Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

In my last column, I discussed how you can relocate to another state without sitting for another bar exam. One question that naturally stems from that discussion is what to do if you make a mistake in your relocation, and you fail to do ...

The idea of a “tribe” is powerful. Who would not feel connected in a group of people tied together by common values, traditions or goals? Tribes have two distinct yet equally important roles to play in your law practice — particularly if you are ...

We’ve all heard the adage that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. When it comes to attorney discipline matters, there are certainly times when this is true. However, there are also many times when a lawyer is perfectly ...

It seems that every solo lawyer I meet has a list of things they would like to be doing better in their practice. Sometimes the motivating factor is business growth, sometimes it’s efficiency. At the heart of many “to do” items, though, is ...

Unhappy clients often choose to file ethics complaints against their poor-performing lawyers. What leads to their unhappiness? It may come as a surprise, but most ethics complaints are not about incompetence. Instead, most complaints revolve ...

Well-meaning lawyers who struggle to balance their personal checking account may think the safest way to protect their client trust account is to find a knowledgeable bookkeeper or CPA to take charge of it. In practice, though, this can add up ...

Departing a law firm partnership can be surprisingly challenging — and potentially perilous — if you are not prepared.

More than once recently, I have consulted with a client and heard stories of their contact with other lawyers who work in my field. Sometimes their stories confirm that I am giving similar advice, but sometimes I am appalled at what I hear about ...

In the practice of law, dates and deadlines are the currency in which lawyers traffic. As filing dates and appearance dates pile up, the likelihood of missing one increases exponentially — with dramatic results. At best, you’ll lose your case. ...

Lately, thinking creatively about the practice of law has been a theme running through my professional life. While we are a relatively stodgy profession, many avenues for legal innovation exist. From applying new technology to a traditional ...