Generation J.D.

Lately, the list of professional athletes and former athletes that have had legal “problems” has grown longer and more distinguished.

Gilbert Arenas.

Tiger Woods.

Ben Roethlisberger.

And with the recent arrest of Lawrence Taylor, murmurs have grown louder concerning the possibility of stripping “super star” athletes of accolades they earned on the field.  For instance, some commentators have suggested that the Pro Football Hall of Fame ought to consider expelling LT from their hallowed chambers.  My question is… why? Read the rest of this entry »

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Some of you have noticed – many of you probably have not – but I have not submitted a blog in the last few weeks. I wish I had some incredible excuse. You know, maybe something to do with preparing for an argument before the Supreme Court.

My excuse – vacation! A bachelor party to be exact.

You see, this was the first significant period of time that I was going to be out of the office at my new firm, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to handle it. So, I neglected my Generation J.D. responsibilities, and used the time to do my best to prepare. In hindsight, I should have blogged as my preparation was simply an exercise in futility. Read the rest of this entry »

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Practicing law is not easy.

In fact, the inherent challenge of the profession is one of the reasons why I love it so much. That said, I am all ears when it comes to tips on making my life easier at work.

Last week, the Baltimore County Bar Association hosted its 2nd Annual Technology Expo. Twenty-five vendors presented demonstrations and pitches describing how their products or services could improve the productivity and efficiency of a law practice.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Baltimore County Circuit Court Law Library – Working at a small firm, we have limited access to Westlaw and Lexis.  For instance, if I want to search for a source that’s beyond our “Maryland” subscription, the firm has to pay extra.  The Circuit Court Law Library, however, provides unfettered access to these databases at no cost to the user.  So, if you’re looking for that obscure law review article or for that 9th Circuit case, rest assured that you can search for it without cost at the law library.  Additionally, the law library can assist with your trial demonstrations with its Nomad: Court Presentation System.  This device can project DVD/VHS videos, documents, PowerPoint presentations and much more to the target audience in the courtroom.

• Yodle – Unfortunately, as I am not the most technologically advanced person, my description of what Yodle can do for you will not do it justice.  But Chris Longden, the account director at the expo, described Yodle as “online marketing … on steroids!”  In short, the platform can create (or update) your Web site, optimize the content, publicize on the best local directories and monitor the site’s performance with the most popular search engines.  Based on complex algorithms that exceed my ability to comprehend, Yodle works to make your Web site one of the first few options when certain key search words are used in Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.  Such optimization can generate specific leads that may enhance and grow your practice.

• Byte Right Support – Among other things, this technology solutions provider was showcasing software called Worldox GX2.  Described as a document management solution, Worldox centrally manages files by integrating documents in various formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe) into Outlook.  The software saves users time by collecting related documents (read: segregating all documents by case) in a central application.

Overall, the expo was a great opportunity to see what products and services were available to attorneys to eliminate some stress, and to optimize the efficiency of practicing.

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On Sunday March 7, the Young Lawyers Committee of the Baltimore County Association hosted its annual bull roast at the American Legion Post No. 22 in Towson.  Each year, the Young Lawyers Bull Roast is the committee’s largest fundraiser of the year, but this year’s event was particularly special in that it was held in the honor of Michael Radcliffe.

Mike, a longtime member of the Baltimore County Bar Association, was diagnosed with ALS in January 2009.  Shortly thereafter, the Young Lawyers Committee rallied around Mike, and, with his help and the support of the entire Bar Association, began raising money for the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research.  The Packard Center at Johns Hopkins is the only international scientific operation dedicated solely to curing ALS.

The bullroast was the third event that the BCBA and the Young Lawyers Committee participated in to raise money for ALS research.  The BCBA hosted a guest bartender event during a Ravens game last November.  It also assembled a group of runners in May 2009 to participate with Team Radcliffe in the Fiesta 5K, a race organized by the Packard Center to raise awareness and money for ALS research.

The BCBA will again participate and support Team Radcliffe in this year’s Fiesta 5K on May 1.

This year, nearly 300 people, including Mike and a huge group of Radcliffes, attended the event, making it one of the most successful ever.  Those in attendance ate and drank to their hearts’ (and stomachs’) content while raising money for a charity that was very near and dear to BCBA. Judge John J. Nagle III and his band, the Mighty Mighty Barristers (pictured), provided the musical entertainment, and generous donations from a variety of vendors created a highly competitive silent auction.

While the atmosphere in the hall was jovial and lighthearted for most of the day, the severity of the cause was reinforced when a 10-minute video was shown to the group.  Produced by Steve Davis, the emotional vignette documents Mike’s battle against ALS, and attaches a personality to an otherwise anonymous disease.  It reiterated why everyone had gathered to raise money for the Packard Center.

If you are interested in further information about ALS, please visit www.alscenter.org.

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On eBay, a pair of tickets to last night’s basketball game between Duke and Maryland were advertised for sale for $600.

On Craigslist, another pair of tickets to the same game were advertised for sale for $1,000.

Given the magnitude of the game and the enormous demand for tickets, it’s easy to see the value in being able to attend last night’s game.  But, if you’re not a student … and you don’t have season tickets … and you don’t have a few hundred dollars lying around … how could you get into the Comcast Center for the game?

A clever 1L at the University of Baltimore School of Law came up with an ingenious idea – barter! According to the Baltimore Sun and ESPN’s Erin Andrews, the student offered a to-be-determined number of hours of legal services (contingent upon his passing the Maryland Bar Exam, of course) in exchange for a ticket to last night’s game.

In a profession founded on precedent and form books, it’s refreshing to see a young, prospective attorney thinking outside of the box in an effort to achieve a goal. It’s creativity like this that keeps our profession fresh. When traditional methods fail, clients are always looking for alternative ways to get results.  This kind of “thinking” could prove to be quite successful in the future, and may be a distinguishing trait for this individual to potential employers.

In the end, this particular student’s originality paid off – in exchange for $50 and a promise to perform a few hours of work at a future University of Maryland athletic event, he got his ticket … and a deal he’ll probably discuss for years to come.

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When trying your case, what’s better than knowing the law and knowing the facts?

Knowing the judge!

On more than one occasion, I’ve heard this old barrister’s proverb, and all joking aside, being familiar with a judge prior to trying a case before him or her is vital.  However, how can young lawyers get to know a judge before trial? Read the rest of this entry »

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