« February 04, 2007 - February 10, 2007 | Main | February 18, 2007 - February 24, 2007 »
February 17, 2007
Dan Harris: "China: Where Even The Jews Are Fake", and....
I continue to be amazed by how prolific, honest and dead-on Dan Harris is over at China Law Blog (subtitled "China Law for Business")--and by how many comments his posts regularly generate. Genuinely client-centric, Dan has emerged as a major guide in the mine field of China: its business, law, politics and culture. See two recent posts which received a total of 64 comments: "China: Where Even The Jews Are Fake" and "So You Want To Be A China Lawyer?"
Posted by JD Hull at 10:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2007
The Times on Charon QC
The Times, the UK's national newspaper since 1785, has done a succinct and glowing review of British blawger and pundit Charon QC. "Compelling" and "admirable", The Times says.
Well done, Mike. Riojas are on WAC?
Posted by JD Hull at 07:49 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2007
Golden Volver: "Few Firms Get the Point of Differentiation"
For more on law firm differentiation/branding in the post below, see this 2006 post by Michelle Golden at Golden Practices called "Few Firms Get the Point of Differentiation".
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Free Man in Paris
I'll spend seriously frivolous days there next month after stops in London, Kent, Munich and two towns in Austria. After one legitimate meeting at an old dude's club, there is zero for me to do for 3 days except hope my cell phone doesn't ring too much with questions about clean coal technology, the doctrine of repose and the holy surprises of Rules 30 and 45. Here is my 10 point plan for each day in Paris:
1. sleep late on Ile St Louis
2. run on Seine quay
3. drink coffee
4. eat bread/baguettes
5. smoke Marlboro Mediums
6. walk
7. pick up women my age or half my age (you must chose)
8. Hotel de Cluny, my favorite place on globe
9. dinner
10. repeat next day
Re: item 7, don't get the wrong idea, by God. Paris is a kinder, saner place, and has its advantages. Right Bank, Left Bank, train station or the bakery, it's perfectly okay in the City of Light to look admiringly at a woman's form, her legs, gait (that's "git-along", if you're from southern Missouri or Tennessee), sway and the subtle changes in the curve of her back as she moves along the avenues or over the ancient bridges. You can even stalk her a bit. You can do this whether or not she's with her boyfriend (amused and flattered, she will always smile anyway...). And you can do all this without having Anita Hill, Nina Totenberg, National Public Radio and the French version of N.O.W. camped out with a camera crew in front of your hotel the next morning. No PC, no paranoias about being caught red-handed at real life--just playfulness and pure fun.
Posted by JD Hull at 12:42 AM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2007
St Petersburg, Russia: Horse Country
It's Valentine's Day. And one of WAC?'s this year is the Empress of Russia, who ruled for 34 years. See this review in Salon on the new biography book about Russia's German-born empress: Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power, by Virginia Rounding. There is much more to this great woman, Catherine II of Russia (1729–1796), than the palace rumours circulated about her.
Posted by JD Hull at 07:52 AM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2007
Flintshire, North Wales: Sheep Heavan
"It was a frosty morning", and the sheep, they wur' sweet, on the Flintshire 'roods.
From a video report in the "North Wales Living" section of the Evening Leader, Chester edition. Wool hat tip to some Brit maniacs.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Paris weather report
From The Economist, here's "Heating Up", a summary of the assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in Paris on February 2nd.
Posted by JD Hull at 08:59 PM | Comments (0)
Happy Birthday, Ms Bry, Renaissance woman.
Posted by JD Hull at 01:37 AM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2007
Redux: Sensitive Litigation Moment No. 16 : Ask WAC? about...Using The Media.
Trial lawyer Jack Carson (not his real name) from Shaker Heights, Ohio, writes in:
Dear WAC?: I'm 8 years out of school, I just made partner, and I try cases in federal courts. I know my evidence, and juries love me. But I'm new in town--in what you call a LawyerTown, not a ClientTown--and none of the lawyers in town outside of my firm, and none of the the judges, seem to "like" me yet. To the courts, I am "Mr. Carson"--or "what's-his-name"; the town's mainstay lawyers (who have, by the way, raised being obsequious to an art) are addressed as "Larry", "Moe" or "Racehorse". So my clients and I sometimes get shortchanged on the law and procedural matters--"townies" like Larry, Moe and Racehorse can win on some issues just by showing up. The law here seems to mean very little. Before arguments, I feel that my time would be better served picking out the right bow tie that day. What should I do? Respectfully yours, Shaker Jack
So we give Shaker Jack this somewhat cryptic, but useful, client-oriented response:
Dear Jack: LawyerTown Townies and their good 'ole boy cultures are in all but the largest US cities, and they are a big-ass problem. The law and clients become less important, and insecure judges often look to townies for cues. First, lose the bow ties for a few months. Second, stay in federal courts--and demand jury trials in all your actions. Third, just keep the client as the main event, and keep lawyering the right way. Finally, you should make journalists your friends. Start today. Generally speaking, be like Bob Strauss, the non-litigating Washington, DC lawyer legend. Make reporters, broadcasters and writers your friends before you need them. Journalists love to watchdog courts and other lawyers. Use the media sparingly and in the right way. And, hey, journalists are fun. You follow? Sincerely yours, WAC?
Posted by JD Hull at 12:59 AM | Comments (0)