on April 28, 2008
Lawyer Search Guide...it's a free registration. Clients can find you!

Dennis Rodman & Conrad Black

Posted on April 26, 2008
Don't hit the cameraman!Well, following in the foot steps of Dennis Rodman, convicted former Sun-Times publisher Conrad Black has been sued for walking into or shoving a cameraman outside the Dirksen Federal Building during his recent trial.His recent Richard Nixon bio...

I'd Like a 60-Day Status Date and By the Way, What's for Lunch?

Posted on April 26, 2008
I'd be remiss if I didn't at least add my $.02 on our little Supreme Court's "extravagance in eating shall we say." Here's one of the many articles on the controversy. Essentially the IL Auditor General raises concerns that at various judicial conferences the breakfasts are costing $40 per person and lunches $48 per person...

Thanks Cook County Sheriff's Police

Posted on April 26, 2008
Seriously, I know I've been critical of their extremely low percentage of success in serving civil process, increased rates for that low percentage, and their unwillingness to answer the phone in the eviction department, but yesterday I was quite grateful for a couple of very kind and courteous Sheriff's police who of all things were in the process of taking my client into custody...

"Values" Marketing

Posted on April 23, 2008
Another example written about here where a small California firm celebrated its 125th Anniversary by making a $125,000 contribution to a local area food bank. We've previously written in this space about a Chicago firm that sent our Martin Luther King day cards with a listing of the local non-profits that they support...

"I'm Not Educated, But I Do Like To Read Books..."

Posted on April 23, 2008
That was contained in a speech by a former Prez...do you know who? I suppose it applies to me too with my state school education. But I've been reading all these book reviews lately over at The Connected Lawyer so I thought I'd share a review of my favorite read of the year so far...

LawGuru...Not Worth the Time??

Posted on April 23, 2008
Anyone a Guru out there? Primarily it's a Q/A Website where people can solicit answers to their legal questions from lawyers. I've used LawGuru for about a year now...if someone posts a question in elder, family or real estate law I get an e-mail with a Response link...

E-mail & Self-Control

Posted on April 23, 2008
The Greatest had a couple of interesting recent posts regarding e-mail etiquette and dictating e-mail...they're well worth a read. He's right in his general theme promoting dictation generally especially with all the digital options out there these days...

Celebrate Melvil Dewey!

Posted on April 23, 2008
Ya know the Dewey Decimal system?OK, a bit off topic here but our Rotary club is having our big fundraiser this weekend called Do The Dewey which is a partnership with the Des Plaines Public Library. It's a good time w/ food, music, activities AND free plants from Pesche's...

Cook Domestic Relations Appointments: A Downside

Posted on April 23, 2008
As we've blogged about previously, I'm now up to 6 court appointments through this program. Mostly unpaid child support cases but a couple are lets say more "interesting." So I'd continue to recommend this for the solo, domestic relations start-up.However, my one negative is that I'm getting appointed and these judges don't know my schedules so I get six court dates on six different days...

Harvard & The White House Not Enough

Posted on April 18, 2008
At least not on Alberto Gonzales' resume. Here's the piece regarding his job search struggles. Hey, I don't need the Old Grey Lady to tell me it's a tough job market for lawyers.

The Art of Referral Marketing

Posted on April 18, 2008
An art? I think it's a science.Nevertheless, here's the full NYT piece with a few take-away-points:¶ ?Start by making a list of all the people who might be a referral source for you. These may include people you do business with, such as your banker, accountant, attorney, printer, consultant, broker, and so on...

Going to Court's Tiring!

Posted on April 18, 2008
I had three contested hearings on three different days this week...that's tough when you're mainly used the "carpet commute" (Chuck Newton). I hardly got to watch Washington Journal all week.

Former MSFT General Counsel to Speak at John Marshall Friday

Posted on April 17, 2008
Hey he didn't do too well at the trial level of MSFT's anti-trust case back in the 1990s but I'll bet he has an interesting perspective...William H. Neukom, president of the American Bar Association, will be the guest speaker addressing "The Rule of Law and Intellectual Property in the 21st Century" at the Hon...

Cook County Domestic Relations CLE TODAY!

Posted on April 17, 2008
It's 12pm - 130pm at Daley with Judges Evans and Jacobius regarding acting as a child representative in domestic relations cases. It's put on by the court so no surprise one can't find anything online...they have signs posted on many of the courtroom doors up on the 30th floor...

Springfield ? May 12, 2008, 4:30 pm

Posted on April 13, 2008
So one month to go in our Illinois State Bar Association?s (ISBA) election?vote, vote, vote!! Yours truly IS a candidate for the Board of Governors (Under 37, Cook County). OK, this will be the first and last post plugging my candidacy? Why do I want to be on the Board? In many ways my candidacy is a direct outgrowth from this blog and its purpose: Attempting to help and empower Chicagoland?s entrepreneurial legal community...

10 Principals of Law Firm Marketing

Posted on April 11, 2008
This list compliments of the Rainmaker Institute...People: Identify your target market. Analyze the characteristics of your best and worst clients and determine why they need your services. Look for a niche you can serve.Product: Pinpoint what services you provide and how you can best present these to your prospects...

"A Criminal Enterprise Has Infiltrated the Judicial System in the United States"

Posted on April 11, 2008
That was included in a pro se defendant's motion for substitution of judge in a recent appellate case from the Cook Circuit Court (1st Dist. D'Agostino v. Lynch, No. 1-06-3026). Of course the defendant labeled his motion, "?Verified Motion for Judicial Admission or Denial by Judge Alexander P...

Another Lawyer Networking Tool

Posted on April 11, 2008
Just so you know, I joined Lawlink. As it says, "The First Online Network Exclusively For Attorneys." It's free...I'll report back on its effectiveness. I read of it in the January '08 Illinois Bar Journal.

Wisdom & Client Selection

Posted on April 09, 2008
I think the firm here might have seen this one coming, eh?Real estate developer Donald J. Trump is claiming the Manhattan law firm that represented him in a lawsuit against an overcharging golf course contractor overcharged him. Trump filed a legal malpractice suit against New York's Morrison Cohen last year in Westchester County Supreme Court, claiming the firm treated him like a "cash cow" and performed unnecessary work to generate higher bills...

Diagnosis: Death by Blogging

Posted on April 08, 2008
So for all of you out there really pushing to monetize your blog...just be careful. Here's the piece from the Sunday Times. All that being said, I love writing and communicating via the Internet...it's better than negotiating between a couple of bickering soon-to-be-former spouses in the courtroom hallway.

Sunday Chicago Tribune Magazine Article on Lawyers

Posted on April 08, 2008
Here's the link...the piece attempts to paint a picture regarding the economic disparity that exists in the legal profession. It's worth a read since the Tribune is the paper of record here but other than that not a great effort.It does hit on some of issues we've been writing about for three years in this space like the cost of law school and the over-population of lawyers...

Agreed Orders: A Problem

Posted on April 08, 2008
So we all have Agreed Orders entered every so often...maybe more than anything, right? All the parties agree so one of the lawyers gets an AO entered. Well, I've had a couple situations recently where I've had and seen clients agree to have an Agreed Order entered regarding an issue or issues (in a few of these situations the clients were even there in court as the AO was entered) and then get upset about something days or months later and be upset that the AO got entered...

Tools for the Lawyer/Entrepreneur...

Posted on April 05, 2008
Six highlights (below) from the NYTimes' small business toolkit. The list really hits home for me because I think that the *planning tomorrow today and the *lunch break/walk go a long way towards defining my daily productivity. That begs the question why I don't do those two things daily...

Legal "Nuggets" in the Windy City

Posted on April 04, 2008
A bunch of news stories in the Chicago papers today applicable to our little legal world...R. Eugen Pincham dies. A nice overview of the noted Chicago criminal defense lawyer. My only personal experience with him relates to continuing legal education seminars...

The Best Speaker w/ the Worst Marketing Materials

Posted on April 04, 2008
That's what I felt like last night. I filled in for a friend as a speaker at a seminar for potential home buyers downtown at Acorn Housing in Chicago. They're a HUD certified housing counseling agency. And not to be immodest, but I was probably the best speaker in the house...

"A Client Guy"

Posted on April 04, 2008
Not a bad thing to be known as in the professional services field. It was used to describe Treasury Secretary Paulson in his pre-public service days mostly at Goldman Sachs. A colleague comments:Paulson earned a reputation as "a client guy," said William Daley, former Commerce secretary, Midwest chairman of JPMorgan Chase and a friend of Paulson's...

Should You Ever Lower Fees?

Posted on April 04, 2008
They had this discussion over at The Anti 9-to-5 blog, not specific to the legal context but I think the discussion is useful nonetheless.I don't have a problem cutting fees on occasion. Unless your practice is absolutely capped, I say do whatever it takes to bring in the new business...

A Belated Happy Third Birthday to...

Posted on April 01, 2008
The Olson Law Firm, LLC of course. I think March 31, 2005 was actually the effective date according to the IL Secretary of State. Well, we haven't quite made our first million yet, but I do believe we've helped hundreds of people throughout Chicagoland deal with pressing legal matters and hopefully eased their concerns during often traumatic and life-changing circumstances...

In-House Counsel Downsides...

Posted on April 01, 2008
So the dream's dead...even In-House positions aren't "all that." He's the article from ABA and the five downsides:She says the myths are: Better hours and a better lifestyle await. Cannon worked anywhere from 10 to 14 hours a day in-house and never had any downtime...

Say it With a T-Shirt

Posted on April 01, 2008
Why more blogs including this one aren't selling t-shirts I don't know? It seems kinda stupid but those highly personalized t-shirt places are exploding and they're all over the 'Net...here's the recent piece that got me thinking.

Cook Domestic Relations Court Appointments - Update

Posted on April 01, 2008
Just a little update on the above as we've previously written about here. After several months of scant court appointments I was appointed to 5 clients last week. These aren't going to be huge $$ cases but I'd expect nearly $1,000 each...it adds up. Why the uptick? Oh, slowing economy has more people behind in child support with contempt of court looming...

Self-Employed Health Insurance "Tool"

Posted on March 27, 2008
Thanks to the Times for alerting us to this new health insurance resource for the self-employed: healthinsuranceinfo.netThe site, maintained by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, shows a map of the country and after clicking on a state, a document is downloaded that covers everything from what kinds of programs are available to small-business owners to whether there is a high-risk pool available for those who have been rejected by insurance providers...

Solo/Small Firm Media Bias

Posted on March 27, 2008
Saw this nice overview today of our old friend Carolyn Elefant. And it's an inspiring story and very much part of the solo practice and blogging lore on the 'Net by now.What I don't like is the author's bias and what seem to be attempts to diminish and downgrade solo practice...

What Does Your Firm Look Like When You're Out??

Posted on March 27, 2008
So I had two experiences yesterday that got me thinking...First, just another judge-not-on-the-bench court appearance that's often frustrating. This was at Daley so it's usually not as bad as the suburban courts since there are enough judges down there and you usually just get sent to another courtroom or one of the floater judges handles the absent judges call...

10 Cheap Ways to Promote Your Business

Posted on March 24, 2008
Here's an abbreviated list:Promote yourself as a speaker. Offer a VIP discount card. Start a blog. Ask for referrals. Write articles in your area of expertise. Offer a free seminar or workshop. Start a newsletter. Write a press release. Use your vehicle as a billboard...

Building a Better Profession

Posted on March 24, 2008
Saw this piece in the Sunday Trib. about Building a Better Legal Profession, a group of law school students aimed at forcing change in the hiring and promotion of young lawyers. Nothing too original in terms of the issues they're pushing...and the blog isn't exactly update daily...

High Growth/Demand Areas of Practice

Posted on March 19, 2008
Once in a while I do actually read some other blogs...thanks to Build a Solo Practice, LLC for tipping us off to this one over at Law is Cool (I thought it was Law is Fun??). A nice variety of opinions from lawyers about the next "hot" practice area.

Cross-Selling v. Upselling

Posted on March 19, 2008
Cross-Selling vs. Upselling for lawyers from our friends over at Technolawyer:Cross-Selling v. UpsellingTom Rowe's post, wherein he equates cross-selling of legal services to upselling, compares apples and oranges. Upselling occurs when a vendor attempts to tack on extras or upgrades when a buyer comes in to buy a specific item, often because the advertised item won't do the job that the customer expects, or tries to sell "extras" that the client doesn't really need...

"I Love Referrals"

Posted on March 19, 2008
Says Chuck Newton. So do I!Here's Chuck's take on...10 Low Costs Ways To Market To Referral SourcesAbsolutely the truth for us small firmers out there. I don't think you can bring in sustainable rates of business w/o referral sources, particularly early in your businesses history...

The Ideal Reference

Posted on March 19, 2008
Saw the piece here entitled, How to Pick the Ideal Reference.The author's opinion...So, here they are, my must-have qualities for the perfect reference: People who you are certain think highly of you.People who will take the request seriously and be prepared and thoughtful in their answers, even if you don?t have time to brief them beforehand (though building in time for a thorough briefing is a wise idea)...

Boot These Five Dumb Practices...

Posted on March 19, 2008
Here's the full piece and a listing of the 5:E-mail: a tree's worst nightmare. In one particular case, I have more than 700 e-mails waiting to be entered into the electronic database. After entering them, I must print them all and place them in correspondence folders...

Does Anyone Pay for Legal Research Anymore??

Posted on March 18, 2008
Do you even know of anyone who does? For me: no & no...seriously. I think the last time I used a paid legal research provider was working at a large Loop firm at a summer job during law school in 2001.Here's an overview of the "opening" of the legal research field...

Small Firm Lobbyist?

Posted on March 17, 2008
Saw this piece about lobbying as a booming practice area...looks like mostly big firms. Obviously on the "top ten" lists it's going to be all big firms primarily representing the big corporate players. But I've known some folks who make a pretty penny in smaller firms doing lobbying work...

Build This Type of Referral Arrangement

Posted on March 17, 2008
I've heard about this set-up enough now that it's "post" worthy.The idea is for you as solo or small firm to set-up a direct referral relationship with another solo or small firm in your respective specialty area. For example, firm #1 specializes in family law which likely includes a large divorce chunk...

Thanks AGAIN Loyola School of Law

Posted on March 17, 2008
Saw another free CLE offering from the folks over at Loyola:Tax Law in a Liberal Democracy: Exploring the Relationship betweenTax and Good GovernanceI attended their last one on the Chicago Residential Landlord/Tenant Ordinance...good stuff. Hey they're #1 on the Chicago free CLE meter.

Cook's "Filing" Problem

Posted on March 13, 2008
Just to add to my personal experience to what's been reported here and here about the Cook County Circuit Clerk's antiquated filing system, I was up in Daley 802 reviewing an old dissolution of marriage file a couple days back and lo-and-behold a big bunch of pleadings from a different case were in this case file...

Have You Considered a Masters in Fine Arts??

Posted on March 13, 2008
I saw this little nugget from ABA yesterday: This month, the American Bar Association Law Student Division will launch a mental health initiative with the goal of helping law students who are battling depression and anxiety. "It's something that no one talks about," said Suvor, a third-year student at George Washington University School of Law and chairman of the 51,500-member group...

A "Personal" Board of Advisors

Posted on March 06, 2008
Saw this piece of advise in the NYTimes' Shifting Careers blog (it's worth a read...written by a former lawyer). Michael Melcher (another former lawyer I believe) and author of The Creative Lawyer (is there such a thing) is today's guest poster. His take is career-focused, i...

I Don't Want to Serve on a Jury!!

Posted on March 06, 2008
Instead I'll phone in a bomb threat, or at least that's what happened out at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton yesterday. Toby Owhoka, 48, of the 900 block of College Boulevard was charged Tuesday with felony disorderly conduct, according to a news release from the DuPage County sheriff's office...

A Solo's Advice on Going Solo

Posted on March 06, 2008
What to my wondering eyes would appear but a little free publicity about yours truly in the March ISBA Bar Journal. One of their staff writers summarized a longer article that I've previously written about here. It's in the Lawpulse section. I almost didn't feel right about it when the author contacted me...

Been There; Done That; Here's How

Posted on March 05, 2008
Here's the article advising entrepreneurs. Some rules to get started:First, act more like an entrepreneur at your current job. Find a mentor. Team up with a partner. Exceed expectations. Never be defensive. Study successful entrepreneurs. Get in people?s faces...

USLaw's Blog Directory

Posted on March 05, 2008
Add yours to the list.

Staying Afloat

Posted on March 05, 2008
A nice piece over at Law.com entitled, How Law Firms Can Stay Afloat When a Recession Strikes. The author's 4 highlights:Do we have the right business model? Are we diversified enough in our offerings? Where can we cut costs or reduce overhead?Are lawyers properly deployed in the correct business sectors?Join the chorus.

$!?**$#!@! Client!!

Posted on March 05, 2008
That might be one lawyer's thoughts after being sanctioned to the tune of $29,000 for a client's behavior at a deposition. I guess there's more to defending a dep. than I thought.During a 12-hour deposition, the client "used the word 'fuck' and variants thereof no less than 73 times...

The Boston Tea Party and Palatine

Posted on March 05, 2008
Well the quiet northwest 'burb of Palatine appears ready to join the distinguished list of protesting secessionists everywhere...the 13 colonies, The Confederate States of America, AND Palatine, Illinois. Stroger's 1% sales tax hike approved last week has Palatine ready to bolt Cook County...

Build Your "Platform" Through Blogging

Posted on March 05, 2008
The Anti 9 to 5 Guide had a helpful list regarding building a platform to sell a book idea through blogging. I think every thing's applicable to any potential blog topic: Nixon Presidency, Triathlons, Chicagoland Golf or Law Practice Management. **Sign up for a free blog account with Blogger, TypePad, or WordPress...

A Heart-Warming Tale of Blog Development

Posted on March 04, 2008
We can do big things! He did.

Personal Assistant Options

Posted on March 04, 2008
Here's a recent Tribune piece entitled Your Personal Assistant, Half a World Away. The piece references several Indian companies that serve U.S. small business.Some companies mentioned:Get FridayTutorvistaAsk Sunday

What Can I Do With a JD??

Posted on March 04, 2008
Part of an occasional series in the February ISBA Young Lawyers Division newsletter. This week the interview was with State Rep. and lawyer Franco Coladipietro. I thought he made 4 main points worth repeating:First, work hard and show up every day. Second, find good mentors...

March Madness and "Solo In Chicago"

Posted on February 28, 2008
Or "Solo" anywhere else for that matter. So we're about to enter the best run of sporting events for the entire year (this is just one person's humble opinion of course). From about next weekend when some of the college conferences start to have their conference BB tournaments through the Masters, is the best run of sporting events for the year...

Targeted Direct Mail to Referral Sources

Posted on February 25, 2008
Chuck Newton has a great step-by-step explanation of his use of direct mail with his potential referral sources. You can apply much of what he's using to many, many practice areas.

The House on the Rock & Your Legal Services Business

Posted on February 25, 2008
Have ya ever been to the House on the Rock in Spring Green, WI??I think I've read that it's the most popular tourist destination in Wisconsin. Against my will I visited it a couple summers ago (we were camping with friends and it was sort of "group" decision)...

The Store Manager's Sick So Wal-Mart is NOT Opening Today

Posted on February 25, 2008
That's the sort of unbelievable thought I had late last week when I appeared in a local courtroom and a particular judge was out that day so the clerk was just "giving new dates," i.e. nothing substantive was getting done that day. Are you kidding me? And my criticism would not lay too much with the particular judge who was out...

BIG LAW Says: Blog is Not "Appropriate"

Posted on February 21, 2008
Did ya see some of the coverage about Skadden's "Hot Associate" contest on a blog, Skadden Insider. From "above:"The Firm recognizes that blogs are prevalent in today's culture and that blogs about Skadden are to be expected. Nonetheless, we believe that the "contests" on one of these blogs is inappropriate and does not reflect our values and standards of behavior...

The "Experience Question"

Posted on February 21, 2008
So we're hearing this all the time from Sens. Clinton and McCain regarding Sen. Obama. Of course whenever I hear Hillary talk about her 35 years of experience I about want to throw up...yeah and I have "experience" as a flight attendant and as a children's book author (through my wife)...

Small Firms and Recession

Posted on February 21, 2008
Ah the dreaded "R" Word. Hey I'm not running for public office this cycle (there is that ISBA Board of Governors seat though), I can say it. But I've been reading several articles about law firm "adjustments" to a slowing economy. Saw this today about DLA Piper (yikes its organge Website is blinding) hiring a bankruptcy/reorganization group...

It's Not Free CLE; But it is a Free Resource

Posted on February 20, 2008
A little birdie tipped me off to MentorCLE.com, "Online video CLE courses for Illinois attorneys."Essentially you can view their courses free but if you want MCLE credit then you need to buy them. Lots of very relevant topics, except, "Pro Bono for the Soul...

The Stroger Family & Cook County Justice...

Posted on February 20, 2008
Ah the one-party system of Cook County. I saw this in today's Tribune:As recently as last week, 26 juveniles who might have been sent home with monitoring bracelets on their ankles were held at the detention center (Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center), officials said...

Innovative Old Microsoft...

Posted on February 16, 2008
Serious...anyone taken a peek at the new Office Live Small Business 2.0 MSFT unveiled this past week? Here's a piece with a video clip. Lots of freebies...it seems like the place to go if you don't have a Website.

Health Insurance Options

Posted on February 16, 2008
The Shifting Careers blog over at The Times had some ideas on health insurance for the self-employed...Have a look at Anne Zelenka?s health insurance primer for solo workers at Web Worker Daily in which she comes down strongly in favor of the high deductible plan for those who can afford it...

Law is Fun? Hmmm...

Posted on February 16, 2008
An interesting new law-oriented Website. Law.com had a interesting interview with the founder...his thoughts on creating the site and the many, many facets to the site.

The Key for Any Start-Up Solo

Posted on February 16, 2008
From Chicago Lawyer...When civil rights attorney Jon Loevy ­decided to go on his own after less than two years at Sidley Austin, he opened up shop without an office, let alone a legal pad.In 1997 it was just Loevy, with a computer and a phone, he said, working out of his garden apartment in Lakeview...

Don't Over-Specialize Too Early

Posted on February 16, 2008
Among the advice from Sandy Lourie of Barack Ferrazzano in Chicago Lawyer's Q/A...I think I would advise new lawyers to make sure they don?t over-specialize too early. I think that clients, at least on the transaction side, are looking for general advice...

The Free CLE Just Keeps on Coming

Posted on February 16, 2008
Clifford Law Offices getting in on the "accredited CLE provider in Illinois" action:Clifford Law Offices, an approved continuing legal education provider in Illinois, is hosting its first webinar 3-5 p.m., Feb. 21. ?The Ethics of Trial Work? presented by Northwestern University School of Law Professor Robert P...

Free CLE: February 18th

Posted on February 15, 2008
Yeah so Monday's another one of those dead President court holidays so instead of spending your morning slugging it out at Daley, come and break bread at the Loyola School of Law, Protecting the Rights of Chicago Tenants - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Seriously, you've got to know your Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance if you practice in this field and that's the gist of what this about...

Don't Tell Clients Where You Live!

Posted on February 09, 2008
Did you see this about the Rockford attorney who it seems was gunned down in his own driveway by an unhappy client? Sad, sad story:A Rockford lawyer slain while clearing snow outside his home may have been gunned down by a man he had represented in a criminal case, authorities said Friday...

Is Health Insurance a Reason to Stay at a Job you Hate?

Posted on February 06, 2008
Oh my answer would be, "it depends." The Anti 9-to-5 Guide provides its answer...a new "blog" to me.

Student Loan Options

Posted on February 06, 2008
Saw this piece recently from the Baltimore Sun's Eileen Ambrose...or as we get here in the Chicago paper, "a Tribune Co. Newspaper." She outlines several options in the piece, including some that have been recently enacted by Congress. If possible keep or get your loan from the federal government, not a private lender...

Is it Colorful? Does it list your Practice Areas? And,

Posted on February 06, 2008
what's on the back? I speak of business cards of course. This post was triggered by this recent piece here but even more so by a personal experience a couple days back.I attended a planning meeting for a fundraiser conducted by our local Rotary Chapter and our public library...

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

Posted on February 06, 2008
Oh, the weather outside is frightful...So we here in the Chicago area have been getting wacked pretty hard recently with snow, slush, rain, ect. 6-12 inches predicted for today. But for me, no worries! I'm a home office lawyer; a veritable Third Waver...

Are you Failing Enough?

Posted on February 02, 2008
If not you're probably not taking enough risks. I'm sure Churchill, Lincoln and Nixon had some quotes on this topic over the years or just look at their careers...read here. Why isn't failure a bad thing?Failure underscores the need to take chances. The cliché is right: If you take no risks, there will be no rewards...

Law Firm "Has Joined the Firm" Announcements...

Posted on February 02, 2008
Do you get these? I sure do (not always sure why but...). Why are these sent? Are they useful? Should they be done differently? I know when I joined one of the firms that I previously worked for that the principle lawyer sent out an announcement that I had joined the firm...

It's Fun to Stay at the...

Posted on January 29, 2008
Y.M.C.A. It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A. They have everything For young men to enjoy. You can hang out with all the boys..." Hey don't kid yourself, I own a copy of the Village People's Greatest Hits and I'm a member of my local Y.M.C.A. branch. But that's for another blog...

Who Will be the Next Cook County State's Attorney??

Posted on January 26, 2008
I acknowledge up front I'm a political junkie with a "problem," but putting on my pure attorney-at-law hat for a while, isn't it a bit concerning the lack of scrutiny that's been given to the State's Attorney race here in Cook/Chicago??At the pure citizen/taxpayer level, at stake is an office with a $100 million budget, more than 900 lawyers and the authority to launch investigations, issue subpoenas and convene grand juries...

My First Court Appointment: Cook Domestic Relations

Posted on January 26, 2008
We previously blogged here on these indigent contempt of court cases in Cook County. It's unique when your client approaches the bench in Cook County Jail garb in handcuffs (I don't do criminal so this is about the only scenario where I see this). So by way of a little follow-up, I got appointed to my first case this week...

Next on the Docket for the Supremes: A Fee Waiver Appeal??

Posted on January 22, 2008
Yep I think that's called litigation run amok or is it the ACLU again? But I digress...so a transgender woman was denied her rule 298 fee waiver for a name change and now she's appealing to the IL Supreme Court. The IL Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/5?105) and Supreme Court Rule 298 control the petitions to sue/defend as an indigent person...

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Fairest Lawyer...

Posted on January 22, 2008
of all? Hmmm...well I don't know. But it does matter according to a new study entitled Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Effect of Time Spent Grooming on Wages. Here's an overview article. It turns out that particularly w/ men that those who invest time/effort in their appearance earn more.

Freebie Law Firm Management Rag

Posted on January 22, 2008
No guarantees from the management and I don't know much about this but a free offer to Law Firm, Inc. dropped into my inbox the other day. Granted it can't replace this blog...but every bit helps and it's FREE!!

Home Office Even Works w/ 2 at Home

Posted on January 22, 2008
An interesting overview of the workings of a two-income family where both spouses work from the home office (2 separate home offices really). I'm not quite at that level although Mr. Third Wave may be. Some funny interplay over the course of the day...

International Family Law Resource

Posted on January 19, 2008
Here's a free eBook download available entitled, Litigating International Child Abduction Cases Under the Hague Convention. I know we get the multi-state cases quite regularly...I imagine the international disputes aren't far behind.

Does Anyone Know what an Ascot is??

Posted on January 19, 2008
I didn't until I did a smidgen of research. Saw this where a Milwaukee lawyer almost went to the pokey for violating the court's neck-tie requirement. An ascot is NOT a neck-tie...at least not in Milwaukee. I for one have appeared in court without a tie or an ascot without much ado.

I Just Got my First MLK Day Card!

Posted on January 19, 2008
"I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers...

Our Image Takes a Hit

Posted on January 17, 2008
Ya know I really do support the ISBA advertisements that show a picture of Abraham Lincoln with the tag line that Illinois has a pretty good history of lawyers. But then you get something like this from today's Trib. and the image polishing seems all for naught: Personal injury lawyer Gerald Penovich sat in his Loop office discussing a car crash with two clients...

Drew Peterson & an Almost "Solo In Chicago"

Posted on January 15, 2008
Nice little overview piece of Attorney Joel A. Brodsky in the news today, Drew Peterson's lawyer. An interesting tale of many personal and professional experiences. He's in a two person firm on Michigan Ave. Sounds like an interesting tale of a real "Chicago" guy...

The Unauthorized Practice of Law...It's Now More Than

Posted on January 14, 2008
Just us lawyers standing around and yelling about it. The Illinois Attorney Act (705 ILCS 205/1) has been amended to actually allow for the recovery of damages ($$) against nonlawyers doin' stuff only lawyers can do. The new law creates statutory remedies for the unauthorized practice of law (UPL), including: a) appropriate equitable relief; b) a civil penalty up to $5k with monies going to the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation; and, c) actual damages...

2 Years in Solo Practice...a Great Overview Article

Posted on January 10, 2008
There's a great article in January's General Practice, Solo and Small Firm newsletter from the I.S.B.A. 10 dos/don'ts regarding starting a law firm. I know the author real well! Unfortunately it's password protected...drop me an e-mail if you want a copy.

"Home-Office Life and its Discontents"

Posted on January 10, 2008
That's the title of the piece that recently appeared in the NYTimes. A nice overview of some of the "new" challenges faced as soooo many people work from home. Some funny examples of couples where now both spouses were working at home and one of them HAD to move out...

Attract Clients Online

Posted on January 10, 2008
Saw this free Webinar offered by The Rainmaker Institute.

Lawyer Just Phones it in...

Posted on January 10, 2008
Saw this one come down from Washington, Wright v. Van Patten, No. 07-212, (January 7, 2008). The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that nothing in its own precedent prevented a lawyer from participating in a plea hearing by speaker phone. However, the unsigned opinion cautioned that the justices weren't ruling on whether such a practice should be allowed...

Try to Avoid Disbarment; Oh, and Jail Too...

Posted on January 10, 2008
Don't see this everyday...an IL lawyer continued taking client retainers despite his law license having been suspended and subsequently got prosecuted criminally and now he's behind bars.

Are you a Bad Boss??

Posted on January 10, 2008
12 questions from the National Federation of Independent Business to help you decide:1. Have you ever berated an employee in public?2. Have you ever taken credit for something an employee did?3. Are your employees afraid of you?4. Are you a "no excuses allowed" type?5...

"Reed Smith Hires Two to Run Firm as Global Business"

Posted on January 09, 2008
An intriguing headline about Reed Smith's hiring of two non-lawyers in executive roles. If you read the piece it includes all the usual rhetoric about "running a law firm like a business." How should small firms grow their personnel?? Our first hire was a part-time non-lawyer secretary whose primarily role is to oversee billing/collections and the non-lawyer aspects of residential real estate closings...

Sexual Relations with Clients...

Posted on January 09, 2008
Informative piece here about the above and some "difficulty" lawyers have faced from our friends at ARDC when they've engaged in such contact with clients. Ahh, and most of the cases involve domestic relations cases...our primary practice area. Illinois does not have a specific rule prohibiting sexual relations with clients that many states have...

The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun-Times and Now...

Posted on January 09, 2008
Chicago Lawyer magazine. They've decreased the physical size of the publication and dropped content. Too bad! No more appellate case summaries in the hard copy. All that said, they did upgrade the Website.Hey and look at this they've starting a competing blog.

Don't Waste Time!

Posted on January 07, 2008
Saw this top 10 list of lawyer time wasters. Interesting list...personal Internet usage and too much e-mail checking I think are the biggest time wasters lawyers or otherwise. I'm not sure I'm mature enough to handle a Blackberry myself. But back to the lawyer exclusive list...

Happy 2008 from Chicago's Premier Lawyer Blog...

Posted on January 05, 2008
Alright that sounds a bit extravagant but it's all in good humor. Have you renewed your ARDC registration for '08? My annual fee was up to $268...yikes! Sorry for the sparse postings over the last couple weeks. I had that 10 day flu over the holiday season...

Blog Post = Disbarment

Posted on December 20, 2007
A Florida lawyer faces ethics charges for a blog post critical of a local judge. Sounds like there are some interesting first amendment issues: do we as bar members have restricted first amendment privileges when discussing judicial conduct? As for us here at Solo In Chicago we'll continue to not name names...

Lawyer "Directory" News

Posted on December 20, 2007
Quite a bit of news out in the last few days regarding various lawyer "directories"...i.e. Martindale-Hubbell, Avvo. News stories here and here plus commentary from the venerable Chuck Newton here. The Martindale-Hubble piece discusses its waning usage...

We Make Up Our Own Law...

Posted on December 18, 2007
Had a frustrating example of judge-made law in court yesterday. We took an approx. $20k judgment against a defendant. I always try to get a Memorandum of Judgment signed simultaneously with entry of Judgment to immediately lock-up any real estate. This is proper...

Legal Service Outsourcing...

Posted on December 18, 2007
I got my first contact by an offshore "Legal Outsourcing Consultant" as it called itself. They were pitching to me for assistance in the real estate lease administration, mortgage and title areas.

The Dwindling Status of Laywers...

Posted on December 18, 2007
A piece about the dwindling income of lawyers compared to others in the business world. Of course the legal field has never been a get rich field. The corporate world has always been where the big money is. More greater concern is plight of many, many young attorneys as profiled here.

Snail Mail Isn't Dead...

Posted on December 18, 2007
How should lawyers discriminate between the use of e-mail versus snail mail? As reported, Monday, December 17, 2007, was supposedly the heaviest mail day of the year and it got me to thinking...I don't think this is "mission critical" so to speak but I think there might be some client perception issues...

BigLaw confesses: Solos do better work than BigLaw Associates...

Posted on December 12, 2007
Here's a list of advise for "newbie" BigLaw associates. Here's #10 on the list:Consider yourself a solo practitioner doing work for senior associates and partners. This mindset will help you realize the need to consistently deliver ?good work, value-added creativity and efficiency...

Dyslexia and sole practitioners?

Posted on December 12, 2007
This piece has gotten a lot of attention on the Web, it's title, Tracing Business Acumen to Dyslexia, is descriptive. The theme of piece is that persons with dyslexia need to sort of "create their own way" due to rejection by the "system." And that skill set has often turned greatly successful, particularly for entrepreneurs...

Good for career shifting or starting a solo law practice

Posted on December 12, 2007
Here's a good interview with tips about career change. A lot of the points are useful for the new solo attorney.

A Personal Marketing Plan for '08

Posted on December 12, 2007
My weekly e-mail from John Remsen included a pitch to create a personal marketing plan. There's a pdf with some "workbook" materials to really help yourself establish clear goals with follow-thru. These were a couple good points:How Much Time Should You Invest?Of course, implementing your plan is the key to success?...

Now you can be even more ready for your Supreme Court oral argument...

Posted on December 10, 2007
The IL Supreme Court has announced it will now post audio/video of oral arguments the day after the hearing on its Website. Now if the Court can just agree on a standardized electronic filing system statewide and we'll be getting somewhere...

Marketing + Cost Cutting = Solo Success?

Posted on December 05, 2007
Well, at least that's what the Juris 2007 Law Firm Economic Survey by LexisNexis seems to say. Chuck Newton agrees. So going to a home office is the easiest way to cut a big chunk of costs. Other attorney expenses are generally fairly minimal: malpractice insurance, "group" memberships, and minimal general office expenses...