nursinglawbandit

Multi-State Law Practice: Pros and Cons

Do you practice law in more than one state? Do you find that the benefits of multi-state licensure outweigh the burdens (CE, licensure fees, travel, etc.)? What advice do you have for other attorneys about a multi-state law practice?

I paid $270 to renew my Kentucky license and $110 for Indiana this month. I attend the Kentucky Law Update (two days of CLE) every year to cover my CLE requirements and its free. Don't ask me the CLE requirements for each state.

Its challenging but enjoyable. I practice law in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. I live in Cincinnati and its about the same distance (90 minutes give or take 15 minutes) for me to drive to Columbus (Ohio Board of Nursing), Indianapolis (Indiana Board of Nursing), or Louisville (Kentucky Board of Nursing). The majority of my cases are in Ohio and Kentucky with just a few in Indiana.

Unlike most licensure defense attorneys, I represent only nurses primarily because I have to stay abreast of law, rules, and standards in the three states. Also I want it my way, like at Burger King, so I decided early on that I wanted to work primarily with other nurses. I practice med mal defense in my big firm days and worked primarily with dentists and physicians.

Self-Help Center for Pro Se Filers

See this post about a legal self-help center for pro self filers that was axed.

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202423757677

Do you think the government and/or state bar associations should fund such projects for access to the justice system? Will these types of efforts harm solo practitioners and small firm attorneys?

When I first read the article, I thought wow it seems selfish for attorneys to oppose the self-help center. However as I thought more about it I wondered how I would feel if a state nurses association offered a legal self-help center staffed by attorneys. Surely nurses would contact a legal self-help center affiliated with a state nurses association for assistance and counseling before contacting an attorney like myself.

What do you think about self-help centers staffed by attorneys?

Recognizing the Need for Assistance

This is week 2 of my sister working as my legal assistant and I love it! I finally have someone I trust assisting me with administrative and clerical tasks. This allows me to focus more on practicing law. She is working five days a week and 3-4 hours a day.

It took me a while to recognize that I needed assistance. Its tough to delegate when you are accustomed to doing everything yourself. But I like this!

You Know Its Time to Quit When.....

I really enjoy the Complete Lawyer. As a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Kentucky Bar Association, I receive the online journal as a benefit.

How do you know when its time to quit your current position or transition into another type of practice? See this article http://kentucky.thecompletelawyer.com/volume4/issue4/article.php?ppaid=9787&apage=2.

I can remember some of these myself. I used to cry before I went to work or cry at work after my son called and asked when would I be coming home. He was calling me at work at 8pm. I cried one morning before I dropped him off at summer camp and he asked me will I see you before I go to sleep tonight? I lost it in the car. Now that I think about it, I will have to ask my mother was she prompting my son with some of these comments and remarks....

Present Onto Others as You Would Have Them Present Onto You

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202423103864

I do my fair of presenting and I like this article.

I have found the more comfortable you are with the topic, the better you present.

I present on legal issues in nursing and licensure matters. I also instruct the attendees to jump in with questions whenever because it makes the session more interesting for me and everyone. I don't have a wait until the end of my presentation rule that I see with some presenters.

Are you comfortable with public speaking?

I know you have a website and blog, right?

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202423101062

I use typepad for my blogs and I have my website with networksolutions.

I don't mind paying for professional services. But I refuse to pay someone thousands of dollars to develop and update my website or my blogs when the technology exists to do this yourself. Its not difficult and I like to play with the formats and colors myself.

Declined to Meet with a Prospective Client and His Mother

The more you practice you can pinpoint those cases that you will regret taking or the one's that you say "I knew better." When you are new and growing your practice you take on those cases for the challenge, sometimes and most time for the additional income.

Several years ago I would have taken this case but not now. This is my 11th year of law practice, 7 years as solo and I get a "gut feeling" when there is going to be trouble with a representation.

A mother contacted me about representing her son, who is studying for his RN Boards. The son did not disclose a criminal conviction to the Board as required. I agreed to meet with the mother and son asap. The son is an adult in his early twenties. The mother contacted me several times after I spoke with her initially and several times the next day, just a few hours before the consultation.

When I spoke with the mother, she was agitated and asking me for legal advice about how her son should proceed. I indicated we are meeting soon and we can discuss this. The mother became agitated and informed me "I wasn't answering the question asked."

I informed the mother I was not available for the consultation or representation and that she could have the son contact me and I would refer him to another licensure defense attorney. I abruptly ended the conversation with the mother.

I have this issue now in case where a parent wants to be overly involved in the legal representation and I have to remind the parent that I represent the nurse regardless of who pays for my representation.

I declined to meet with the prospective client and his mother. I can imagine this parent calling me two or four times a week for case updates in an administrative law case and second guessing my legal advice and counseling provided to her child. No sir re bob, not me. Been there, done it and not doing it again. Its not worth it!

As a self-employed nurse attorney and small business owner, of course I could use the money generated from the legal consultation and/or representation. But I decline.....

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.

 

 

Working with a Family Member: For Better or For Worse!

I need some assistance with my law and consulting firm. Not alot of assistance but just a little with clerical and administrative tasks.

My sister is going to assist me on a trial basis starting next week. Its already off to a questionable start because she didn't show up for training on Wednesday afternoon.

I will try her out with small tasks initially:

1. Scheduling Appointments

2. Following-Up with Prospective Clients; and

3. Proofreading Documents.

I have a feeling however that I will be firing her before she starts!  Does anyone care to share any stories?

Smaller Law Firms Folding into Larger Firms: Not this one!

The tight economy impacts law firms and the provision of legal services. See this article at Law.Com http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202422726953.

I don't have any plans to fold or merge into a larger law firm or any other law firm. This is why I have always ran a lean and mean (I am not mean but I like to rhyme) law practice. I use independent contractors for projects and assistance.

When I considered hiring someone a few months ago, I changed my mind. 1. After seeing the quality of a few of the writing samples and 2. After deciding I didn't really want the hassle of training and paying someone on a consistent basis.

I may eventually use the services of a virtual assistant but for now I like using project assistants for tasks. I also like to work on my own schedule and could not take the "face time" needed to work in another law firm. I did it for several years and I didn't like it. I don't like being told what to do. Therefore being a solo practitioner in my own law firm works for me.  

I worked in a law firm where face time was mandatory and meetings were routinely scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays instead of a weekday. I could have wrote a book about "death by meeting" because I lived it and I worked many of "jobs" (yes these were jobs) where I only worked for the paycheck and I dreamed of and planned my escape like a career criminal in a minimum security prison.

I tolled through five years of nursing college for a ASN and BSN, 3 years of law school, and sat for and passed 3 bar exams on the first try. I want to work in an environment where I am happy and satisfied with the quality and quantity of work I perform. I just want to be "me" while I work and make a living.

I had someone ask me recently why don't I represent nurses in criminal matters as its a "natural extension" of my licensure defense practice. Because I don't want to practice criminal law.

Do what makes you happy for a living and eventually you will start to generate enough income to survive and thrive.