RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘doesn’

Newsflash: Law Schools Don’t Teach Law Students To Be Lawyers

22 Nov

There was an article published in the New York Times last Sunday, What They Don’t Teach Law Students: Lawyering, and it’s worth reading, even if we knew most of it already. In summary, the legal academy doesn’t teach law students…

 
No Comments

Posted in Law School News & Views

 

THE DONALD TRUMP AND SARAH PALIN PLATFORM!

26 Apr

Donald Trump for President with his running mate Sarah Palin, please go for it.  Or we wouldn’t even mind Palin for president and Trump underneath her, although one thinks that the Donald doesn’t like to be number two.

 But just as McCain showed his statesmanship last time by assuring the election of Obama, it will now be re-assured.  Obama will be re-elected, and the Republican party will once again be dumped.

And so it goes, with continued weird U.S. elections.  Long Live U.S. style democracy!

 

 
No Comments

Posted in COMMENTARY-Passing parade, Palin Trump 'U.S. Election'

 

Confessions of a Lawyer

08 Oct

A lot of people think that law school teaches everything there is to know about being a lawyer. In truth, almost everything practical I learned about being a lawyer, I learned in practice after I graduated. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t knock my law school experience. Law school taught me critical thinking skills that I use on a daily basis. But most of what I learned about the nuts and bolts of practicing law I didn’t get sitting in a class room. Also thought me to have a estate lawyer near me, because there is always some problems with properties.

Law school can’t possibly teach all you need to know. There are so many unique issues in legal practice, so many variations from one jurisdiction to the next, so many local rules, so many differences in the way different court rooms operate. So when a new issue comes my way that I don’t know how to deal with, what do I do? How do I get started?

I research. I read. I ask around. As a lawyer getting started (and even to this day), I spent time in the library (both law library and public library) and online. I always find myself asking fellow lawyers what to do about situations. This is not a bad thing. Any lawyer who doesn’t do these things is committing malpractice.

I find that one of the best ways to familiarize myself with an area of the law is to use quality legal self-help materials. These are practical guides that teach about legal issues. These guides won’t teach you everything. You also have to review relevant statutes, case law, and local rules that apply to your case, but it is certainly a great place to start.

Nolo is a great resource for legal self-help materials that I have used on numerous occasions. Link to them below to see if they have materials for your legal issue.



 
No Comments

Posted in About Lawyers, Legal Research Resources

 

Why it Pays (or at least doesn’t cost as much) to Reach an Agreement to Your Family Law Dispute

01 Oct

Court costs, attorney fees, accounting fees, property evaluations, added stress, emotional difficulty for your children… the list goes on and on. There’s  no question about it, family law disputes (including divorce, child custody, child support, etc.) are expensive and demoralizing. To limit these costs, you will want to reach a settlement as soon as practicable.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do not advocate taking a “raw deal.” You should not just give up all your property, child custody, to your ex for the sake of reaching an easy, cheap resolution. You need to make sure any deal is fair to you. What I am saying is that your goal in any family law dispute should be to reach a settlement that that is fair to all parties (especially children) involved.

I realize a settlement is easier said than done. You may have unrealistic expectations of what the outcome should be. You have an emotional attachment to the situation, and sometimes you just don’t think your ex deserves anything.

You need to prioritize what you want in a settlement, try to view your case from an outsider’s perspective, figure what you are willing to give up, know the law, and know what the court is likely to rule in your case should you fail to reach an agreement. If you hire a lawyer (and it is advisable to do so in contested situations), make sure to hire one with a reputation for achieving fair settlements for his or her clients. Failure to reach an agreement means the court will decide for you. Rulings in family law cases tend to be unpredictable and you will have no say once the court makes its decision. This is tantamount to going to eat at a restaurant and letting your server decide what you want to eat. You might like it, you might not, but it almost certainly won’t be what you would have wanted.

Do you agree or disagree? Have any personal experiences you’d like to share? Your comments are appreciated. Also, please feel free to send a confidential email to FreeForLaw.com from the Contact Us Link above. Your input will influence future discussion topics.

 
No Comments

Posted in Family Law