Blog post from the Washington New Members Committee
Learn best practices to help your clients — or yourself — this holiday season. In the practice of family law, I sometimes have to remind myself that I am a lawyer, not a therapist. I do not have a counseling degree and I am not a mental health specialist, yet there are many times when there seems […]
Read More…Winter is coming! Here are 3 coats that will fit nicely over a suit jacket. I wear a suit all day, every day. My closet is packed with so many suits that I hardly have room for much else, especially not my collection of unopened Coke Zero cans depicting images from the 2010 Winter Olympics […]
Read More…Should law school be two years? Patient Name: Law School (a.k.a. United States Legal Education) DOB: Circa 1784 Subjective Patient “Law School” arrived at the emergency room complaining of a financially bloated, gangrenous third-year appendage that has grown weak from lack of use and failure to adapt to changing circumstances. President Obama, offspring of and […]
Read More…What tips have you picked up from just observing in court? One lawyer shares what she learned. Recently, I spent two days in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where I observed seven oral arguments. It was interesting to see each counsel’s style and preparation level and the justices’ reactions to their arguments. Here are […]
Read More…A look at what Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure can tell us about modern day legal practice. Measure for Measure is often categorized as one of William Shakespeare’s “problem plays,” thanks to its mixture of comedic and tragic elements and the unsatisfactorily artificial resolution to the conflict presented. Perhaps it is only natural, then, that in reading […]
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“Please raise your right hand to take the oath” is a phrase that has become commonplace in the modern courtroom and is required of all witnesses before they take the stand to offer testimony at trial. However, many attorneys may not be aware of the purpose or history of the practice of “raising your right […]
Read More…Learn more about social purpose corporations, and what some of the first entities to hold this designation are doing. In June 2012, Washington’s Social Purpose statute went into effect. A Social Purpose Corporation (SPC) is organized to benefit one of the following: (1) employees, suppliers, or customers; (2) the local, state, national, or world community; […]
Read More…Helpful advice and resources for handling your first employment discrimination case. In June 2013, the WSBA held a CLE/NLE called “Handling your First Employment Discrimination Case.” Here are three key points I learned at the seminar, which play a huge role in processing employment discrimination cases (#1 and #2 can definitely apply to other areas […]
Read More…“I knew I could ace law school if I just read the law like I read Torah.” My name is Erin Sperger. I am an attorney and I am Torah observant. (If you’re not familiar with what this means, the video below is a good introduction.) This is what I call myself, since people demand labels. […]
Read More…Learn more about ReInvent Law, a series of “free, open conversation-sparking exchanges”. Disruption and change are constants in the legal industry today and many law students, young lawyers, and seasoned partners have been personally affected by the ongoing shifts. The legal industry in Washington has been no exception, but some see these challenges as an opportunity. […]
Read More…Don’t let documents throw your deposition game! Get the practical tips you need to use documents in depositions effectively. Read more from the Demystifying Depositions Series: Admonitions | The Funnel Technique | Obtaining Admission As you are getting more comfortable with the deposition process, one thing that can throw off your game is having to use documents. The mechanics of […]
Read More…Developing a niche practice is a great way to gain clients, reduce competition, and build your reputation. Developing a niche practice — one that focuses on a specific type of law — is a great way to gain clients, reduce competition, and build your reputation as the “go-to” lawyer for a particular practice area. Here […]
Read More…Sitting all day puts you at an increased risk for diabetes, weight gain, and heart attacks. Take a stand, literally. Most attorneys suffer from a life-threatening disease. The ailment may not come from monkeys, birds, pigs, or secret government-run chemical factories, and Dustin Hoffman may not be chasing it across California with Rene Russo. (That’s right, […]
Read More…A look at the new bar exam format and how six bar exam prep companies will prepare students. Disclaimer: The WSBA does not endorse any one bar exam preparation company over another, and this article is not meant to tout the features of one company as being superior. It is simply to give practicing lawyers, […]
Read More…In State v. Smith, the WA Supreme Court offers a ruling, but no clear rule, on warrantless searches. The Lakewood police department had a practice of randomly searching guest registries at hotels to find out if there was a warrant out on any guest. The Washington State Supreme Court, in State v. Jorden, 160 Wn.2d 121 […]
Read More…Attorney Jordan Miller offers 4 tips to help new attorneys fit pro bono work into their careers. As lawyers, we have a professional responsibility to provide free legal services to those unable to pay. But for many of us, our pro bono obligations get lost somewhere among the demands of our everyday practice and our […]
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