Career Management – NWSidebar

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Being the Lawyer the World Needs: How to Keep Growing Professionally and Up Your Trial Skills

Since becoming a lawyer, have you ever wondered why you chose this career path? Have you ever wondered if you were cut out for the immense pressures that our profession seems to effortlessly lay upon our shoulders? I mean, first comes law school, then comes the LSAT, then comes trying to figure out how to actually practice law (in a baby carriage)! And for those of us trudging through trial practice, the learning, growing, memorizing—all in an effort to really make a difference in this world—never really seem to stop. The most seasoned attorney and the most novel attorney probably have more in common than one might think: respect for the law, respect for the judicial process, and respect for those needing legal help. For an attorney to succeed in their career endeavor, they must be willing to learn from others, adapt, and remember why they chose this profession in the first place.

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Are Bystanders Complicit? The Holocaust as Foundation for Crimes of Omission

If you are a bystander and witness a crime, should it be a legal obligation for you to intervene? Or is moral responsibility enough? I have come to view the bystander, who fails to act, as complicit in harm that befalls the victim. This has compelled me to create a workable legal requirement whereby duty can be imposed on the bystander. Relying on the oft-repeated phrase that “people will do the right thing” is appealing and compelling, but the moral obligation model is, for me, tenuous and soft.

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Top Pandemic Reading Picks for Law Pros

If there’s a shining light from spending a year under lockdown, it does at least provide ample time to read. The following are some of the titles I read during the past year of pandemic life—in no particular order—which members might enjoy.

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Popular Ethics and Other CLEs Still 50% Off

If there had to be a single moment to exemplify how much has changed in the world of law, it would have to be a distraught lawyer affirming to a district court judge “I’m not a cat.” Yes, just when you think you’ve got this virtual hearing thing down, you find yourself the victim of your kid’s Zoom filter, frantically trying to de-kitty your visage before you argue your case.

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5 On-Demand Seminars You Should Check Out During WSBA’s Winter CLE

Starting today the Washington State Bar Association is offering 50% discounts on more than 500, on-demand CLEs to help WSBA members continue to learn and grow in this new world. The discounts will last through Feb. 16. You might want to start with the CLEs listed below, which have been among the most-popular courses on some of the most significant topics legal professionals are facing today.

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7 Virtual Networking Tips for Legal Professionals in the 21st Century

The digital transformation of the legal industry went into overdrive the last few months. With in-person meetings and large gatherings canceled for the foreseeable future, networking virtually has become the norm. While networking virtually has made it easier than ever to reach out to a stranger and connect, virtual interactions can still feel awkward and unnatural.

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On-Demand Office Environments for Legal Business

There are many options when it comes to on-demand office space. You can rent a conference room or a private office to limit access from other people. Or you can with other remote employees. Attorney Yuriy Moshes offers a few things to consider when choosing flexible office space.

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Mandatory Equity and Anti-Bias Training on the Table Again

Six months after an unsuccessful effort to incorporate new mandatory subject areas within the ethics education requirements for Washington legal professionals, the Washington Supreme Court MCLE Board has suggested a similar but more narrowly focused amendment that is so far being viewed more favorably by WSBA members.

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Best WSBA Summer Sale CLEs to Stream During Lockdown

The WSBA Summer Sale is upon us again. This year, to better assist our members with the hardships posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the discount will be increased to 50 percent for on-demand Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses and webinars, the sale will run longer than before, and more CLEs are available at rock-bottom prices. Scroll down to see some of the top streamable content that you can binge watch without the guilt.

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UPDATE: Proposed Ethics CLE Requirements Headed to Supreme Court

A majority of the Supreme Court’s Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board voted to send a recommendation for a suggested amendment to Admission and Practice Rule 11 to the Board of Governors.

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Learning the Business of Being a Lawyer: How I Started My Second-Career Solo Practice

Attorney Eleanor Doermann explains how she used her business experience as a physical therapist to become a private-practice lawyer helping LGBTQ seniors.

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So You Want to be a Legal Translator—5 Skills for Success

I wanted to be a translator; and more specifically, a legal translator. I realized that by offering legal translation services and allowing people to use them, I could both further my own goals and help others.

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Top Recent Developments in Ethics Rules Every Washington Lawyer Should Know

Get the latest updates on ethics amid new challenges to the rule of law. And take advantage of the last chance to save on related on-demand CLEs.

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5 Things IP Practitioners Should Do to Avoid U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Discipline

Whether you have been practicing law for many years or are just starting in the field of IP law, here are five things you can do to reduce the risk that you’ll be on the receiving end of a complaint.

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3 Community Resources Every Elder Law Lawyer and Their Clients Should Know About

When working with clients who have social and economic issues, it’s important to know that you don’t have to navigate solutions alone.

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My Journey from Real Estate Law to Real Estate Sales

In the fall of 2014, as the economy recovered from the recession and the need for distressed property attorneys diminished, I faced a career conundrum: either master a new area of law or pursue a new professional path. As you can tell from the title of this article, I pursued a new path that diverted […]