Multidisciplinary Practice

How to know when it’s time to send a client packing

Unlike other relationships, a lawyer-client obligation can spawn without the lawyer even consenting to it, writes Marcel Strigberger.

Feb 10, 2021 1:42 PM CST

Lawyer and author shares her holiday wishes for women lawyers

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 400,000 women lawyers in America today, and women comprise more than 36% of practicing lawyers. Women are working at all levels of practice and in every specialty area. They are smart, competent, thorough, dedicated and much more. But that does not mean it is easy for any of them.

Dec 23, 2020 11:17 AM CST

The power of decency in the legal profession

There is a fever in America today. This fever is running at a very high pitch, and it has nothing to do with the pandemic.

Nov 19, 2020 3:32 PM CST

Social justice meets Pro Bono Week: What is your plan?

Thirty-five years ago, I was a know-nothing 25-year-old associate at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, where I still practice, when a senior partner asked me to take a case on behalf of a single parent.

Oct 29, 2020 11:02 AM CDT

Will the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally remake the legal industry?

Many technological changes being adopted now will persist beyond COVID-19, as will the utilization of remote working. Meanwhile, others have suggested the widespread upheaval will provide fuel for state reviews of whether to open up the legal marketplace to alternative business structures and nonlawyer practitioners.

Aug 1, 2020 12:00 AM CDT

Law practice vs. legal academia: Can we build a bicultural world?

The widest gap between the courthouse and the university is a cultural one, says lawyer and law professor Dan Canon. One can speak fluent legalese without knowing how to navigate the world of legal academia. So how do we achieve a better blend of the two?

Apr 29, 2020 8:30 AM CDT

Is my law firm preparing me for success in the next decade?

Every lawyer, from the solo practitioner to lawyers in large international firms, should ask themselves this question, says lawyer Thomas Aertgeerts. For young lawyers and law students, this is even more important.

Apr 16, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

7 ways lawyers can join the fight to curb climate change

There are two paths lawyers can take in response to the crisis. We can mutter, “We’re screwed,” and go back to practicing law and living high-carbon lifestyles. Or we can devote time and resources to help ensure a livable future, says lawyer Matthew Metz.

Feb 27, 2020 10:50 AM CST

How to build new pillars of the law firm

Looking back at the past 50 years, life as a lawyer has been fairly stable and good. The legal profession has served as a foundation for all societies around the world, and legal services are in demand both during recessions and economic booms, which has secured legal professionals some incredible salaries.

Jan 30, 2020 1:48 PM CST

DC Bar considers relaxing its already-lenient rules to allow nonlawyer ownership of law firms

The District of Columbia Bar is considering changes to its ethics rules that could allow external ownership of law firms, as well as businesses in which lawyers and nonlawyers provide both legal and nonlegal services.

Jan 27, 2020 10:40 AM CST

‘Fundamental shift’ is transforming the delivery of legal services, new report concludes

“Revolutionary changes are afoot” in the market for legal services, according to a new report. Clients are actively managing their relationships with outside counsel, nonlaw competitors are gaining ground, and law firms are responding to market changes in innovative ways, the report says. The 2020 Report on the State of…

Jan 6, 2020 2:10 PM CST

Deloitte to offer advice on US employment issues for overseas clients through law firm alliance

Deloitte’s legal division is expanding its legal services for international clients by creating an alliance with a U.S. law firm that will advise on employment issues and workplace management in the United States. The nonexclusive alliance is between Deloitte Legal and Epstein Becker Green, which bills itself as a national…

May 9, 2019 2:44 PM CDT