World's Greatest Lawyer.

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The Puffery Of Law Practice During a recent visit to a friends law office, I noted something new on his wall.  He had mounted a plaque boasting that he was named one of the top trial attorneys in the state. “It’s a major award!” he exclaimed as he polished his laminated accolade.  "That's odd. " I thought. "The guy never did a trial.  Next, he'll be telling me he was shot down over Iraq with Brian Williams.

The Calling. To Be or Not to Be a Lawyer

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How many times have you heard someone say “Everyone says I should  be a lawyer.”  Or even better, “I hate my job and I love to argue, maybe I should go to law school”  I see the attraction for some people. You get to put on a suit every day and sue people.  As much as I love practicing law, I’m here to tell you that it’s not all wingtips and BMWs. I consider the legal profession a calling much like the priesthood. After all, do we not counsel the down-trodden, swear ourselves to secrecy and even take care of the occasional sin.  

Being a lawyer is not easy.  Depending on your area of practice, it can mean lots of stress. You are basically choosing a profession where your clients are coming to you during the most difficult periods of their lives. You are the one they will lean on when facing the loss of their freedom, the breakup of their marriage,  or a host of other life changing legal issues. There is a reason why they refer to us as counselors. They are counting on our advice and expertise to solve their greatest problems.  

Don’t go into law because you imagine the life you see in television and movies.  

My own law practice includes criminal defense.  A decade into the legal profession, I have yet to dramatically bang a courtroom table demanding the truth.  I have never seen a witness break down on the stand exclaiming Perry Mason style, “it was me! ”  I have never burst into a police interrogation room to berate some hard-nosed detective interviewing my Mafia Don client under hot lights. Wilfred Brimley has never tried to kill me for knowing too much.  

How is Dumping Ice Water on Your Head Supposed to Cure ALS?

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Like most days, I spent my morning perusing cat videos on Facebook when I noticed someone tagged me in a homemade video.  I soon learned I was being challenged to dump a bucket of freezing ice water over my head.  I had twenty four hours to comply.  Was this the wild west?  Like Wyatt Earp, I felt like I was being called out of an old western saloon to face a noon time gun slinging challenge on a dusty road.   If I refused would I be considered yellow bellied?

Metadata and the Legal Profession. How Ignorance Can Lead to Disaster

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Your office always engages in the best practices when it comes to your clients' confidentiality, this goes without saying. You've got the latest anti-virus software installed, a comprehensive firewall and fully secured connections for the web? Of course you have. Standard. Yet here you are suddenly finding yourself and your firm under the microscope on matters of confidentiality and possibly facing misconduct charges simply because one of your administrative staffers emailed a document to a third party that contained sensitive metadata about one of your clients or cases. 

Mr. Baron Goes to Washington

 This past Friday, I was invited to take part in a day of meetings at the White House with various community leaders from across the United States.  As an American citizen, the honor was overwhelming. As a kid, I had visited the White House with my family as a tourist. Never did I imagine I would be invited there "on business." Of course, my family had forged long ties to this nation.  The Barons had come to these shores around the time of the British invasion of New York. It was about time we got invited to the White House.

Rekindling the Romance With Your Smart Phone

Getting the Most Out of Your Smart Phone for Your Law Practice

I recently saw a trailer for the movie "Her". As far as I can tell, actor Joaquin Phonenix plays the part of a lonely mustached man who falls in love with his smart phone's Siri like operating system.  I scoffed at the notion.  First, if you can pull of a Tom Selleck mustache, getting the ladies is not a problem.  Second, I hated my cell phone.  I would never consider dating it.

There is a reason why they are called "cell" phones. Sometimes they make you feel like you're locked up in one. Whether iron bars or signal bars, they can both make you a prisoner. There are days I feel like I am chained to my phone with no hope of escape.  The sound of my ringing phone can cause me to cringe in the same way I would when hearing nails scratching on a school black board.  I began changing my ring tone every time I felt my sanity waning.  Eventually, I ran out of ring tones.

Downton Abbey Taught Me to Be a Better Lawyer

If you asked me what shows I enjoy watching,  I would probably tell you I only watch ESPN and the news. Truth be told, my wife and I have been smitten with the trials and tribulations of the inhabitants of Downton Abbey. The well written period drama is set in the country estate of the fictional Crawley family during Britain's post-Edwardian era. As a fan of history, I enjoy seeing how the day's events and technological advancements played into the daily lives of people. From Spanish influenza and the sinking of the Titanic to World War and the Teapot scandal, viewers watch as history intervenes in the daily lives of the residents of Downton Abbey.