Women Lawyers--Back on Track

New blog

If you're a foodie, check out my newest blog, The Epicurean Esquire.  Thanks!

Free Screencast- "Web-based Law Practice Management Systems"

For a limited time, the 3rd episode of lawtechTalk, "Web-based law practice management systems" can be viewed for FREE.

This screencast (a recording of computer screen output along with video of me discussing what is seen) will focus on three web-based law practice management systems.  We'll discuss the concepts of SaaS (software as a service) and "cloud computing" and will explore the main features of  each to help you figure out which will best meet your needs.

This screencast is a little under one hour long and is sponsored by the three SaaS (software as a service) companies featured in the screencast: Clio, LawRD, and Rocket Matter and will be available for viewing at no cost until Sunday June 14th.  Simply contact lawtechTalk for information regarding how to access this screencast.

For a limited time, the 3rd episode of lawtechTalk, "Web-based law practice management systems" can be viewed for FREE.

This screencast (a recording of computer screen output along with video of me discussing what is seen) will focus on three web-based law practice management systems.  We'll discuss the concepts of SaaS (software as a service) and "cloud computing" and will explore the main features of  each to help you figure out which will best meet your needs.

This screencast is a little under one hour long and is sponsored by the three SaaS (software as a service) companies featured in the screencast: Clio, LawRD, and Rocket Matter and will be available for viewing at no cost until Sunday June 14th.  Simply contact lawtechTalk for information regarding how to access this screencast.

Who's Joining Me at the "Get A Life" Conference-May 27-28th?

Who's Joining Me at the "Get A Life" Conference-May 27-28th?

UPDATE:  New pricing announced!

• VIP Package: $750 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, Presidents' Dinner, Wrigley Rooftop Cubs Game, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos
• Standard Conference & Wrigley Rooftop Package: $600 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Wrigley Rooftop Cubs Game, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos
• Standard Conference Attendee Package: $500 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos

*****

I just booked my plane tickets to Chicago for the Total Attorneys "Get a Life" conference.

It promises to be a great event, where you'll learn to "Run Your Practice Without Running Yourself into the Ground":

In this two-day workshop, you’ll learn how manage all the moving parts of a successful law practice and still have a life. But there’s one very important thing missing – you! One of the greatest challenges you have is making time for what’s personally important to you – your hobbies, friends and family.

There are great speakers on tap, including Gerry Riskin (@Riskin), Allison Shields (@allisonshields), Kevin O'Keefe (@kevinokeefe ) and Alexis Martin Neely (@alexisneely).

I'm really looking forward to this conference and I hope to see you there!

UPDATE:  New pricing announced!

• VIP Package: $750 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, Presidents' Dinner, Wrigley Rooftop Cubs Game, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos
• Standard Conference & Wrigley Rooftop Package: $600 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Wrigley Rooftop Cubs Game, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos
• Standard Conference Attendee Package: $500 - Includes Get A Life.™ Conference, Cocktail Hour at Millenium Park Grill, FREE 1 Year Membership to Total Practice Management Association, Materials CD, Access to Conference Online Videos

*****

I just booked my plane tickets to Chicago for the Total Attorneys "Get a Life" conference.

It promises to be a great event, where you'll learn to "Run Your Practice Without Running Yourself into the Ground":

In this two-day workshop, you’ll learn how manage all the moving parts of a successful law practice and still have a life. But there’s one very important thing missing – you! One of the greatest challenges you have is making time for what’s personally important to you – your hobbies, friends and family.

There are great speakers on tap, including Gerry Riskin (@Riskin), Allison Shields (@allisonshields), Kevin O'Keefe (@kevinokeefe ) and Alexis Martin Neely (@alexisneely).

I'm really looking forward to this conference and I hope to see you there!

lawtechTalk-The "Consumer Reports" for legal technology

I've started a new legal technology consulting business, lawtechTalk.

lawtechTalk helps you understand valuable Internet and Web 2.0 technologies and how to incorporate them into your law practice to maximize efficiency and save time and money.

lawtechTalk brings the most up-to-date information directly to you through speaking engagements, webinars and personal consultations.  Nicole Black, a practicing attorney and legal technology enthusiast, will be your guide.

Contact information and additional details about the services offered by lawtechTalk can be found here.

The first episode of lawtechTalk is now available. 

This screencast (a recording of computer screen output along with video of me discussing what is seen) will focus on some of the best free or low cost web-based "to-do" list and reminder applications.  We'll explore the main features of some of the most useful and innovative "to-do" applications to help you figure out which will best meet your needs.

You can find more information about this screencast here.

My Newest Blog-Legal Tweets

I've started a new blog called Legal Tweets, which covers legal topics trending on Twitter, the micro-blogging service that many lawyers have joined in recent months.

Check it out and tell all your friends!

I've started a new blog called Legal Tweets, which covers legal topics trending on Twitter, the micro-blogging service that many lawyers have joined in recent months.

Check it out and tell all your friends!

Come Learn With Me at Solo Practice University

 I'm thrilled to announce that I've joined the faculty at Solo Practice University™, a web-based educational community that will help you learn about the one thing that most law schools fail to teach: the "practice of law."

At Solo Practice University™ I'll be teaching a course about web productivity and organization for lawyers.

The marriage of law and technology is a passion of mine and I've been fascinated by technology and computers for as long as I can remember.

My love affair with computers began in the early 1980s with the TRS-80. I learned how to use the BASIC programming language and from that point on I was hooked.

My freshman year in college, I took a computer programming class and for my final project created the game "Mastermind" using the Pascal programming language.I was really proud of that project.

In 1995, the fabulous World Wide Web was revealed to me. Things have never been the same since.

I began blogging in 2005 and currently publish 4 blogs.  I am a social media enthusiast and am addicted to discovering and exploring the latest Web 2.0 web applications. 

I find the intersection of law and technology to be particularly fascinating and am doing all that I can to facilitate the fusion of these two seemingly reluctant soul mates.

Therefore, I look forward to teaching my fellow legal professionals about Web 2.0 technologies and how emerging technologies can simplify the practice of law.

Another reason I'm so excited about my faculty position at Solo Practice University™ is that it perfectly complements a new business venture I'm in the process of launching--lawtechTalk.  lawtechTalk will consist of webinars about the use of emerging Web 2.0 applications in your law practice.

The practice of law and technology are both fascinating fields. I look forward to exploring them with you!

Happy New Year!

See you next year!

In the meantime, from me to you-Happy New Year!

We are women. Hear us blawg!

So, Law.com conducted a cursory review of the legal blogosphere and, in a recent article, concluded that there weren't a lot of women bloggers.

The author named a few well-traveled blawgs authored by men, mostly law profs, and then concluded that there just aren't a lot of us women out there blogging--at least not about important ol' legal stuff.

Hogwash. Women lawyers blog. 

Some of us blog about substantive legal issues (New York Federal Criminal Practice, TalkLeft, Sui Generis, California Estate Planning blog, Massachusetts Estaate Planning and Elder Law, Pennsylvania Fiduciary Litigation, Indiana Law Blog) .

Some of us blog about practice management (My Shingle, Build a Solo Practice, LLC, Legal Ease Blog).

Some of us blog about the practice of law (Legal Mystenigmary, Blond Justice, Deliberations, Civil Negotiation and Mediation).

Some of us blog about women and the law (Power of Attorney: Not Happy Hour At the Bar, Feminist Law Professors, Women in Law Daily). 

Some of us blog about technology and the law (California BioTech Law Blog, Practicing Law in the 21st Century; Connie Crosby & The Law Firm Intranet (not by lawyers, but blawgs nonetheless). 

Some of us blog about our lives, our families, and the world (The Common Scold, Ipse Dixit, Part-time Law Mom, Legal Antics, Merits of the Case, Bag and Baggage).

For a long list of women blawgers, head on over to BlogHer's Law Blog list.  The list above is certainly not all inclusive, so feel free to add your own woman-authored blawg in the comments to this post.

We blog. You're just asking the wrong people about it.

I agree 100% with Scott Greenfield at Simple Justice when he states:

I'm beginning to see part of Holland's problem.  She is stuck in the BigBlawg frame of reference, meaning those handful of blawgs that make it onto the radar of clueless people who know squat about blawging.

That being said, when it comes to substantive legal blogging, the lack of women blawgers is, I believe, explained by the fact that women generally talk less in groups.  Walk into any law school class and you'll find that the male students dominate at least 70% of the discussion on average.

Walk into any elementary school classroom--you'll see the same thing.  Junior High is worse, high school is not much better, although things tend to improve a bit in college.

There's a reason for this--our cultural norms indicate that a desirable trait for women is to be soft spoken and gentle.

By way of example, my 6 year-old daughter came home from school the other day and told me that whenever they learn about a new letter, they watch a short video.  And, all the letters are "boys" except for the vowels--all 5 of them.  And, the kicker--she told me that her teacher said that the "girl" letters are hard to hear, but they're very special because you can't make a word without them. (Sounds kind of like the ol' refrain from most fundamental religions that women play a very important role by "supporting" the men in the background).

So, from a young age, they learn that our culture expects certain things from girls--not the least of which is playing a quietly supportive background role while the boys handle the front end of things.

Sure, as we grow and learn, we make our own decisions about how we choose to carry ourselves in the world, but the lessons learned at a young age are not easily forgotten or ignored.

So, I'm not surprised that some women are hesitant to put themselves "out there" when it comes to substantive blawgs.  They learned a long time ago that that's just not what "good" women do.

But that's ok.  Women blawg on our own terms about subjects that interest us.  We do blog.  We are out there and you can hear our voices, if you just choose to listen.

Person Connie Crosby,

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Are "family friendly" awards meaningless?

So, recently, the Yale Law Women released its list of "Top Ten Family-Friendly Law Firms."  As explained by the Am-Law Daily, the methodology used to determine the "best" firms as as follows:

After sending 100 top firms a 35-question survey, the group weighted and ranked their responses. Firms garnered kudos and special attention for extending parent-leave programs, offering on-site child care, allowing lawyers to work from home, or fostering leadership opportunities for women and minorities.

Shortly after the list was announced, there was a (predictable) slew of press releases from the "winning" firms trumpeting their successful inclusion amongst the ranks of the "family-friendly."

Sounds like a great exercise, doesn't it?  But in fact, it's essentially worthless, as are most lists and awards of this type, regularly created by bar associations and other legal associations across the country.

The fact is, based upon my experience and the experiences of others that I've spoken to, it's like pulling teeth to get most law firms to participate in surveys of this type absent not-so-subtle pressure from the few women that actually have power--ie. appellate court judges and/or the few equity women partners in law firms willing to stick their neck out. 

And, nominations from women working in "family-friendly" firms are even harder to come by.  In general, most women perceive their legal employers to be the antithesis of "family-friendly."

And, the methodology used to determine "family-friendly" is necessarily vague and the results of these lists are accordingly worth no more than the paper that they're written on.

In fact, I've spoken to many women working for firms that have made lists of this type in the past who express their utter amazement that their firm was even in the running, let alone made the list.

As best I can tell, the only benefit that comes of these lists is the PR garnered by the firms that made the cut.  Following a barrage of press releases and award acceptance speeches at various events, they milk the award for all it's for the next year by including it as a flashing badge of honor on their web site. 

As a result, unsuspecting new hires sign up thinking that they've hit the jackpot, when in fact, they've eventually learn that they've discovered hell on earth.

While I don't doubt the genuineness of those who create lists of this type, true change will come not from meaningless awards of this nature, but rather, will come from the exodus of disgusted associates from BigLaw.

Believe me.  It will happen-it's happening already.  And when it does, BigLaw won't know what hit it.

Summer Break

For some reason the post below was never actually published, so you all might be wondering what happened to me!  So, for that reason, I'm publishing it now, in an attempt to explain my absence!

I expect to resume posting again within the next 2 weeks.

******

I've decided to take a break from this blog for the summer, since I have a lot of work-related  pending, including the working on the supplement for my West book.  Rest assured, I'll begin posting anew in September.  I promise!

Have a great summer!