tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post214415506529074019..comments2024-03-28T07:16:35.912-06:00Comments on Outside the Law School Scam: Legal Urban Legend Myth Buster #4Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-81678200347363673282013-05-18T09:34:29.979-06:002013-05-18T09:34:29.979-06:00Here's a clue-
The US has far more lawyers pe...Here's a clue-<br /><br />The US has far more lawyers per capita than any other country:<br /><br />http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_country_in_the_world_has_most_lawyers_per_capita<br /><br />(Data is out-of-date, but current figures would almost certainly be worse)<br /><br />A highly competitive profession has gone from over-supply to <br />hopeless glut for 80-90% of all graduates.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-90124260379719218452013-05-15T08:31:50.661-06:002013-05-15T08:31:50.661-06:00Or the guy can just tell us and save us the troubl...Or the guy can just tell us and save us the trouble of working out a dozen maybes!<br /><br />I'd bet it was one of the NJ senators...both males, both in Congress a while, both a bit dodgy in a dodgy state.<br /><br />-JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-27943038881842918642013-05-14T11:18:27.515-06:002013-05-14T11:18:27.515-06:00That's because all the groups have stated miss...That's because all the groups have stated missions to do stuff without making money. <br /><br />Go to the pool hall, and join a group of beer drinkers and pool hustlers. You'll find work there.JeffMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570176730771111002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-21553957089152505992013-05-14T10:23:15.319-06:002013-05-14T10:23:15.319-06:00"The local Congressman contacted me through a..."The local Congressman contacted me through a liaison. I was told that for every case they referred me, I would have to kick back an envelope with cash to a bagman. I was terrified about this arrangement so I turned it down. The scary thing is that this Congressman now sits in the U.S. Senate. "<br /><br />With all due respect, I find this very hard to believe. Do I think that Congressmen would take kickbacks? Of course, especially by the legal way, lobbying or campaign contributions, but do I think they would seek kickbacks from just anybody, without discernment . . placing their very freedom at risk? Not on your life.<br /><br />Which gets to my point that although I fully agree with many of the myths exposed here, you have to be careful with the anecdotal evidence offered by the comments. Sometimes people are so embittered, they will say anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-35306487481939065832013-05-14T09:41:43.140-06:002013-05-14T09:41:43.140-06:00You can narrow it down to about a dozen possibilit...You can narrow it down to about a dozen possibilities using Wikipedia.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-33834168012034275212013-05-14T08:10:34.755-06:002013-05-14T08:10:34.755-06:00The poster mentioned Interstate 95. That eliminat...The poster mentioned Interstate 95. That eliminates a lot of states. Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhodes Island, Connecticut, New York, on down to Florida. Also said it was a male and that he used to be in the House of Representatives. Make a list of Senators and start eliminating suspects.<br /><br />In the first five states starting in Maine only two of five Senators are men who previously served in the House.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-4731519322117917962013-05-14T07:38:10.209-06:002013-05-14T07:38:10.209-06:00I agree with dupednontraditional. No one follows p...I agree with dupednontraditional. No one follows proper business practices in churches then something always happens then the attorney has to fix it for free. Or the low-wage employees have problems and the minister asks you to fix it for free. Or destitute people show up at the church for hand outs and the minister gives them your number and assures them you can fix it for free. See a pattern? Church communities are so needy that they can actually bring your practice down unless you put up significant barriers. If you do put up the barriers, then you aren't considered really part of the church. No win.R A Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11322841515992550220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-62313674814215279882013-05-14T07:11:05.966-06:002013-05-14T07:11:05.966-06:00Churches are the worst. Few are "well-capita...Churches are the worst. Few are "well-capitalized" by elders/deacons or members who truly give generously out of their abundance and the blessings they have received. Some of the curches who do have cash are publicly generous but privately stingy and make you jump through all sorts of orthodoxy-hoops before they will actually "help" anyone. They try to have it both ways by being non-profits in the eyes of the law, yet somehow living outside the actual world of supply and demand for services where everyone else has to live 24/7.<br /><br />No surprise that they esentially post-facto demanded a guaranteed outcome and 120 hours of free labor from you, over something which you had no ultimate control. Clearly you didn't try hard enough, or pray hard enough, or something.<br /><br />Would they do the same with a plumber or an electrician? Nope. But, you were doing "God's work", you see, and that is payment enough. You should look to Jesus' example of living with next to nothing - prayer and fasting is good for the soul. <br /><br />Now, can we sign you up for a love-offering pledge...?dupednontraditionalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04170022654810216357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-6803606712070220462013-05-14T06:19:53.647-06:002013-05-14T06:19:53.647-06:00Can you tell us the Senator's name, or at leas...Can you tell us the Senator's name, or at least the state?<br /><br />(sorry for the double post).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-88161895062286804752013-05-14T01:26:22.345-06:002013-05-14T01:26:22.345-06:00Cmon, who was the congressman.... at least tell us...Cmon, who was the congressman.... at least tell us the State.... or first letter of a last name!<br /><br />You shoulda recorded the conversation and brought him down!<br /><br />-JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-60723248743750111872013-05-13T23:50:46.418-06:002013-05-13T23:50:46.418-06:00I think you have to pick your spots very carefully...I think you have to pick your spots very carefully. Groups of professionals really aren't the way to go. Everyone in my area has begged me to join the Rotary or Kiwanis. I look at the membership rosters and its 1/3 attorneys. Why would I ever want to join these? No way you get a dime of business for years. Same with other large community groups like churches. <br /><br />I do think it's possible to build a reputation this way, especially if you choose smaller groups and generally enjoy what they do. Business will come as an ancillary result down the line. That's not much comfort for the struggling solo, but it's something.<br /><br />The anecdote about in-fighting and improprieties is dead-on, though. You fish around any small group with money long enough, and you'll find someone doing something "off."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-80397860399464148452013-05-13T21:27:54.465-06:002013-05-13T21:27:54.465-06:00As a young attorney, be very careful about the peo...As a young attorney, be very careful about the people who approach you to join their "community organization." When I first started out, I was approached by churches, local politicians and real estate brokers. The churches asked me to do a pro bono case before they endorsed me to the parishioners. I remember I took an asylum case before the immigration court. At the individual hearing, the client changed his story to an unbelievable tale that the judge stopped the respondent's testimony, yelled at him for insulting the court's intelligence and ordered him removed. The church's deacon said that since I lost that case, he could not in good conscience recommend me to his parish. I spent about 120 hours on that pro bono case. In the end, I got nothing for it.<br /><br />The local Congressman contacted me through a liaison. I was told that for every case they referred me, I would have to kick back an envelope with cash to a bagman. I was terrified about this arrangement so I turned it down. The scary thing is that this Congressman now sits in the U.S. Senate. <br /><br />Lastly, the real estate broker promised me 20-30 closings a month provided I charge only $500 a case and waived attorney review and inspections. Basically, she wanted me to jeopardize my law license and bust my ass for chump change. <br /><br />Oh, and this was 18 years ago. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to break into this business as a solo today, especially with every Tom, Dick and Harry, Esquire with a billboard advertisement on I-95.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-9446152145001463452013-05-13T20:04:07.579-06:002013-05-13T20:04:07.579-06:00Yes, when I first hung my shingle, I met with an i...Yes, when I first hung my shingle, I met with an insurance agent and wrote him a check. He then called me up and said that a local group he belonged to needed an attorney to negotiate a contract with the township for a museum that they were establishing. He assured me that the group had so much money that was not being used they were afraid the IRS was going to come after them. So I worked on negotiating this contract and spent numerous hours on it. I was repeatedly assured by several board members that I would be paid. The insurance agent board member then left abruptly after filing for divorce from his wife (no, he didn't use me for it.) I then sent a very reasonable bill to the group for under $1,000. I went to the next meeting to discuss where the agreement stood. One board member glared at me and said, "No one here is getting paid." And sure enough they would not honor the invoice.<br /><br />I know another young attorney who joined a different group after being recruited by this woman who was the treasurer. He discovered that she was embezzling money because no one was following protocols. So then he spent hours trying to negotiated a return of the money, etc. Then he quit because everyone was fingering pointing.<br /><br />I've regretted every group I've ever joined. Now I stay out of them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-76314962916004350712013-05-13T19:45:56.237-06:002013-05-13T19:45:56.237-06:00I once attended an alumni luncheon for the graduat...I once attended an alumni luncheon for the graduates' association of a maritime school. The lunchtime topic was largely school related, but touched on industry. I went as the invited guest (a friend) of one of the alums; I also happen to be an attorney. Turned out that about 5 alums were present and none were attorneys (though I think one had a brother who was one) --at the same time, 8 other attorneys who had no relation with the school were also present. <br /><br />Bottom line, attorneys outnumbered alums by nearly two to one. This was several years ago, when it was said the legal market was saturated. Today, it's hyper-saturated. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-31859774175712816482013-05-13T19:06:03.117-06:002013-05-13T19:06:03.117-06:00This article is very true. Years ago I used to jo...This article is very true. Years ago I used to join groups of business people related to my practice area. They would not be saturated with lawyers. Fast forward to today. There are several lawyers in these groups and some are leading the groups. There is no place to turn to try to get business that is not saturated with lawyers.<br /><br />Furthermore, associations of business people that realize their members may provide access to legal work often charge a membership fee of several thousand dollars a year for access. Of course, only the biggest law firms can afford this, and only their lawyers end up being invited to network in these useful business groups. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660083024919144793.post-90681131523238916362013-05-13T18:51:27.317-06:002013-05-13T18:51:27.317-06:00Again, spot on: as I young attorney I joined count...Again, spot on: as I young attorney I joined countless civic groups, made presentations at 6:30am breakfast meetings, made presentations before professional groups and it got me $0. Each meeting ended with numerous attendees approaching me and thanking me, and then asking "do you know John Smith? He's my cousin/best friend/fellow church member." Often the people had a whole laundry list of friends/relatives/spouses/children/fellow Rotarians, etc who were attorneys. So there was a good reason nobody ever hired me-everyone knew not one, but several lawyers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com