ABA MRPC Rule 1.4 Communication seems clear on its face. Attorneys are to keep clients reasonably informed about the status of their matters as well as to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information. Attorneys are to also explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit all clients to make informed decisions regarding [...]
I recently asked several of our claims attorneys to identify the top habits they felt new lawyers should develop from day one. With one exception, the list they provided covered the habits I expected they would prioritize. And yet, the more I thought about that one exception, the more I realized how spot on they [...]
In light of my 60th birthday celebration soon becoming a memory, my wife and I have been spending a fair amount of time of late reviewing our investments, finalizing our estate plan, and discussing various options should our life together ever take some unanticipated turns. We’re doing this because we recognize that a job loss, [...]
Sometimes married couples see things differently and the only way to resolve the tension is by finally deciding to agree to disagree. That’s how things played out in our home for a number of years on the issue of passwords. My wife viewed my focus on computer security and passwords as something approaching mild paranoia. [...]
I have yet to read an insurance policy that I would consider a great read. So let’s admit it, insurance policies are rather boring. I suspect few of you have ever really taken the time to read completely through your homeowners or auto policy. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with this as long as your various [...]
Sometimes things change as matters progress, like the legal needs of the client, your ability to continue to provide competent representation, the effectiveness of the attorney-client relationship, or even the ability of your client to pay your fees. And such changes, for some, lead to a recognition that the time to withdraw has arrived. This [...]
Boundaries are important. In sports, they define the area of play. In real estate, they designate what one owns. And in personal relationships, they mark the emotional and physical limits everyone establishes in order to protect themselves from being manipulated, used, or violated by someone else. In short, personal boundaries mark the place where one [...]
A solo attorney recently reached out wanting to know how to select a backup attorney. Having now addressed his concerns, I thought it would be worthwhile to share my answer for the benefit of others who may have similar questions. Here’s what I had to say. I see the process of selecting a backup attorney [...]
As I’m often apt to do, I have a story to share. A solo employment law attorney, let’s call her Betty, has substantial trial experience. In light of this, she is sometimes asked to serve as co-counsel with a personal injury attorney who she views as both a good friend and a competent attorney. This [...]
In my experience, almost all lawyers have redundant calendars in place. Often there’s a primary master calendar and some sort of backup, which could be anything from a digital backup to a secretary’s paper calendar. Some attorneys go even further. For example, in addition to a primary master calendar and some sort of backup, there [...]
