+1 more shark in the great big sea of humanity.  That is all.

congrats

I find it very hard to pass a bar

JK congrats

Congrats!

That's great!

I was just sitting here thinking 'what this world needs is one more lawyer'.
Just kidding...congratulations.

Congratulations!  

Now come the student loan calls.  

["Donnie" from New Delhi]

Why have you not made a payment?  Has your situation changed since last month?  Would you be willing to post-date a check for a later date when you will have funds available?  Please verify your personal contact information for the second time this week.  This call may be monitored for quality purposes.

[/"Donnie" from New Delhi]

Congrats!

Congrats.  

Three pointers:

1.  In January, mark off your vacations.   Block them out in your Outlook, on your paper calendar, and on your secretary's schedule.  Never let anything intrude upon them.

2.   Check your e-mail twice a day, and then leave it alone.   Same with voice mail.   Do not give your cell phone no. to cliens.   Work on the projects you are working on, and remember that YOU get to manage your time only so long as you do not hand that off to your clients, who will be naturally inclined to treat you as a public utility.

3.   In many states, being the "presenter" of continuing education materials gives double the credits.   It also provides some great automatic rain-making.

Thanks guys.  Uhh, hopefully my pulse slows down pretty soon.  It was really stressful waiting for the results.

Nothing to be proud of





Congrats, bud.

Congratulations!

Good job whoanelly.

Good job! I envy you I still have 2 years left.

Congrats on the accomplishment!

Congratulations!

Be a good lawyer.

Good. Now go tell the Supreme Court we want unrestricted, government subsidized machine guns.

Quoted: +1 more shark in the great big sea of humanity.  That is all.

Congratulations. So did all the money spent over the past three years help prepare you for it?

Quoted: Quoted: +1 more shark in the great big sea of humanity.  That is all. Congratulations. So did all the money spent over the past three years help prepare you for it?

Maybe a little...but law school mainly taught me how to research and write and...here it comes...the oft quoted expression..."think like a lawyer."  Bar/Bri taught me how to pass the bar.  

Quoted: Good. Now go tell the Supreme Court we want unrestricted, government subsidized machine guns.

They've got me on hold right now.  I think I hear laughter in the background...

Another lawyer eh?

We're gonna need more rope!



Congrats!

Congratulations!  (I'm studying for CA right now).

Congrats!

Go out and get drunk.

I did.

So where are you going to be serving drinks? Got any specialties?

Good work, bud!


-James

Quoted: Quoted: Good. Now go tell the Supreme Court we want unrestricted, government subsidized machine guns. They've got me on hold right now.  I think I hear laughter in the background...

Hang up and call back.  I think I got the same operator.

Quoted: So where are you going to be serving drinks? Got any specialties?

In this market I may make more as a bartender!    

Congrats.  Now prepare for the joy of CLE classes ....

So are you going to use your new powers for Good or for Evil?

Quoted: So are you going to use your new powers for Good or for Evil?

Whichever pays the most.    

No really, I'm looking forward to doing some pro-bono work for the 2A and for returning veterans.      

Welcome to the club.  (I guess).  

Gonzo has some great advice.  Also, make sure you get paid UPFRONT for your fees (unless you are doing ambulance chasing per. injury).  If they can't pay $2500 now, how are they going to pay $15,000 later?  And, don't be bashful about withdrawing from a case for non-payment.  I'd rather do nothing than do a bunch of work, and not get paid for it.  

Be NICE to office and court staff.  Not just nice, but make an effort to go out of your way to treat them kindly and with respect.  They likely know more than you do about the nuts and bolts of the legal system.  They are your best assets right now, while you are learning, and will cover your ass if you treat them well.  

Be cordial to other attorneys.  You don't have to kiss their asses, but being a blowhard gets you no where.  Know of which you speak, be condident, but don't overblow your client's position either.  Do your research, and don't make shit up.  If you don't know, say you don't know, but find the answer and go from there.  

DO NOT attack the opposing attorney in your arguments or pleadings.  It is your client's case, not yours or opposing counsel; you are just advocating on your client's behalf. Attack the opposing party's facts, or their legal position.  

Don't let other attorney's who like to attack get to you personally, they are dicks for sure, but, again, you are being paid to do a job for your client, and getting personally "affronted" takes you out of the game, and that's what the other guy wants.  It's a shitty tactic, but it can be effective, if you let it.  

Speak slowly and clearly in court.  Make your briefing short and to the point.  Cover the facts and the law, but don't go off on tangents worthy of only a law review article.  Judge's don't have time, and don't really care about esoteric legal concepts.  They want to make a ruling that follows the law, but is fair under the circumstances.  Give them what they need to do that.  Try to minimize typos.  

Finally, get paid up front.  Say it over and over again.  It is your mantra.  

Quoted: Congrats.   Three pointers: 1.  In January, mark off your vacations.   Block them out in your Outlook, on your paper calendar, and on your secretary's schedule.  Never let anything intrude upon them. 2.   Check your e-mail twice a day, and then leave it alone.   Same with voice mail.   Do not give your cell phone no. to cliens.   Work on the projects you are working on, and remember that YOU get to manage your time only so long as you do not hand that off to your clients, who will be naturally inclined to treat you as a public utility. 3.   In many states, being the "presenter" of continuing education materials gives double the credits.   It also provides some great automatic rain-making.

This all great advice. Unfortunately, I haven't listened much to number one and I have almost two months of accumulated vacation time which won't mean anything in another year.  

ETA: Congrats!  Now it's time to get fall down drunk before work on Monday.  

10-4,

Thanks to everyone for the congrats and advice.  

Quoted: What's a vacation?

I tend to think of the half day CLE's that I attend in another city as my vacation.  Jackson Hole in March is nice.  

And now that you're a lawyer, could you give me some free advice?  

Quoted: Quoted: What's a vacation? I tend to think of the half day CLE's that I attend in another city as my vacation.  Jackson Hole in March is nice.

I always thought that "vacation" was when the judge was yammering.. I have been telling everyone I get 8 months of vacation a year!

WOW, I never knew how many attorneys were on here. Pretty interesting actually!

Well congrats!

I'll drink to that...