« February 17, 2008 - February 23, 2008 | Main | March 02, 2008 - March 08, 2008 »
February 29, 2008
Leap year: one tradition, hurt clients, remedies.
In the English-speaking world, women may propose marriage on this day. One tale is that a 1288 law by girl-Queen Margaret of Scotland required that a penalty be imposed if a man refused the proposal: a kiss, £1 or a silk gown, to soften the blow of the rejection.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Duke: Coach K looks for 800th win.
DURHAM, NC (Duke Chronicle)--Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is already recognized as one of the premier coaches in college basketball. After tomorrow, his status among the all-time elite could be cemented. [more]
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
AP: 1 in 100 Americans is locked up.
Prison or jail. So now it's okay to ask that cute but austere candidate from Choate, Williams and Stanford Law: "So, and we gotta ask this, done any time? Well, let me rephrase that...anything over a year?"
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 02:10 AM | Comments (0)
Never completely drink your own Kool-Aid.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2008
Brussels to Microsoft: $1.3 billion.
From Canada's Law Day: The European Union fines Microsoft for delayed compliance with 2004 antitrust order.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:58 PM | Comments (0)
Americans are fed up with bad service. This is news?
Hardly news to WAC? Lately, our biggest pet peeves are: (a) American retail banking services and (b) Gen-X clerks globally. Banks and younger store help are not just monuments to lameness and mediocrity in commerce--they actually seem to get off on doing bad work. Along with practicing law, we at WAC? live and breathe client service issues. We are the Watchers. And it's a miracle to WAC? that some employees can even feed their families. The problem: business knows what to do, but it can't get people to buy into Client Service. Business Week, in a good feature by Jena McGregor, hypes it as the "Customer Backlash Against Bad Service".
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
Mediating Internationally: Hungary's Eva Horvath
At the International Dispute Negotiation series of The International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), hear the latest IDN interview, No. 15 "Prof. Eva Horvath, of Budapest, Hungary, on ADR in Eastern Europe". Hosted by Michael McIlwrath, Senior Litigation Counsel with General Electric based in Florence, Italy.
Posted by Brooke Powell at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2008
William F. Buckley, Jr. (1925-2008)
No matter where you sit on the political spectrum, only the small-minded and single issue freaks would fail to acknowledge that Bill Buckley was a powerful intellect, one of the most influential writer-thinkers of the last century, and a true Renaissance Man. A class act on a level with Voltaire and Disraeli. Everyone has lost a mega-smart if patrician friend--and one who respected language and loved ideas.
Posted by JD Hull at 11:59 PM | Comments (1)
UK: The Erudite, The Good, The Sultry, The Insane.
We--the habitually insular Yanks--are not alone. Some fancy Brit lawyers with blogs: Charon QC, Justin Patten, dearest Ruthie, and finally IP barrister GeekLawyer, who just caught the attention of Ed. at Blawg Review. And there's lots of notable non-US blogs of all manner on your left if you scroll down a bit--and lots of legal and business talent you can use across all those big ponds, friends.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
Zimmerman: Start up your own muscle boutique.
Got credentials? Then leave Maggie's Farm--and join Big Moxie.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
The politics of being a righteous dude.
Or Guy-ness in America in the 2008 election. Male bonding. John and Obama being guys to have a beer with. Hillary-bashing. And "I'll show you something primary, wench..." From the liberal but way-manly Salon: "The Dude Vote".
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:50 PM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2008
More on good writing--for associates.
In the ABA's Law Practice Magazine, by Marcia Pennington Shannon: Helping Associates Improve Their Writing Skills.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 12:29 AM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2008
"Increase Income By $100k Per Partner In 1 Year"
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)
More high notes and wisdom from Iowa: Blawg Review #148
For the second week in a row, Iowa--a Midwestern U.S. state known for French explorers, the great Sac and Fox tribes, solid people, fine writing and now nimble IP muscle boutiques--claims center stage in the world of legal weblogs. Brett Trout at BlawgIT hosts this week's Blawg Review, No. 148.
Posted by Brooke Powell at 11:00 PM | Comments (0)
U.S. Election: The Return of Ralph Nader.
And bad news for U.S. Democrats--he will siphon off votes from Obama and HRC. See Telegraph.co.uk in London: "Ralph Nader Joins Presidential Race". Also: The Hill. Chicago Sun-Times. Washington Post. More coverage.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 08:39 AM | Comments (0)
Originate!
Whether you're a senior partner in the NYC branch of a 3000+ lawyer firm, or a 27-year-old associate in a 10 lawyer shop in Moline, it's a new world out there. If you want to be a player, not to mention the proud owner of a little job security, you need good clients--which are hard to get and keep. Four months ago, and along with some like-minded friends, Larry Bodine, the highly respected lawyer-consultant, and a pioneer of blogs, started up Originate! - The Attorney Business Development Advisor. The February 2008 issue has loads of great materials and guest articles by some of the leading thinkers on client development out there--and it's practical stuff you can use. See, e.g., Larry's piece "Memo to Senior Partners: Motivate Younger Lawyers for Your Business's Sake" and Amy Spach's article re: an ACC initiative: "They Say They Want a Revolution: Reconnecting Legal Costs to Value Delivered". But you must subscribe, my friends--$35 this month is price of admission. That's a Deal. Thirty-five bucks to turn the key on maybe tens or hundreds of thousands or more in business? Are you nuts? Take it. (WAC? is a subscriber.) And do it before Larry and Co. raise their prices--because they can. If you don't believe us, see the September 2007 Issue--the first one--in its entirety.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)