Managing meaningful relationships in an every-expanding world The lawyer picked up the call from a colleague. Near the end of the conversation, the colleague said, “I want to complement you and your team. You’re responsive. In an era where I frequently need to send multiple emails just to nudge someone on the same project it stands out. Keep up the...
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The judiciary’s slings and arrows and how to support our changing bench The lawyer walked into the mediation practice’s gleaming offices. Along the wall were posters highlighting the newest neutrals. They read like the local bench’s who’s who. On the way to a conference room the lawyer checked in with one of the mediators, an old-time former trial judge. “That’s...
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Ways to come together as a community in our hybrid times The lawyer watched the swirl. Lots of people at the gala, celebrating the great outcomes community members had achieved for their clients. It felt foreign to the lawyer in certain ways. It had been years since the lawyer had been to an event like this. Not the lawyer’s cup...
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Successfully navigating the downs in litigation’s ups and downs The lawyer attempted to take it in stride. Rather than heading into final trial prep, the judge had just granted summary judgment on what, to the lawyer, felt like a straightforward case. Even the defense counsel was surprised. The long trip back didn’t help. Compounding the issue was another ruling, a...
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What lawyers should know about generative artificial intelligence (this month) The lawyer noted the date. Recognizing the submission deadline for the column was coming up, the lawyer opened up a browser on the computer. Navigating to an AI prompt, the lawyer asked the AI to produce 800 words on what lawyers should know about generative AI. The AI window paused...
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The lawyer listened. The situation had gone off the wire. Not fatal. Also not good. How had it happened? Ultimately the lawyer owned it. And within leader ownership, it was important to determine what led to the issue. Process failure, delegation failure, communication failure? All of these? None? Time to dig in, grab those involved, and conduct an After-Action Review.
The lawyer reviewed the material from defendants in the federal action. Rule 26 mandatory disclosures were wonderful. They kicked the case off and made federal cases much easier on the discovery front. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if California state court had something similar?
Challenges and techniques for brain injury cases with unhelmeted cyclists The lawyer, reviewing the case facts, considered the issues. The cyclist, an urban commuter, had been taking her regular three-mile route to work, primarily using protected bike lanes. An adult with a job that required a professional appearance, she did not feel it necessary to ruin the work she put...
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Evaluating, pursuing, and mediating personal contribution cases The lawyer thought about the case. Two cyclists struck from behind at 45 miles per hour by a driver with dementia. On a clear day, with a straight road, the meandering driver drifted across the fog line, plowing through the riders. The driver told the investigating officer that the riders spontaneously fell, and...
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We contribute to our historic legal fabric by doing our best in all things The lawyer thought about the place an individual plays, one small mote in this great timeless universe. Document review can do this to a person. How can one’s actions, seemingly small and potentially meaningless in the vastness, have any effect? Whether document review, a privilege log,...
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