Быть или не Быть..... Лоером

[natalyatx]

Класс . . . расскажите как работается без надсмотра. Не желеете что плюнули на корпоративную Америку? Назад не хочется?

спасибо, работаетса классно,--хотя иногда чуствую себя совсем как новичок--абсолютно новыи профиль працтики (from tax law at my former job to family, civil litigation, and some small business, wills, real estate and immigration here and there)

назад не хочетса совсем и в другие big firms/corporations тоже --хотя периодически звонят headhunters and the salary offers are really tempting but i'm already addicted to being my own boss.

i do miss the steady salary and some corporate perks, but not too much (since the earning per hour and long term earning potential is actually just as good or better than in corporate) plus you get to have a life:) what i do miss is not having to worry about billing/collecting from clients (a lot of people tend to claim poverty when it comes to timely paying attorney bills and i'm a complete sucker about asking for money...i only wish i can be 10% as tough with getting clients to pay me i am arguing on their behalf. ) but i't a learning process

i also miss not having an overhead and all the business expenses to worry about. they can easily add up to $4-$5K /month just to cover the very basics, especially at the beginning, which really really sucks.

overall, it is 100% worth it but it is definetely not for everyone but i'm loving it so far

[DanielMa]

overall, it is 100% worth it but it is definetely not for everyone but i'm loving it so far

How do you do your legal research?

[nazar]

Congratulations, I hope it will work out for you.

I had a similar problem when I started PI in Chicago. The quality of clients, comparing to corporate clients, suck. Only now, I feel more or less OK dealing with them. That's the only dark side of this business that I hate, too.

On the other hand, earning potential is way higher when you work for yourself. Most of the lawyers that I know (in PI) with 5 years of experience bring home about 200,000. Better ones, make considerably more $.

I dont know too much about Texas, but it is easy to start your own business in Chicago. You may make a good living even without your own clients. Most Russian lawyers in Chicago don't know how to litigate. Thus, they refer away every case that they cannot settle. They like to refer those cases to lawyers who speak Russian because client will stop bothering them. In Chicago, only one Russian lawyer does litigation without obvious malpractice. I am not a lawyer yet, but I bring on average 3-5 cases a month to my firm.

If you think about moving from Texas, put Chicago on your map. Don’t forget, Cook County has the best juriors in the country. Most class actions, toxic and mass torts are filed here.

Good luck again. First year is the worst. If you like it now, you will love it later.

[Dashenka]

Назар, вам надо собственный подтопик открыть под называнием "Записки Бывалого".

[nazar]

Не могу, опыта мало.
Я не бывалый, но знаю много таких.

[natalyatx]

Congratulations, I hope it will work out for you.

I had a similar problem when I started PI in Chicago. The quality of clients, comparing to corporate clients, suck. Only now, I feel more or less OK dealing with them. That's the only dark side of this business that I hate, too.

On the other hand, earning potential is way higher when you work for yourself. Most of the lawyers that I know (in PI) with 5 years of experience bring home about 200,000. Better ones, make considerably more $.

I dont know too much about Texas, but it is easy to start your own business in Chicago. You may make a good living even without your own clients. Most Russian lawyers in Chicago don't know how to litigate. Thus, they refer away every case that they cannot settle. They like to refer those cases to lawyers who speak Russian because client will stop bothering them. In Chicago, only one Russian lawyer does litigation without obvious malpractice. I am not a lawyer yet, but I bring on average 3-5 cases a month to my firm.

If you think about moving from Texas, put Chicago on your map. Don’t forget, Cook County has the best juriors in the country. Most class actions, toxic and mass torts are filed here.

Good luck again. First year is the worst. If you like it now, you will love it later.

Dear Nazar,

Unfortunately, in TX you can not longer charge attorney referral fees (TX Bar just issued an ethics opinion on the subject a few months ago) so it's a big no-no and can get you in trouble with the Bar. I know you can still do it in other states and in TX, up until recently this was common practice as well

Overall, I do like my clients and on average they tend to be middle to upper middle class w/at least some college education. It's just that a single mother making $50K a year as a school teacher has a hard time paying e.g. even $3-4K all at once.

For example, a client hires me to represent them in a divorce/child custody matter. I tell them that my rate is $250/hr and I require $2,500 (10hour) retainer but, more often than not, due to their finanacial limitation, I end up agreeing to a reduced rate of $150/hr and reduce the retainer to $1500 up front.

If the divorce ends up being simple/uncontested that works out just fine. However, if it gets nasty, the time I have to spend on it add up very quickly and even though I only end up billing for about half of it (I let a lot of things slide) , anpther $2-3K (not including court and process service fees) runs up very fast (within a month or two.)

I never had anyone complian about the amount or allege that I overbilled them,--in fact so far the clients seem to like me and keep coming back. however, very frequently they apologize and tell me that they cannot pay on the due date and/or can only pay off in small installments, etc. it's better than nothing and would probably not present much of a problem once i get more established. however, since i'm now faced with substantial start-up bills myself (twice in the last few months since my junior partner flaked on me causing me to have to have to pay for things like business stationary, name change and all the other things associated with changing from a partnership to a solo all over again ) and already used up all my savings, i have to worry about collecting enough to pay my own bills on time but it will even out down the line, i hope.

[natalyatx]

overall, it is 100% worth it but it is definetely not for everyone but i'm loving it so far

How do you do your legal research?

that's one of the primary reasons the overhead is so high no more free/unlimited Lexis/Westlaw fo me
depending on the case, i use prodoc (it's more of a document draftinge-filing software), plus have to pay for section membership/updated materials/case digests plus things like TX family, civil, federal codes, etc., plus advanced CLEs plus Lexis and Westlaw on as-needed basis. it's not bad at all once you get used to it but takes a while to figure out the most cost-efficient way to get everything done.

[natalyatx]

oh, and will all the pro-bono cases i took before i realized how busy i'm going to be, i do get free advice/practice tips on pro-bono once in a while from Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program's full-time lawyers (now those guys really do deserve a prize for being overworked and underpaid)

[DanielMa]

that's one of the primary reasons the overhead is so high no more free/unlimited Lexis/Westlaw fo me
depending on the case, i use prodoc (it's more of a document draftinge-filing software), plus have to pay for section membership/updated materials/case digests plus things like TX family, civil, federal codes, etc., plus advanced CLEs plus Lexis and Westlaw on as-needed basis. it's not bad at all once you get used to it but takes a while to figure out the most cost-efficient way to get everything done.

Are there any public law libraries in the area? How much does Lexis cost?

[nazar]

Trydno bilo s Tax na Family law pereiti ?

[madam Liza]

Natalyatx, у меня подруга, на данный момент единственный русскоговоряший адвокат в Луизиане, хочет перейти на immigration law, но столкнулась..хм..как бы с особенностями русских иммигрантов и не только, с их специфическим менталитетом и подобным. She simply doesn't know how to deal with them, since she's never had any experience working with Russians and in immigration. She was wondering if she could ask you a couple of questions, esp. those about client payments or rather non-payments I think there's some kind of mentality and cultural background involved here. May be you can share some experiences and thoughts about it?
Если у кого-то ещё есть какие либо идеи, опыт и прочее по поводу общения с иностраными клиентами, опишите тут пожалуйста..

[natalyatx]

Madam Lisa,

No problem, I'm actually facing some of the same issues myself. Tell your friend to call or e-mail me anytime. To make her feel better, let her know that only 5-10% of my clients are Russian (by, Russian, mean anyone from ex-ussr/russian-speaking:) and, on average, they are probably no worse that anyone else:) ..well, to be entirely honest, there are some unique problems (or, to be politically correct, cultural differences/special needs) especially with the some of the older ones

[natalyatx]

that's one of the primary reasons the overhead is so high no more free/unlimited Lexis/Westlaw fo me
depending on the case, i use prodoc (it's more of a document draftinge-filing software), plus have to pay for section membership/updated materials/case digests plus things like TX family, civil, federal codes, etc., plus advanced CLEs plus Lexis and Westlaw on as-needed basis. it's not bad at all once you get used to it but takes a while to figure out the most cost-efficient way to get everything done.

Are there any public law libraries in the area? How much does Lexis cost?

yeah, University of Houston has a library (but their Lexis/westlasw computer labs are limited to students.) As fas a printed materials go, you either accoumulate thing yourself or try findlaw, etc,

Lexis costs are appropriately ambiguous (as it everything in our professoin) for something like $800/year, you ger AILA link for immigraton stuff. But for proper lexis whether one would need to write an appealate brief on any legal issues, the costs is probably $100 or less for 3 day's unlimited access.

[natalyatx]

Наталятх, у меня подруга, на данный момент единственный русскоговоряший адвокат в Луизиане, хочет перейти на иммигратион лаш, но столкнулась..хм..как бы с особенностями русских иммигрантов и не только, с их специфическим менталитетом и подобным. Ше симплы доесньт кнош хош то деал шитх тхем, синце шэс невер хад аны ехпериенце шоркинг шитх Руссианс анд ин иммигратион. Ше шас шондеринг иф ше цоулд аск ёу а цоупле оф ъуестионс, есп. тхосе абоут цлиент паыментс ор ратхер нон-паыментс И тхинк тхерэс соме кинд оф менталиты анд цултурал бацкгроунд инволвед хере. Маы бе ёу цан шаре соме ехпериенцес анд тхоугхтс абоут ит? опс:
Если у кого-то ещё есть какие либо идеи, опыт и прочее по поводу общения с иностраными клиентами, опишите тут пожалуйста.. :Д

Но опыт с Мехксцанскими нелегальными цлеинтами которые хотят получит; официальнуы право а своих доче, внучке. внукуа все ети вопросы нужно разрешить то того как WASP сторона отца ребёнка наеззает с ин порблрмами ( просто focus chato na tom что в лучих интересал детеи

[natalyatx]

Trydno bilo s Tax na Family law pereiti ?

nahh, posle nalogov vse kazhetsa neslozhnym i interesnym

[natalyatx]

Natalyatx, у меня подруга, на данный момент единственный русскоговоряший адвокат в Луизиане, хочет перейти на immigration law, но столкнулась..хм..как бы с особенностями русских иммигрантов и не только, с их специфическим менталитетом и подобным. She simply doesn't know how to deal with them, since she's never had any experience working with Russians and in immigration. She was wondering if she could ask you a couple of questions, esp. those about client payments or rather non-payments I think there's some kind of mentality and cultural background involved here. May be you can share some experiences and thoughts about it?
Если у кого-то ещё есть какие либо идеи, опыт и прочее по поводу общения с иностраными клиентами, опишите тут пожалуйста..

Oh, also on Immigration/Russian immgration issues, i have a part time senior paralegal/director of immigration. she is, unfortunately, based i NYC but comesdown to Houstom a lot and can work everything long distance, She is a good persona; friend of mine and, if the immigation side of the business picks up , life will be great.

In family family practice, if the cases get overwhelmimg anf I'll be forced to get some part time paralegal help, it would be my version of paradize...someone esle to know what's going on with cases and be able to communicate with clients when you are not there, someone who'd able to take over a discovery request and work directly with client to get it done. Oh, and if the remember to send out my monthly bills and learn tp draft some basec legal papersa using Pordoc or other tools.

Fot a job like that, a brights-eyed or 3L or even a papalegal student would be perfect...o.k. NATALYA, spot delusional fantasies , check our e-mail and do to sleep

[nazar]

Ya kogdato rabotal na neploxoi immigraciannoy firme "Davidson & Schiller." 2 partnera - "Syper lawyera" plus parochka assoc. At that time, their payment policy was very simple - "no money, no honey."

Xa-Xa-Xa Ya kak raz tak v litigation i popal. Vzyali menya na raboty - paralegal for a start-up one-man firm. It was fun woking with minimum furniture and close to 0 (zero) salary. On the other hand, I learned with that guy more than on my next job. I did all discovery, client follow-up interviews, filed all sorts of things, wrote resp. to tons of motions. That's where I found out what's a lien letter, and how to serve a defendant. Unfortunately, nobody teaches it in lawschool.

You may try posting an AD in your local lawschool. It's usually free. Then, your Lexis and Westlaw problem will be over. Students usually care more about experience than money.

[natalyatx]

Nazar, thanks. If all goes well, I was thiking od doing just that--geting a 2L or3L do my grunt work and learn from experience. The cool thing is that my new office is not big but it comes with a large legal assistant area/cubicle outside plus the building the 3 large shared conference rooms and a shared receptionist (all for $700/mo). So when I can afford to get some help, I won't have to lease a whole other office, which is cool.

Right now, I'm working on my stupid website --internet advertising has been a huge source of clients but is also very expensive so i'm trying to fool the search engines into bringing my firm's name up on top without be having to pay to come up as one of the sponsored sites. it may work w/yahoo, but probably not with google, we'll see...

man, so many things to learn, so little time

[madam Liza]

policy was very simple - "no money, no honey."

.

It's a great policy unfortunately, not everyone is able to stick to it, esp. in the begining of one's career, when one needs people coming and needs to set up clientele. When I worked at a law office, they had problems with payments even though it was an established business. They'd get the retainer money, but whatever's beyond that is very difficult to get later.

[madam Liza]

Madam Lisa,

No problem, I'm actually facing some of the same issues myself. Tell your friend to call or e-mail me anytime.

Thank you so much. I am very proud of her, she passed the Bar not long ago. She is the one I mentioned here before, a mother of three and a lawyer.

[DanielMa]

Урааааааааааааа! Я закончил!!! Последний экзамен позади! Больше никогда в жизни не буду сдавать эти ненавистные мне law school экзамены!!!

[Komissar]

Поздравляю!

Когда бар?

[DanielMa]

Когда бар?

Сегодня вечером! И не один!

[NEVA]

Урааааааааааааа! Я закончил!!! Последний экзамен позади! Больше никогда в жизни не буду сдавать эти ненавистные мне law school экзамены!!!

Поздравляю! Куда (в какой город) подаетесь после Bar?

[madam Liza]

Урааааааааааааа! Я закончил!!! Последний экзамен позади! Больше никогда в жизни не буду сдавать эти ненавистные мне law school экзамены!!!

Congratulations !!!