How many times have you caught yourself staring at your computer screen thinking “I need a break”? Have you just realized that it’s already October and you haven’t taken any time off yet this year? As lawyers, we are constantly hustling to make court deadlines, or trying to fulfill our billable hours requirements, or agonizing […]
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Earlier this year the American Bar Association, in collaboration with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, conducted the first ever national study on lawyer impairment. This landmark study discovered that more than 20% of attorneys have consistent problematic drinking, nearly one-third report some level of depression, and 11% of attorneys have contemplated suicide at some point […]
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We were holed up in our apartment in Ciudad de Mexico as rain turned the streets into navigable waterways. Although the city is nestled in a vast mountain valley, “CDMX” has a great seafood scene and our hearts were set on ceviche. That we were apartment-bound turned out to be no problem. I scrolled through […]
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The bad news is that everyone has implicit biases and most don’t know it. Then what’s the good news? The bad news is that everyone has implicit biases — beliefs that are so ingrained that we don’t even know they’re there. And those implicit biases often find a way out of our mouths or through […]
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It is important that business lawyers know what blockchain is. It has become almost impossible to avoid conversations about blockchain. Most of us are familiar with at least one form of blockchain: digital cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. But this technology has a much wider reach than bitcoin alone. Blockchain is not only a new technology that […]
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Just as I lifted the fork to my open mouth, I heard the words that every attorney dreads most: “Can I get your advice on something?” When it comes to Thanksgiving mac and cheese, my mother is basically Marie Curie. Four cheeses, added at four different times, melted at four different temperatures until the crispy […]
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A WSBA member recently test drove CosmoLex, one of the new discounted practice management software systems available for members of the Bar. I recently opened my solo law practice, and, as many solo attorneys can attest, one of the most challenging tasks I faced was picking a practice management system. Trying to crowdsource a solution […]
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The ABA calls it a crisis of the legal profession. A professor of psychiatry told The New York Times it’s “a conspiracy of silence.” Yet for many attorneys, alcohol and substance abuse are sometimes just part of the job. The American Bar Association (ABA) calls it a crisis of the legal profession. A professor of […]
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The WSBA Practice Management Discount Network has been invaluable to a budget conscious new business owner, and the array of discounts is especially appealing. After working hard to attain my Limited License Legal Technician license, the time came to launch my business. I needed tools and resources and, most importantly, a place to start. The […]
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In order to be competitive, companies are trying to claim ownership of their approach to diversity and inclusion, especially in recruiting. IBM is suing Microsoft for hiring its former chief diversity officer, according to a recent Seattle Times story. It’s a move that has some employment lawyers puzzled; non-compete agreements usually aren’t enforced over positions […]
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This blog post is a reprint of the winning entry in the WSBA Business Law Section’s Green Writing Contest for law school students. This blog post is a reprint of the winning entry in the WSBA Business Law Section’s Green Writing Contest for law school students. The author, Greg Simpson, is in his final year […]
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In law, negotiations between parties can end in a win-win for both sides or they can break down and leave your client further from their objective. It’s a delicate dance that requires a clear understanding or your client’s needs and desires as well as those of the opposing party. Here are seven tips for negotiating […]
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As chair of the Business Law Section’s Communications Committee at the Washington Bar Association, I recently edited the first Business Law newsletter edition focused entirely on issues of sustainability and climate change tailored to the interests of Washington business attorneys.
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Equity, inclusion, and justice within the legal profession are under attack and it’s time to fight back. *Warning: This word — the actual word — is a prominent part of the article below. It has been somewhat sanitized in the title because, I understand, it’s a word that can shock, cause discomfort, and shut down […]
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The Idaho Supreme Court now requires malpractice insurance for lawyers in that state. For Washington lawyers who are also licensed in Idaho, the Idaho Supreme Court recently amended its licensing rule to soon require malpractice insurance for lawyers in private practice.
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Boxes of old, closed-case files in the garage, or incurring monthly storage fees, can be a nightmare for both large firms and the sole practitioner. On the WSBA Ethics Line, it’s not uncommon for us to field questions by attorneys taking over an established practice and inheriting mountains of closed files. What can they do […]
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