Lawyerly Stuff

I have a theory that a respectable number of people who read my blog work in the legal profession, either as attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries, or similar. Am I correct? If so, what do you do and how do you like your job? If you don’t feel comfortable commenting, please feel free to email me.

I’ve been working around the clock on my practice. My main focus has been finding mcles hours (mandatory continuing legal education), of which I need 25. The reason I haven’t committed to any courses already is because I’m still deciding what to take. I’ve talked to my friends, and everyone has their own opinion.

OPINION 1: Take courses in the area of law in which you hope to practice.

This means I have to decide on a specific area. Simple enough, you would think, but it hasn’t been easy. I initially considered a practice in Intellectual Property law (trademarks, copyrights, licensing, etc.). But, because I’ve been away from the law for a while, I would prefer to work with a mentor. No one I know practices this type of law, so this idea, for now, is on hold.

For obvious reasons, I’ve also been considering Bankruptcy law. {Hello, economy!} This, by the way, was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken in my life. It was impossibly theoretical and abstract, at least as taught by my professor. Canned briefs might have helped me (they’re like cliff notes) but I was stubborn and refused to buy any. I hear the practice is easier than the study, and I do have a friend who will partner up with me in this area and she is actively looking for a mentor for the more difficult cases.

In an ideal, dream world I would be an independent research attorney. Basically, it’s a court position, but in a private practice setting you research various points of law and, if needed, draft the necessary motions, petitions, briefs, etc. I love research. I mean, love it. For me, finding the answer to a question (or issue) is the same rush of adrenalin other people get when shopping or designing or jumping out of an airplane. My friends have been great over the years, and when an issue arises that they don’t feel like tackling, they send it over to me. This, however, is how most firms use paralegals. No one wants to pay an attorney (even at much lower rates) when they can send it to a paralegal, or so I’ve been told.

OPTION 2: Take whatever is cheapest and be done with it.

I have some friends who want me to take a 25 hours mcle bundle for $199 and call it a day. But what on earth do I want with classes on criminal and real estate law? Nothing, that’s what.

CONCLUSION

Here I sit, counting points and mcle hours trying to determine my future. No pressure. No pressure at all.