nursinglawbandit

Are You a Nurse and considering law school?

See this article. http://www.abajournal.com/news/a_traditional_legal_jobs_dry_up_students_can_mold_unique_careers

25 Value Added Services to Offer Clients

See this article. http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202431410700&_ValueAdded_Free_Services_to_Offer_Your_Clients

Do you think this is applicable to consumer-oriented law firms such as nurse license defense firms?

Pro Bono work and Attorneys: Are You Providing Pro Bono Services to Clients?

See this article.

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202431941833

Kentucky Bar Association Executive Director is Leaving and the President is Facing a Disciplinary Complaint

I received my January 2009 Kentucky Bar Association Bench and Bar magazine which mentioned the limitation (this is first in the history of the KBA) of President Barbara Bonar's power as a president and then mentioned the resignation of the current Executive Director, Jim Deckard who hasn't been in the position very long. The last ED, Bruce Davis served in the position 24 years.

Bar Association ED are usually boomers and lifers, you stay in those position until you die or for twenty to thirty years and when you leave those positions you receive a blurb in the Bar Association magazine, a party with punch, cake and ice cream, a pension, small wood clock or cheap gold plated watch, and a plaque.

I don't follow bar associations as closely as I follow nursing associations, but maybe I should. What's up the Kentucky Bar Association? Things are on and popping it seems as the KBA.

See these links and make sure you read the comments. I thought it was interesting that one commenter mentioned Kentucky being a unitary bar as the problem. One blog speculated that Deckard being a Republican when the majority of Kentucky attorneys are Democrats was the issue:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090206/NEWS01/902060397/1008/ARCHIVES

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090206/NEWS0103/902060411/-1/TODAY

http://bluegrassbulletin.typepad.com/bluegrass_bulletin/2009/02/ky-bar-association-exec-director-leaving-raises-questions.html

I didn't realize so many folks were making six figures in this country

Call me something, but I didn't realize there were so many positions that paid six figures in this country until I started reading the online articles via USA Today, NY Times, and CNN about the people who have lost these positions and who are accepting positions earning alot less.

I guess I didn't realize it because in my two professions, you don't start off or hit six figures without alot of time, education, experience, and developed expertise in general. Now of course, this does not include those law firms in NYC paying 160k to first year associates.

I would dare say from what I am reading, the average attorney in the United States does not make 100k a year.

So let me ask again, what's up with all the six figure positions in this country and why has nursing and law been left behind?

Are You A Specialist?

In Ohio, starting this Spring, you can't call yourself a specialist in a particular area unless you are a certified specialist in a particular area. See http://www.ohiobar.org/pubs/insideosba/?articleid=1373.

Specialization and certification is tricky especially if you are licensed in more than one jurisdiction. I am licensed to practice law in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and only Ohio has a certified specialty in administrative law.

I don't plan to become a certified specialist in any state even if all three states where I practice offer the same specialization.

In my opinion, its not worth the confusion and the disclaimers I will have to make on my business cards, brochures, website, and other marketing materials to say I am certified by one state in a particular area and not in the other states. Specialists are also held to a higher standard of practice and care, not that I am planning to make mistakes....But that's just me.

I don't say I am a specialist now, it sounds funny and its discourged by the State Bars. You also have to be careful calling yourself an expert.

I say my law practice is limited to representing, counseling, and advising nurses or that I am a nursing licensure defense attorney. This accurately sums up and defines my law practice. My marketing and advertising notes I am a RN and that my law practice focuses on nurses.

I have a very distinct niche for my law practice as I focus exclusively on assisting LPNs, RNs, and APRNs (nurses) in professional practice and licensure matters. I have never referred to myself a specialist and I think its vain to refer to yourself as expert.  

Running a Lean and Mean Law Office: Bigger isn't always Better

I never hard the urge to be a managing partner of my own law firm with a few associates working under me and working with other law partners. It could be done with a licensure defense practice in three states.

I worked and clerked in large law firms but at the end of the day, big law didn't fit my personality or my client base. I wanted to work with nurses and these types of cases are not big money by any means. A large law firm represents physicians, hospitals, health systems, dentists, etc. This is where the money is so I was told.

Last year I even pondered hiring a nurse to work for me. To assist me with reviewing cases and contacting clients. I changed my mind because I have alot of ideas and I incorporate these ideas into my law or consulting practice and I don't want anyone taking my ideas or concepts and starting their own business or offering similiar services.

My decision to keep it lean and mean over the years has paid off. I utilize Office Suites Plus for a virtual office and conference room and meeting space. This is also helpful because I meet with clients not only in Cinti, but also Columbus, Louisville, Lexington, and Indianapolis and I use the Office Suites Plus locations in those cities.

I am meeting a client in Canton, Ohio this weekend and I will utilize a conference room at a local hotel for this meeting. I do this when I meet with clients in Ashland, Kentucky and the Bowling Green, Kentucky. You talk about a drive, we lost our cell phone signals driving from Cinti to Bowling Green, Kentucky. But I have Verizon Wireless now, not T-Mobile. That's another post.

I have a home office however I don't meet with clients here at my home although I do have a business and professional association meetings at my home. I have my eyes on a building about a mile from home. I could walk to work. I would like to purchase this building and use it as an office. I need more space and would like to have a law and nursing library for my periodicals. Even with this building, I would keep my contract with Office Suites Plus and my home office.

If business continue to pick up, I can see having a part-time receptionist to answer the phone and assist with appt. scheduling maybe in 2011. I am funny about my mail and checks so I would continue to open all my own mail and deposit my checks.

Educational Hoax vs. Realizing Law School (and the debt you acquired) does not guarantee a "Good Job"

See this article in Forbes on the Great College Hoax.

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0202/060.html?feed=rss_news

http://www.abajournal.com/news/divorcing_law_grads_stressed_over_190k_in_debt_victims_of_education_hoax/

This lawyer couple divorced in part because of the law school and undergraduate loans.

If I had to do it all again, I would have borrowed less for my undergraduate education and law school but I am pleased with the outcome, having a nursing degree and license and a law degree and three law licenses.

Having an education is what you make out of it and you have to work hard to forge ahead. Having an undergraduate degree and a graduate professional school degree is not an automatic and guarantee of success, happiness, or a high paying career.

I wouldn't say I was a victim of an educational hoax. I think college students and those planning to attend graduate school have an obligation to crunch the numbers for themselves and not rely on what the admission department says. Do your own research to determine what is right for you.

Law School Graduate vs. Licensed Attorney

I had client meetings in Indianapolis, Indiana yesterday and my dear sweet grandmother decided to ride with me to go shopping at Nordstrom (we are not blessed with a Nordstrom yet in Cincinnati) and stop at the new LIVE casino outside of Indianapolis.

A discussion of the Bar Exam came up and my grandmother mentioned that she knows several lawyers failed the Bar, one or more times and then decided never again to retake the Bar Exam.

I explained to my grandmother that you are a law school graduate if you graduate from law school but you are not a lawyer until you pass a Bar Exam.

This got me to thinking about individuals I know who never passed the Bar exam or a few who never took the Bar Exam.

Not taking and passing the Bar Exam was never an option for me. I have taken and passed three Bar Exams (on the first try I might add) and I practice law in three states.

What about you? I would think even if you don't decide to practice law, that being a licensed attorney, gives you more employment options, especially in this economy. What do you think?

What is it with Nurses and Doctors and Paralegals and Attorneys?

See this article on the ABA Journal website and review the comments.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/paralegals_outrank_lawyers_on_best_jobs_list

One commenter remarked:

A good paralegal knows her place and will fetch the summer associate’s coffee when called to do so.  In any case, a paralegal is to a nurse, as a lawyer is to a doctor.  Why do a half-assed job in climbing the career ladder when you could achieve so much more by making your way to the top.

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I must admit when I worked in a law firm, you could feel the tension between the attorneys and the paralegals, especially the new attorneys. The paralegals remarked the new associates and attorneys didn't know anything and the paralegals had to train the new lawyers.

Its the same with first year residents in a teaching hospital and the remarks made by seasoned nurses, as to "training" the residents.

I smile whenever I hear a paralegal remark "we can do whatever an attorney can do except appear in court." Really?  

I also smile when I hear nurses remark on how exciting it will be to be a legal nurse consultant or work with or for attorneys because they are tired of working with physicians. As if working with attorneys will be any different.

What is it with nurse and physicians? Paralegal and attorneys? Is it the differences in education, salary, career prestige, scope of practice, and autonomy?