California Lawyers's topics - tribe.net

Starting up in LA, questions about contract work, telecommuting, covering appearances and appellate work in LA.

zen-ken — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:52:34 GMT

First, a little bio on my legal career:

I graduated Order of the Coif from UC Davis in 1997. Though I was born and raise din teh San Fernando Valley, after law school I moved to Las Vegas to experience something different. I practiced 7 years living in Las Vegas doing business and civil litigation at Lionel Sawyer & Collins and then in a sole practice (broad range of areas, mostly contract disputes and big defense). Then I took a 2 year sabbatical to pursue a writing career. I also decided to move back to the Valley since I had enough of the Las Vegas weather and culture.

For the last 2 years, I've worked on various novels and screenplays, but haven't sold anything. I've also dabbled in bodywork, becoming a certified massage therapist, but did not manage to turn bodywork into a lucrative career either. My 2 years are now up and, as an added wrinkle, I'm going to be a father, which gives me great incentive to return to a place of financial stability, which to me means resuming legal work. I passed the CA bar back in 1999 and activated my license earlier this year, so I'm good to go.

For the 2 weeks, I've been working part-time as a contract lawyer in Van Nuys for a sole practitioner who does mostly criminal and a little civil litigation. I'm also taking steps to open up my own practice near the Van Nuys courthouse (which also happens to be near where I live). My thought is that I can do contract work, including research and writing projects as well as appearances in Van Nuys and, perhaps, other LA courts to bring in income while I develop my own practice. Which brings me to my questions for all of you:

STARTING A LAW FIRM

I found an office space for rent, very close to the courthouse. I guess I'm not sure what order I should do everything. Do I need my business address finalized before I go get my business license? Before I get a trust account? What's a good bank for a trust account? Any recommendations on malpractice carriers? What can I expect to pay for a yellow pages ad? Any other suggested advertising tips? Any list of "common mistakes" new sole practitioners make? How do some lawyers get those ridiculously simple phone numbers like 222-2222? Do you have to bribe some one at the phone company? Anyone willing to generally shoot the brings or give me a run down on issues like these, that would be great.

CONTRACT WORK / TELECOMMUTING

I like the idea of doing contract work to bring in income while I start my own practice. I also think I'd be a very good candidate for telecommuting contract work, where law firms from any location can give me assignments researching various legal areas and writing memos or briefs. My strengths were always issue spotting, legal analysis, and persuasive writing (and oral argument, too, but let's leave that aside). Also, my backgrournd as a general litigator gives me great versitility and an ability to quickly get up to speed on any legal area. Anyway, I have no clue how people get into telecommuting contract work. Do they already have contacts when they start? Are there agencies or are there some proven ways to market yourself? Can you start a website offering telecommuting attorney research and expect to generate business from it?

Any info anyone can give me on telecommuting contract work, I'd really appreciate. Or even contract work in general, as I am rather new to it.

COVERING APPEARANCES

Another question is about covering appearances. I have already done that a half dozen times over the last 2 weeks as a contract attorney, and not just in Van Nuys, but in Lancaster, Compton, Pasadena and Downtown LA. Since I am literally around the corner from the Van Nuys courthouse, I am gonig to start marketing myself to cover court appearances jin Van Nuys as another way of generating some consistent income. I hope to become "the" guy people call (or fax) to cover Van Nuys appearances so I can have a daily stack of matters to take over each morning. Maybe there's too much competition to get that much business, but I see no harm in trying and it would be a nice addition to my new practice.

If anyone has experience at covering appearances as a significant portion of your legal practice, and has any advice on the topic, I'd appreciate hearing it.

Last topic: APPELLATE WORK

For my sole practice, I anticipate that I can't be too choosy about the types of cases I take, and I have a few lawyersI can contact to help walk me through probate, criminal and family matters since my background is mainly civil litigation. However, at the same time, I want to steer my practice as much as possible towards doing appellate work. My past experience as a general litigator has given me a speciality in versitility, so I can quickly become familiar with any type of law that could have been at issue in the underlying trial from product liability to contract disputes to real estate zoning to defamation. I've pretty much seen it all. Plus, again, appellate work seems to consist of those areas of the law that I most enjoy and do best -- case file review, issue spotting, legal research, brief writing and oral advocacy.

If anyone has any advice about how to carve out a niche doing appellate work, or has any other comments on the topic, please share. I have also thought maybe I can offer to do pro bono / public interest appellate work to help get myself established and get more experience with this type of work. I'd love to hear opinions on whether that seems feasible.

CONCLUSION

Well, that's it. if you want to respond via Tribe e-mail, I will see the response sooner but if you post on here, I'll check back periodically. Thanks in advance for reading this far, even if you don't respond.

~Ken~ aka Frinj

p.s. In case anyone is wondering, I do have a legal headhunter looking into what kind of position I might get as an associate in a law firm. It's possible I'll get an offer too good to refuse, but it'd have to be a really good offer because I really like the idea of being my own boss and developing my own practice.

posted in California Lawyers - 2 replies

Curative Discharge

mystica — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:32:02 GMT

What does this mean? Charges are dropped on the basis of seeking treatment?

posted in California Lawyers - 1 reply

We are now public!

tribaljewel — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:08:09 GMT

After having significant tech problems with adding members to this tribe- I am opening it up to the public. Remember keep to the subject matter of law and law practice related discussions. The tribe is for lawyers, paralegals and law students to discuss topical matters relevant to the practice of law.

So have at it.

posted in California Lawyers - 7 replies

California corporation conversion

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:59:11 GMT

A few years back, California amended its corporation code to start allowing domesitc corporations and other entities to convert their form. For example, now a corporation could convert to LLC and vice versa,

The change also expressly allows foreign corporations to convert into California corporations, LLCs, etc.

But I saw nothing in the statute that allows a California corporation to convert into a foreign corporation.

I assume these means it can't be done.

I want to convert a California corp to a Texas corp. Texas law allows the conversion of a foreign corporation into a Texas corp as long as the laws of the state of the foreign corporation allow it. But since the California Corporations Code does not enumerate any such conversion, I don't think I can do it.

Anyone know about these conversions?

posted in California Lawyers - 0 replies

Versuslaw, Lexis, Westlaw

tribaljewel — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 15:00:32 GMT

Which search tool do you like the most? I use Versuslaw and it works but Lexis seemed easier. Maybe I just haven't used Versus enough. Your thoughts.

posted in California Lawyers - 4 replies

Expanding legal video client base

Gothalot — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 14:21:15 GMT

Hi everyone, I am working on expanding my client base. If anyone is in need of any type of legal video, be it depositions, trial presentation, settlement brouchures, day in the life or other legal video services please contact me.

My website is : http://www.socallegalvideo.com

Also if anyone needs technical or informational help regarding this type of service and how it can bennifit your cases Im more than happy to help you out. Burner lawyers get 20% off all services.

Regarding Burning Man, Ill be working at Media Mecca and Managing the Bar at Spikes, so come say hi!

Thanks everyone for your support.

posted in California Lawyers - 0 replies

electronic payment system recommendations?

rajsandhu — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 02:25:07 GMT

I'm currently working at a law firm where I've been assigned the task of shopping for electronic payment systems.

Are there any vendors you would recommend?

posted in California Lawyers - 3 replies

Introductions Everyone

tribaljewel — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 15:22:39 GMT

*Standing up and clinking a fork on a wine glass* Errrm...I realize that I don't know many of you and would like to hear something about you, your practice, etc. Most of you know a little about me from this tribe. I am a solo practitioner, in my past life I was a construction defect defense attorney representing developers. I still occasionally do some contract work representing the trades in defect actions. I enjoyed litigation but my life has changed and I have two small children with whom I would like to spend time while they are still small. In addition, since I met my husband, I have grown interested in intellectual property issues and working with creatives. I am also starting to work with non-profit issues. My goal at this point is to develop my practice so that I can live part time in Norway and part time here. That's it for now...

What about you?

posted in California Lawyers - 7 replies

Greetings

tribaljewel — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 00:09:21 GMT

Sorry, I have been a little busy and haven't introduced myself. I am an attorney specializing in litigation, defense side. My special interests are intellectual property and mediation. My pet project is working with artists. What do all of you do? What would you like to accomplish with this tribe. Any thoughts? I look forward to meeting each of you.

Jules

posted in California Lawyers - 9 replies

Medi-cal and Disability issues- meeting the eligibility threshold

tribaljewel — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:58:41 GMT

Hi folks, does anyone have any experience in this area? I have a pro-bono case with these issues. A good place to start? I have versuslaw and am finding it difficult to use- Lexis is much easier. Any pointers would be great. Feel free to send me a note on Tribe.

posted in California Lawyers - 0 replies

new business

tribaljewel — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:50:52 GMT

I thought I might actually come over here and moderate a little. So, folks, what is new and exciting in your practice? Any interesting new issues? Any questions.

My own practice has been a strange winding road. I originally went to law school with a desire to go into the foreign service. My practice has been primarily insurance defense- construction defect speciality. In solo practice, I work with artists, software developers on soup to nuts- start up to IP issues. I like working with artists and creatives, but I am still yearning for something more. I'll keep you apprised.

A little late, but, Happy New Year!

posted in California Lawyers - 0 replies

A J.D. for me???

flowerdew — Fri, 28 May 2004 18:03:11 GMT

Thanks, Jules, for allowing me in!

Hi...
I've thought about going to law school off and on since I graduated college (6 years ago). Though every time I begin to think that law school might be the way to go, I meet someone who got their JD, practiced law for awhile, then decided that they hated it, and strongly suggest that I NOT go to law school. This has happened about three times! Seriously!

When I read up on the JD, there are all these articles on how the JD can be applied to other careers other than the traditional "join a law firm" route. Though...how useful is a JD if you don't practice?

Anyone, anyone??? THANKS!

posted in California Lawyers - 1 reply