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The Lawyer Thread Where We Stop Ruining Other Threads (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Henry Ford
- Start date
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Footballguy
Henry Ford
Footballguy
If you're one of the attorneys.
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Henry Ford
Footballguy
You got a new pedometer? How many steps per day?
Otis
Footballguy
Henry Ford
Footballguy
Otis
Footballguy
Decent. Common daily goal is 10k. I bet lots of fat ### lawyers probably never cross 5k.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Henry Ford
Footballguy
I guess I'll never know. Unless... instead of a pedometer, what if I hire a law clerk to walk behind me and count?
Otis
Footballguy
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Otis
Footballguy
Negative. But end up racking up a few miles walking from home to commute train and back, to subways, etc.
Henry Ford
Footballguy
No, I made it about him. Because when he talks about himself he stops getting ####y about everything else. OtisHack®
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If they are straightforward, I wouldn't have a problem pointing them towards Legal Shield.
krista4
Footballguy
T Bell
Footballguy
I think an estate plan for anyone owning something beyond a 1982 Chevy Citation is too important to try to save a few hundred bucks by getting a one-size-fits-all estate plan in a box.
A simple estate plan will cost them a flat fee of $1000 - $1500 with an attorney. Tell them to stop being cheapskates.
Do you really think an independent lawyer who's only going to charge you $1,000 is going to spend more time on a basic will/living will/poa than a lawyer you'd get through Legal Shield?
T Bell
Footballguy
Aerial Assault
Footballguy
Nooooooooo. Get a real lawyer, and not some paralegal either. Well worth the additional costage.
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
Simple estate. . Simple will, living will and POA I charge less than 250. I consider it a service to the community.
Otis
Footballguy
Talk to me about the Financials of a solo practice. What's the cost range for malpractice insurance, understanding that it differs based on practice and location, and what percentage of your billing rate can you typically expect to be your profit/salary?
Just curious to see how this stack up against law firm partner Financials. Seems to me you must hit a cap pretty quickly particularly since you're not likely to be a boatload of hours anyway. The whole purpose of the change in part would be for lifestyle, so you're not going to want to work 80 hours a week, and you likely have to spend plenty of time doing administrative stuff and client development. And you probably can't charge large firm rates. Having zero leverage must really cap things off.
Just curious to see how this stack up against law firm partner Financials. Seems to me you must hit a cap pretty quickly particularly since you're not likely to be a boatload of hours anyway. The whole purpose of the change in part would be for lifestyle, so you're not going to want to work 80 hours a week, and you likely have to spend plenty of time doing administrative stuff and client development. And you probably can't charge large firm rates. Having zero leverage must really cap things off.
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
Living trust funded with bank accounts and real estate? It seemed the way to go for my mom in Cali.
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My initial malpractice was ~$2200. Then I bought a laptop and desktop printer.
Rather than give you dollars, here's what I have to pay monthly:
Rent--mine includes receptionist & use of printer/copier/scanner
Internet
Lexis/Nexis
Telephone - I only have a cell phone
Website
Fax - I use internet fax
Accounting/billing software
Supplies
Marketing/advertising
Then, you have annual fees like bar dues
Last you have variable/case related costs
Postage/messenger
Filing fees
Sheriffs/process servers
Court reporters
Printing
A friend let me office with his firm for free my first four months. I put $5k into my business account the week before I opened and while I had to use some savings to pay personal expenses the first 5-6 months I have never had to dip into personal funds for the business.
SeaDogStat
Footballguy
I disagree... I read everything and am disappointed when there aren't new posts. Not a lawyer, but I find the questions, stories and answers fascinating...
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Otis, with all due respect, as a patent litigator, what really makes you a candidate to hang out a shingle?
Henry Ford
Footballguy
Otis is a patent litigator?
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
For some odd reason I have a bunch of IRS related files on my desk. Ugh.
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
I'm not a huge fan of most trust setups that people are sold once I finally get to what they are looking to do. Now, with that most of the estate planning stuff I do is for very young people or very old people. They either have nothing or the have something but the problem is that they are close to or past the look back provisions of MediCaid (which I specifically don't handle). So most of the time if they really need a trust I give them an attorney in the area who specializes in that.
Zow
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I probably only question your judgment when it comes to women's grooming.I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
JerseyToughGuys
Tough Guy
why solo? Why not a small, closely held firm?Otis said:
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
Malpractice insurance
Rent/mortgage
Does the rent cover utilties and phone/internet
health insurance for you and your family (massive bill)
professional dues
continuing ed costs
staff if they aren't included in the rent
office supplies - paper etc... it can add up especially if you do a lot of briefs and pleadings
business cards / website / advertising
credit card - it's a nesessity if you for example practice bankruptcy
I'm sure there is more.
ETA: Bar functions... those are great
postage.... this could be huge again depending on the practice
cell phone
I'm sure I would think of more again if I keep thinking.....
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Zow
Footballguy
This often doesn't work out well for pro se litigants.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
It's not litigation. It's estate planning. People do it with self-serve legal products every day.This often doesn't work out well for pro se litigants.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
I don't have an opinion, because I have no idea how complex the estate is, but I don't see any reason why estate planning is any more complex than taxes for a large segment of the population. And lots of people do their own taxes.
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Henry Ford
Footballguy
I agree, but lots of people make small mistakes they have to correct on their taxes. The problem here is, there's no chance to correct it after you realize there's been a mistake.It's not litigation. It's estate planning. People do it with self-serve legal products every day.This often doesn't work out well for pro se litigants.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
I don't have an opinion, because I have no idea how complex the estate is, but I don't see any reason why estate planning is any more complex than taxes for a large segment of the population. And lots of people do there own taxes.
T Bell
Footballguy
Taxes go by strict formulas and forms that remove much of the judgment from people, particularly when people are simply W-2.It's not litigation. It's estate planning. People do it with self-serve legal products every day.This often doesn't work out well for pro se litigants.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
I don't have an opinion, because I have no idea how complex the estate is, but I don't see any reason why estate planning is any more complex than taxes for a large segment of the population. And lots of people do there own taxes.
Estate planning isn't that simplified and in fact there are typically a number of different ways to set up estate plans that require you to know the subtleties of probate, tax, Medicare, and other areas of law in order to be able to optimize what you're doing.
Also, it's nice to know that if your estate plan does get royally screwed up, you can at least seek money damages from the attorney's malpractice insurance; you don't have that option with Legal Zoom.
With Legal Shield a lawyer prepares the documents. Well, at least a paralegal with a lawyer giving it a once-over. Which I suspect is what happens with most every lawyer who prepares a basic, no-frills will/poa.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
Zow
Footballguy
Exactly. Akin to using a CPA. Worth it just for the CYA.Taxes go by strict formulas and forms that remove much of the judgment from people, particularly when people are simply W-2.It's not litigation. It's estate planning. People do it with self-serve legal products every day.This often doesn't work out well for pro se litigants.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
I don't have an opinion, because I have no idea how complex the estate is, but I don't see any reason why estate planning is any more complex than taxes for a large segment of the population. And lots of people do there own taxes.
Estate planning isn't that simplified and in fact there are typically a number of different ways to set up estate plans that require you to know the subtleties of probate, tax, Medicare, and other areas of law in order to be able to optimize what you're doing.
Also, it's nice to know that if your estate plan does get royally screwed up, you can at least seek money damages from the attorney's malpractice insurance; you don't have that option with Legal Zoom.
Acronyms!
krista4
Footballguy
Oh. I hadn't really looked into it. Don't know why that wouldn't work, then.With Legal Shield a lawyer prepares the documents. Well, at least a paralegal with a lawyer giving it a once-over. Which I suspect is what happens with most every lawyer who prepares a basic, no-frills will/poa.Christo said:Thanks, I know I sometimes make that hard to do!krista4 said:
I sent my Mom note saying that, while she could probably use Legal Shield, a bunch of people recommended hiring someone, and she seemed relieved at the idea. She's not trying to be cheap but it's more a question of her feeling like she should be able to handle it herself (it runs in the family).
I suggested that she go talk to my cousin, who works at a small-ish firm in her area and might do these things or have someone in the firm who does. She seemed to like that idea. I'll reinforce that Legal Shield might work, too.
DocGonzo
Footballguy
About 8 years ago my dad, a Vietnam combat veteran, filed a claim with the VA seeking benefits for a medical condition that is linked to Agent Orange exposure. They denied his original claim and there were appeals and remands and a lot of "hurry up and wait" for the next 4 or 5 years. A few years ago it was set for appeal to the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in DC. I took his file and went through it and we worked on his appeal together. We put together an argument that I thought was pretty good. The hours I spent learning about this stuff...crazy. But this is my dad, you know, and this was a chance for me to have HIS back for a change.
I wrote the brief for the DC court and we won a remand in which the Court took apart the VA for the way it handled the case to that point. That was about a year and a half ago. The case went back to the VA, who solicited a separate medical opinion from a VA doc who hadn't yet reviewed the case. Fresh eyes, I guess. That doctor gave an opinion and two weeks ago I submitted our brief in response and our final argument. Today, while I played hooky and watched the Tigers get a well-earned Opening Day win, my dad called:
"Hey," he said. "We beat 'em."
Ok, his language might have been a little more colorful.
This one was so personal I can't even...I could quit doing this job tomorrow or I could do it for another 100 years, but I can't imagine ever being happier or more proud of a win. I can't explain what it means to me to come through for somebody who's come through for me so many times.
I don't mean to crow or get into a look-at-me thing. Just wanted to share that because these are the kinds of things that make all of the BS we often encounter in this job so very effing worth it. They can be few and far between, but I'm going to live on this one for a good while. Today was a good day.
I wrote the brief for the DC court and we won a remand in which the Court took apart the VA for the way it handled the case to that point. That was about a year and a half ago. The case went back to the VA, who solicited a separate medical opinion from a VA doc who hadn't yet reviewed the case. Fresh eyes, I guess. That doctor gave an opinion and two weeks ago I submitted our brief in response and our final argument. Today, while I played hooky and watched the Tigers get a well-earned Opening Day win, my dad called:
"Hey," he said. "We beat 'em."
Ok, his language might have been a little more colorful.
This one was so personal I can't even...I could quit doing this job tomorrow or I could do it for another 100 years, but I can't imagine ever being happier or more proud of a win. I can't explain what it means to me to come through for somebody who's come through for me so many times.
I don't mean to crow or get into a look-at-me thing. Just wanted to share that because these are the kinds of things that make all of the BS we often encounter in this job so very effing worth it. They can be few and far between, but I'm going to live on this one for a good while. Today was a good day.
Congrats! I'm working on one of these appeals right now. Hope we can get that kind of result too.
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
Nice doc.
