It’s sort of amazing what qualifies you to receive praise in law. I’ve realized it’s more of an individual sport than an actual profession. When you’re a newly installed BigFirm drone, you believe words like “partnership” and “teamwork” mean something. What a fraud that is. It’s never about building camaraderie, it’s about the kill. This…


The Overrated Lifestyle of L.A. Law
Los Angeles is an awful place to be a lawyer. On Friday night, I was hanging out with a friend who works in the entertainment industry—a great guy with more natural good looks and people skills than anyone I’ve ever met. Not slimy politician people skills either. I’m talking legit dynamic social skills with a…

My Dashboard Confessional
Call it karma. I buy a new (slightly used) car and it has a squeak. Nothing major. Just a tiny little squeak coming from behind the dashboard. Just a little peep to remind me that this car is, in fact, not new. New cars do not have squeaks coming from behind the dashboard. True: It…

The Dark Art of the Small-Firm Biggie Smalls
In a small law firm, the art is apparent early on. Can you juggle? Can you tap dance? Are you fearless? Can you riff like Biggie Smalls?

DregLaw and the Infinite Averageness
I exist in the toxic waste of the legal world: cases that are lose-lose, petty, undignified, and just plain bad.

Do-It-Yourself American Law
The average unpaid student clerk at my firm has more experience than a third-year at Gibson making $225K a year. Go figure.

The Legend of Mr. 162
I’ve wanted to be a lawyer for years. Can’t remember when it started, but if you would have given me an aptitude test in grade school, “lawyer” would have come up top 5. I’ve always argued dispassionately and felt more confident arguing a position than talking about what I believe. But perhaps some of my…

Vacations and the Myth of Irreplaceability
Even for a boutique lawyer, there’s no way to ever get 100% away from work. Even if the other lawyers in my firm had the time or inclination to help me out—which they don’t—there’s a lot of “getting up to speed” in a case that is required to make effective arguments. And by “getting up…

Opposite of BIG
The opposite of BigLaw is a good life.