Professionalism

Recently, New York became the first state to require that law students perform 50 hours of pro bono work before they can be admitted to the bar. Plenty of bloggers have already chimed in on whether this is a good or bad idea. There’s little that ...

Let me guess—you don't have time to think about your reputation in your community, much less devote extra hours to volunteer activities. After all, you're already doing a lot for your community by doing what you do best—providing reliable legal ...

Why do so many law firms protect their jerks — and what can you do when you've had enough of bad behavior?

You might think the gift of the gab is an essential skill for a successful lawyer. And it's true that knowing how to think fast on your feet and verbalize points quickly and understandably can be important qualities. But it can be just as ...

When I began consulting, it was my plan to focus on working with corporations. But one of the first calls I received was from the managing partner of one of the international accounting firms. When I said I wasn’t an accountant, he replied, “You ...

In this excerpt from his book The View from the First Chair, veteran California defense lawyer Martin L. Grayson offers a crash course on the importance of courthouse demeanor, with tips for always (always) presenting your best ...

Sometimes a law firm name tells us a lot. A firm name composed of three guys, some of whom may have passed on, tells us the firm has been around for a while. "The Divorce Clinic" tells us what they do. If you need help with a merger, don’t ...