Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Changes in store for the legal profession--your predictions?

We know changes to the legal profession are coming: generated by dissatisfaction with the old practice model of billables and face time--lawyers want more personal time and time to raise families, and a realistic economy--companies have become more conscious of the costs of legal counsel. The topic gets interesting when you think about what form these changes will take: will it be a minor move to more flex-time, or an earth shattering overhaul (see http://taskforceonprofessionalism.blogspot.com/2009/05/id-like-reply-memo-in-size-8-please.html). A recent article in the ABA journal discussed one practitioner's characterization of proposed changes as "insipid" and hindered by pesky ethics rules. Read more at:
http://www.abajournal.com/news/most_law_firm_reform_ideas_are_insipid_and_inadequate_consultant_says/

Friday, August 7, 2009

Grab bag of a post

I won't go as far as to say that I lost all control and discipline (blame summer), but I can't deny a noticeable lag in posts. I hope to rectify that short-lived lapse with this mixed bag of a post and more regular follow-ups.

First, Congratulations Justice (as of tomorrow's swearing in) SOTOMAYOR.

Second, unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of voters in our Red Flags survey did not welcome the government regulation of their firms. For a fuller discussion of the issue follow this link: http://www.nycla.org/siteFiles/Publications/Publications1269_0.pdf

Third, (trend watch) as more and more firms trim or eliminate their summer classes, I am wondering if this represents a seismic change in law firm practice to a more intimate, a pre-1980s, type of firm, or is this a short-lived, belt-tightening regimen just waiting to revert back to the gut-busting excess of 2000 (oh, those lunches of summer '00).

Before you go, vote on the new survey; it's a premonition of sorts.