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Taking a cue from a New York Law Journal article on the importance of small practices in the legal marketplace, Carolyn Elefant mentioned on MyShingle that an overwhelming majority of the nations law firms are small practices with fewer than 0 attorneys employed. According to an ABA survey, most law students are more interested in working with a small practice than in joining a major law firm. While BigLaw life has its undeniable pitfalls, small firms and solo practitioners have a different set of problems. Chief among them are a lack of formal training, financial risk, and the isolation of practicing alone. Elefant claims that despite this, small-firm practice is its own reward. Often, small firms provide access to the judicial system for clients who wouldnt ordinarily retain the services of a big law firm.
Another post from MyShingle dealt with the sensitive issue of lawyers getting too old to practice law. Not long ago, a debate raged about senior citizens behind the wheel of automobiles. The new concern is attorneys practicing after senility sets in. Even broaching the subject can lead to claims of age discrimination. With the nations baby boomers reaching retirement age, however, the issue has become a hot topic. Attorneys at the greatest risk are solo or small-firm practitioners. Large law firms usually have retirement plans in place, while smaller firms do not. The majority of state bars dont even have formal policies for dealing with this specific type of impairment. Addressing one of the weeks hottest controversies, dear old Professor Bainbridge discusses the death penalty and Zacarias Moussaoui. Perhaps the issue isnt really all that controversial. A predominance of bloggers seem resolute in their conviction that Moussaoui should get the death penalty. Bainbridge isnt so sure, though he attests that Moussaoui is certifiably evil. His assessment of the matter is enlightening, but short on a definitive opinion. Bainbridge gets medieval on the Judeo-Christian and legal ethics of the death penalty. He wonders if Moussaoui isnt just taking the fall for the hijackers who didnt live to stand trial. Ethics aside, the fact remains that Moussaoui may be more dangerous to the U.S. as a martyr than a prisoner. Moussaouis braggadocio is also a bit of a turnoff. Hes
Adam Smith Esq. highlighted an excellent article about the difficulties of effectively managing a private practice. David Maisters Are Law Firms Manageable? states that law firms are unlike most businesses in that they cultivate an atmosphere of mistrust, lack a singular ideology, and encourage professional detachment. With big businesses consolidating their use of outside counsel, more and more major clients are demanding that firms adopt a corporate management style. The solution, according to Maister, is for every firm to take a long, hard look at the issues of trust, values, and emotional involvement.
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