Question of the Week

Have Any Stories of Pranks with Legal Consequences?

April Fool’s Day put pranksters in the news this week—and lawyers were in on the action. One blogger spun a yarn about a U.S. Supreme Court fantasy baseball league. Another had to pay for a Washington Post retraction after the newspaper ran a prank obituary ad he later regretted submitting.…

Apr 3, 2008 5:31 PM CDT

With March Madness in Full Swing, What’s Your Favorite Cinderella of the Courts Story?

Villanova, Western Kentucky, Davidson—three Cinderellas are still dancing at the Sweet Sixteen ball—for men’s college basketball, that is. So tell us your favorite Cinderella of the Courts story, when a case with not much chance of success turned into a real winner. And what was the glass slipper that proved…

Mar 27, 2008 2:38 PM CDT

Besides ‘Animal House,’ What Pop Culture References Inspire You?

We learned this week that criminal defense attorney Mickey Sherman, author of the new book How Can You Defend Those People?, finds inspiration from the cult-classic Animal House. Sherman, it seems, learned from those ‘78 Delta House frat boys how to deflect guilt by blaming the system. This made us…

Mar 20, 2008 3:01 PM CDT

Would Your Firm Encourage You to Blog?

We hear constantly that blogging is the communication, marketing and client development tool of the here and now. Several of the featured bloggers at ABA TechShow this week have successful blogs. Yet, not everyone has time to dream up an articulate, regularly updated blog. This made us especially interested in…

Mar 13, 2008 2:33 PM CDT

What’s the Best Hypothetical You’ve Heard or Used?

If you’re arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Steven Breyer clears his throat, be prepared for a “bizarre” and mind-bending hypothetical. That’s because hypotheticals, Breyer says, cut to the heart of what’s bothering him about a case. ”The point is to try to focus on a matter that…

Mar 6, 2008 5:24 PM CST

What Kind of Lawyer Are You ... Mac or PC?

We’ve been carefully following Mac v. PC issues for a long time, but more closely since “MacGate” at law school exam time uncovered headaches for Apple computer users a while back. Then this month’s issue of the ABA Journal came out with a cover story/debate about whether lawyers should stick…

Feb 28, 2008 5:23 PM CST

Have You Ever Had to Deal with a Workplace Bully?

We learned in the ABA Journal’s February story “No Putting Up with Putdowns” that workplace bullies are the targets of an increasing number of state laws and may be more likely to face lawsuits. That made us wonder … What’s your most memorable experience dealing with a workplace bully? And…

Feb 21, 2008 3:55 PM CST

What’s Your Most Memorable Misdirected E-mail, Received or Sent?

Recent news that a misdirected e-mail from Pepper Hamilton may have helped confirm a page one New York Times story on a billion-dollar settlement created quite a buzz in journalism and legal ethics communities. Several commenters at ABAJournal.com debated the decision by the Times to use the information. While others,…

Feb 14, 2008 5:13 PM CST

If You Could Declare a Moratorium on a Work/Life Balance Hog, What Would it Be?

Canadian government ministers may be onto something. Recently, one implemented “BlackBerry blackouts” for his department’s staffers during evenings, weekends and holidays. The idea being to restore the proper work/life balance. “When we can ‘balance’ our work and personal responsibilities, we, as a team, stand to not only serve and perform…

Feb 7, 2008 3:01 PM CST

What’s the Most Entertaining Hollywood-Themed Footnote You’ve Read?

Last week, we learned about a federal judge who dug deep into her popular culture library to cite Woody Allen’s 1977 Annie Hall when granting a BigLaw firm more deposition time. The joke: “Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of ‘em says, ‘Boy, the food…

Jan 31, 2008 4:05 PM CST

Which Songs Would You Choose for a Lawyer’s Playlist?

The ongoing David v. Goliath battle between the students and other file sharers and the Recording Industry Association of America had us wondering what songs lawyers are pulling together for their playlists. This speculation prompted some discussion at the ABA Journal. The results, a proposed lawyer playlist that includes a…

Jan 24, 2008 3:52 PM CST

What Rookie Duty Were You Glad to Shed As You Gained Seniority?

We read in Legal Times recently that when Justice Samuel Alito Jr. joined the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago, the previous junior justice, Stephen Breyer, had a hard time breaking himself of the well-known rookie-justice custom: Answering the door during the court’s private conferences. Breyer told the Journal of…

Jan 17, 2008 3:13 PM CST

What Do You Say to Clients Who Ask Who You’re Going to Vote For?

When it comes to office harmony, religion and politics are considered taboo subjects. But the topics can become unavoidable, especially as the 2008 presidential campaigns shift into gear. One associate told the Marietta Times in Ohio: “We don’t do political arguments with clients, of course, but for sure among each…

Jan 10, 2008 3:55 PM CST

What Have You Resolved to Do in 2008 to Be a Better Lawyer?

Happy New Year! Now that we’re all recovered from late-night parties and have returned home from holiday travels, it’s back to business. But will it be business as usual for you in 2008? What have you resolved to do in the coming year to make yourself a better lawyer? Answer…

Jan 3, 2008 4:14 PM CST

What’s the Best Way You’ve Found to Combat Holiday Blues and Cope with Stress?

While the holidays are supposed to be filled with joy and cheer, we also hear tales of stress, lows and outright depression. Indeed, one of our most-viewed posts recently, “Lawyer Depression Comes Out of the Closet,” came from a Wall Street Journal article about how lawyers suffer greater rates of…

Dec 20, 2007 4:34 PM CST