Adam Smith Esq. highlighted an excellent article about the difficulties of effectively managing a private practice. David Maister's Are Law Firms Manageable? states that law firms are unlike most businesses in that they cultivate an atmosphere of mistrust, lack a singular ideology, and encourage professional detachment. With big businesses consolidating their use of outside counsel, more and more major clients are demanding that firms adopt a corporate management style. The solution, according to Maister, is for every firm to take a long, hard look at the issues of trust, values, and emotional involvement.
Another post from MyShingle dealt with the sensitive issue of lawyers getting too old to practice law. Not long ago, a debate raged about senior citizens behind the wheel of automobiles. The new concern is attorneys practicing after senility sets in. Even broaching the subject can lead to claims of age discrimination. With the nation's baby boomers reaching retirement age, however, the issue has become a hot topic. Attorneys at the greatest risk are solo or small-firm practitioners. Large law firms usually have retirement plans in place, while smaller firms do not. The majority of state bars don't even have formal policies for dealing with this specific type of impairment.
Addressing one of the week's hottest controversies, dear old Professor Bainbridge discusses the death penalty and Zacarias Moussaoui. Perhaps the issue isn't really all that controversial. A predominance of bloggers seem resolute in their conviction that Moussaoui should get the death penalty. Bainbridge isn't so sure, though he attests that Moussaoui is certifiably evil. His assessment of the matter is enlightening, but short on a definitive opinion. Bainbridge gets medieval on the Judeo-Christian and legal ethics of the death penalty. He wonders if Moussaoui isn't just taking the fall for the hijackers who didn't live to stand trial. Ethics aside, the fact remains that Moussaoui may be more dangerous to the U.S. as a martyr than a prisoner. Moussaoui's braggadocio is also a bit of a turnoff. He's about as subtle as Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon. Come on, Zack. We get it. You're evil. You had us at "Death to the Infidel."
Finally, we would like to wish a happy first anniversary to our friends at f/k/a… Next week, we will be cooking up a fresh batch of law blog gumbo. Until then, happy trials, LawCrossers.
Jeff is a writer from Los Angeles, CA. Currently, he is the moderator of the message boards at Judged.com, the largest insider source of law firm information.
