nursinglawbandit

Ohio Consumer's Practical Guide to Managing a Relationship with a Lawyer

The Ohio Supreme Court is seeking comments on this proposed guide. The comment period ends September 24, 2008.

See

http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/RuleAmendments/Default.aspx

Is Short and Rude the Standard for Attorney to Attorney Interactions?

I spoke with a fellow nurse attorney this week and she was very rude and downright nasty over the phone. I was surprised and I laughed when I hung up the phone because I thought wow, this person has issues. I am never nasty to nurses, attorneys, clients, or anyone in my law practice. Now my personal life is a different story.

I have never met this women and you can best believe I will never recommend or refer anyone or anything her way.

I like what I do for a living and although everyone has a bad day here and there, I just don't feel the need to be nasty, rude, or short with anyone related to my law and consulting practices. What is the point?

I can say in my eleven years of law practice, this is only the second rude nurse attorney I have encountered. Most nurse attorneys I have met are genuinely excited about meeting another nurse attorney and discussing the practice of law with a nursing background.

Is it becoming the "norm" now in law practice to be rude and short with your colleagues?

Are the Services You Provide a Non-essential Purchase in Today's Economy?

http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/18/news/companies/starbucks_closures/index.htm?postversion=2008071814

This article discusses Starbucks and why the company is closing hundreds of locations:

The Seattle-based coffee company has said the cutbacks reflect a difficult economic environment in which rising gas prices and unemployment, as well as falling home values, have consumers cutting back on nonessential purchases like premium coffee.

Think about the services you provide as a small business owner or as an attorney. Are you providing a non-essential service or product?

I am not a Starbucks fan even though I really like the Strawberry Frap. I prefer coffee from White Castle. I used to tease one of my cousin's about drinking Starbuck coffee everyday for the last two years. After she closed on her house and had a baby this year she switched from Strarbucks to Dunkin Donuts coffee. I really like the Strawberry Banana smoothies at Dunkin Donuts.

 

 

Conference for Solo Practitioners and Small Law Firms

The Indiana State Bar Association is having its annual Solo Conference. See http://www.inbar.org/content/pdf/S&SF%20Conf%20Brochure.pdf.

I would like to attend however I won't make it again this year. I tell you one could make it a full-time job just to attend in-person and phone conferences, meetings, and seminars. Its hard to keep up.

I try to attend a few nursing and legal seminars. I am attending the Center for American Nurses LEAD Conference this year and I will earn CE for my RN license renewal. I will attend the Ohio Attorney General's Administrative Law Conference this year, it was held last year in December. I will attend the Kentucky Bar Association Update, that held annually at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. This is usually where I earn my CLE for Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana because its free for KBA members. I reviewed the brochure for the Kentucky Bar Association annual meeting and convention and it actually looks very appealing. Its in Lexington, Kentucky this year. Usually State Bar Association conventions present very general topics of use for only general practitioners. The Ohio State Bar Association Convention brochure and CE sessions offered were dull. Actually I don't think have ever attended a State Bar Association Convention either for Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana. Go figure...

I really want to attend the NCSBN Attorney and Investigator's Conference this month in Georgia. Its a three day conference. See www.ncsbn.org.

I am trying to arrange dog sitting for my babies. I have three poodles and two puppies. Its becoming more difficult to recruit volunteers to pamper my dogs when I travel. My usual recruits: my son, fiance, sisters, cousin, grandparents, and mother are worn out.

TAANA annual meeting and conference is in the fall and I may attend. Its depends on the sessions offered. Flying to Orlando or Miami (I can't remember which city) will be a snap as I can fly out of Indianapolis, Dayton, Columbus, Lexington, or Louisville to the TAANA Annual Meeting on a direct flight. TAANAs meeting last year was in New England.

I didn't attend the Ohio League for Nursing conference this year. I usually attend however I didn't find the topics/sessions to be appealing this year. I must admit that I am scrutinizing conferences more so than I did in the past. I am trying to get the most bang for my buck.  How about you? 

Are You Tracking Your Phone Calls? Ten Minutes or Less

I track all incoming and outgoing calls for my law practice. I have a record of ALL phone inquires since 2004. I keep the two most current Voicemail and Phone Log Book book with me at all times. Each year I start with a new book. I always have the 2008 book with me and when I travel out of Cincinnati, I take the 2008 and 2007 books.

The Ohio Board of Nursing hired additional attorneys to address the backlog of pending cases. An attorney contacted a nurse who indicated she was retaining me to represent her. The attorney contacted me this month. I remember speaking with the nurse and I recalled her name. I assumed I probably had spoke with the nurse a few months ago.

I searched my Phone Log book (flipping through the pages) and I spoke with this nurse in May 2006. I then contacted the nurse.

Do you have a system where you (not your paralegal or secretary) can do the same in less than 10 minutes?

$1,000 and going up...Hourly Rates for Attorneys

I wrote a post earlier today about billable hours. See this article in the American Bar Association Journal Today about attorneys who hourly rates are $1,000.00. http://www.abajournal.com/news/top_lawyers_bill_1000_an_hour/

The billable hour isn't dead for the majority of attorneys, but it is in my law practice. Would the market bear you charging $1,000.00 an hour? Would your law or consulting practice survive or would you be laughed out of the market?