Top 12 Things You Hate Most About Law Firms

So it’s Friday, and high time for a little fun. I’ve concocted a poll that might make you smile, just a bit. Please, jump right in and vote! You can select more than 1 item from the list. Or, add your own pet peeve. (I love those best.)

I’m not THAT Jennifer Alvey, Either

Well, she’s at it again. One of those other Jennifer Alveys. This one was the Indiana state finance director a couple years back, and allegedly had back-door communications with the operators of a proposed gasification plant about a pending contract; not cool under state sunshine laws. Another Jennifer Alvey, a few years back, was convicted

Legal Presents

Everyone, lawyers included, likes presents. Even if you don’t celebrate at this time of year, it’s still nice to fantasize. What would be a great gift for you? I have some suggestions . . . And in the highly unlikely event (snort) that the poll doesn’t work properly, please feel free to vote in the

5 Tips Toward Being a Funtastic Lawyer

Fun is the gateway to creativity, and creativity is what you need to get you moving from your current situation to something better for you. Your inner critic is your main creativity-killer, so shoot it down with some laughter.

Whatya doin?

I know, I’ve been on a real tear lately about fear, positive thinking, toxic friends, depression and other similarly heavy topics. So it’s time to lighten up and have some of that fun I’m always nattering on about. Complete the poll as many times as you like. If I didn’t screw up the poll setup,

Friday Files: No, I’m not that Jennifer Alvey

Yes, I’m back. I didn’t really go away, but let’s just say that the intermission was longer than anticipated. One of my favorite characters lately is Thursday Next, from the Next Octology series by Jasper Fforde. (Several reviewers call the series “Harry Potter for grownups.” Possibly this means I’m not really a grownup, since I

Friday Files: Poor Choice of Words

So I’m at lunch with my two sisters, celebrating the 40th birthday of one of them. Being girls, we of course must all go to the loo together after the meal. Fate smiled on us, giving us three empty stalls and indeed, an entirely vacant loo. So much the better to keep gossiping and catching

Friday Files: Lawyers and Carolyn Hax

Here’s another one of my guilty addictions: Carolyn Hax’s Tell Me About It columns and online chat. I’ve been reading her since her very first column appeared in the Washington Post. Strictly coincidentally, her column started about a year before I left law. I remember reading the column in the firm library on Fridays. Good

Friday Files: Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya

Sometimes, you just feel for people. Even though you know that most BigLaw partners are huge pains in the tookus, when one screws up so majorly and publicly, you feel something. Gratitude, if nothing else, that it wasn’t you who did it. It’s the worst nightmare of every attorney: an email goes astray to a

Friday Files: The Great Font Debate

The thing about so many lawyers is they are very, very knowledgeable about one or two things, but think that means they know everything about everything. Which leads them into trouble when it comes to non-linear things like, say, typography. In reality, I know precious little about typography, but having edited magazines, I’ve picked up