Comments for Philly Law Blog

Comment on The Post in Which I Attempt to Answer: Where am I Supposed to Park my Scooter? by Annette Saggiomo

Annette Saggiomo — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:21:24 +0000

No way. When I have had my hearings for various tickets over the years, that’s where I was told it was actually okay to park my scooter – in the street! Just goes to show how inconsistent the parking enforcement is. Good luck with your hearing – as I see it they don’t have cause to uphold the ticket, but as we all know, all logic is suspended once you enter that building.

Comment on The Post in Which I Attempt to Answer: Where am I Supposed to Park my Scooter? by Josh

Josh — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:13:14 +0000

We got a ticket for parking our scooter on Delancey street at 18th street. There are no meters or kiosks. It is free, 2-hour parking. Our ticket says in the comments section “motor-scooters prohibited”. We are supposed to be allowed to park anywhere cars are allowed to park. We were not on the sidewalk. In addition, we were outside of the motor-cycle parking zone as defined by the PPA website. Regardless, that zone defines where you can’t park on the sidewalk, not where you can’t park on the street! I have a hearing this Monday and will report back.

Comment on Should I Start a Law Practice? by Kansas

Kansas — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:48:46 +0000

Jordan, this is a good post. I always have worked in very small firms since graduating in 2001 from Washburn, and the pay was not high. I’ve been solo for four years and it has been very hard. I think in part due to the situation in KC where I live and this area has been very depressed with regard to my practice area. Which is tax, muni, real estate. Deals just not happening, although this year things seem to be picking up finally (ironically, see below). I started my firm with a small tax practice of repeat clients that brought in around 20K. That was my book. I spent 10 years prior to doing my own thing working for small firms with all the crazyness and instability (low pay, long hours, crazy or bad management sorts of partners, firms break up, partners lose a client or just get tired of paying you, etc.)

Since going on my own in 2009, I’ve had a number of clients go bankrupt, a few times with me holding the bag unfortunately. I’ve branched out into litigation the last couple of years and it pays better than small-biz tax and transactions, when you get paid.

However, I am burned out and I dislike the various adversarial and irritating qualities of litigation. Tired of fighting my clients for fees. My only large client, a SALT rep firm, just started cost-centering me hard, demanded large cuts last quarter and this on my very reasonable bills. New ownership.

I’ve not netted more than 25K since 2009 when I went on my own, and I work all the time, at least 65 a week and much more during the first quarter when all the tax stuff comes in. I’m sure some of it is me, not getting enough up front and so on, but I am just over the whole thing.

I’m going back to college to be a petroleum geologist. This was a hard decision, but now that it’s made I feel a lot less depressed. It ain’t like I can’t go back to practice if I really have to. Maybe I can be the world’s best expert witness for fracking cases after I put in a decade or two in drilling.

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by Joe Carson

Joe Carson — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:11:49 +0000

Keep up the hard work while you’re young because you won’t be able to do all of this when you get older. But good job so far!

Comment on Occupy Chili by Build Your Book of Business

Build Your Book of Business — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:12 +0000

[…] year, we suited up and handed out our “Occupy Chili” to hundreds of hungry neighbors, reporters, and local celebrities. We stocked our table not […]

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by Chad Murray

Chad Murray — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:56:59 +0000

As a relatively new dad, I cannot emphasize enough how much I agree with Turk about starting early. I didn’t – it took a little while to really sink in. Now there are not nearly enough hours in the day to do everything I need/want/would sort of like to do.

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by shg

shg — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:35:03 +0000

Will those who complain they can’t find a job understand and appreciate what you’ve written here? Probably not, or they would be out doing it. Renegade killer bees don’t need to be told to be renegade killer bees.

And they will hate you and Keith for reminding them that they are merely worker bees. Of course, no one forces a young lawyer not to decide that as of today, he’s going to stop being a worker bee and start being a renegade killer bee.

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by Turk

Turk — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:27:16 +0000

You’re going to make it in the law, kid.

And this is important for your readers: The time to start doing all this is stuff is when you’re young, before the spouse and kids come along. You have more time to do this now then you ever will in the future.

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by Jordan Rushie

Jordan Rushie — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:09:09 +0000

Oh, I love it. I wish I had more time to devote to it, and less to the practice.

I’ve met such awesome people through civic engagement. Artists, developers, other lawyers – an incredibly diverse and interesting group.

I left my former firm because I can’t be a worker bee. I have to be a killer bee.

Comment on The Hustle – A Week in the Life of a Young, Self Employed Lawyer by keithrl

keithrl — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:03:39 +0000

Plus it’s fun. I serve on a number of committees as well. Plus I regularly get out and support local organizations for a variety of matters – completely unrelated to our practice. It’s great – you get to meet new people, be exposed to new ideas, try new things.

Too many people who went to law school want to be worker bees. Have someone tell them how to do everything and where to do it. There’s a line in Kill Bill v2: “That’s you, trying to disguise yourself as a worker bee That’s you tryin’ to blend in with the hive. But you’re not a worker bee. You’re a renegade killer bee.”

If you’re going to be a new lawyer – whether in an established firm or in your own practice – you’ve got to be a renegade killer bee. Worker bees by their very nature are replaceable. Renegade killer bees are rare. They are valuable. People (firms and clients) need them. If you’re just a regular worker bee, wanting to come in and punch the clock, don’t be surprised when you don’t get a job or clients.