The Marble and the Sculptor provides readers with a clear path from law student to lawyer, with a fundamental understanding of what it expected of him or her as a new attorney: the triumphs and tragedies, the ups and downs, and the wins and losses. It will provide a foundation from which new lawyers can grow and build their own successful careers. In other words, it is THE go-to handbook for all aspiring new lawyers.
Based on the latest research, this entertaining, practical guide offers law students a formula for success in school, on the bar exam, and as a practicing attorney. Mastering the law, either as a law student or in practice, becomes much easier if one has a working knowledge of the brain's basic habits. Before you can learn to think like a lawyer, you have to have some idea about how the brain thinks. The first part of this book translates the technical research, explaining learning strategies that work for the brain in law school specifically, and calling out other tactics that are useless (though often popular lures for the misinformed). This book is unique in explaining the science behind the advice and will save you from pursuing tempting shortcuts that will take you in the wrong direction. The second part explores the brain's decision-making processes and cognitive biases. These biases affect the ability to persuade, a necessary skill of the successful lawyer. The book talks about the art and science of framing, the seductive lure of the confirmation and egocentric biases, and the egocentricity of the availability bias. This book uses easily recognizable examples from both law and life to illustrate the potential of these biases to draw humans to mistaken judgments. Understanding these biases is critical to becoming a successful attorney and gaining proficiency in fashioning arguments that appeal to the sometimes quirky processing of the human brain. This book is part of the Context and Practice Series, edited by Michael Hunter Schwartz, Professor of Law and Dean of the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific. Your Brain and Law School was a finalist in the Best Published Self-Help and Psychology category of the 2015 San Diego Book Awards
For both the law student and young lawyer, this guide provides an introduction to the basics of working in a law firm. It discusses how a lawyer can get around within the firm to succeed in law firm practice.
After years of school and maybe even after some years of practice, you are ready to be the boss. You want to hang out your shingle and open an office of your own. But running a profitable business takes more than just being a great attorney. Start Your Own Law Practice provides you with the knowledge to be both a great lawyer and successful business owner. Whether you are looking to open a sole practitioner's office or wanting to go into partnership with other colleagues, picking the right location, hiring the right support staff and taking care of all the finances are not easy tasks. With help from Start Your Own Law Practice, you can be sure you are making the best decisions for success. Don't let a wrong choice slow down your progress. Find advice on: Creating a Business Plan Managing the Office Raising Capital Billing and Fees Marketing Your Firm Building a Client Base Preventing Malpractice Suits Keeping an Eye on the Goal With checklists, sample letters and law office forms, Start Your Own Law Practice teaches you all the things they didn't in law school and gives you the confidence to go out and do it on your own.
This coursebook addresses key topics in the evolving legal profession and the business of law. The book features chapters on the traditional law firm; the corporate client; the emergence of alternative legal services providers; legal technology; access to justice; employment and diversity in the legal profession; and legal education reform. Students will learn from detailed, insightful interviews of a broad range of legal industry professionals, including the general counsel of an international company; chief litigation officer of a Fortune100 company; director of knowledge management at a Biglaw firm; a legal innovator who founded a pioneering legal process outsourcing company; a legal industry consultant; and a legal tech startup CEO and co-founder. Interactive exercises and questions for reflection and discussion are included throughout the book. Read reviews of this title here.
Lawyers in every phase of their careers have relied on this basic primer for planning and growing a successful practice. This new edition includes 30 additional chapters, updates on new technologies, and proven insights on all aspects of legal practice Major topic areas include getting started, selecting the best location, selecting the best equipment -- everything from stationery and furniture to computers; getting and keeping clients, the dos and don'ts of billing, and the basics of managing the office -- from stocking forms (many templates are included) and bookkeeping to using private investigators.
