The Law Firm of Jeffrey P. Laner

For October, I thought I would I would have a little fun given that Halloween is around the corner, and talk about two attitudes of lawyering that clients might encounter, using one of my favorite science fiction (fantasy?) franchises.

Disclaimer: The following information does NOT constitute legal advice and is only for general educational purposes.  Each situation is different and specific legal issues usually require additional research and inv...

One issue that comes up frequently between lawyers and clients is when *one* lawyer represents two or more interested parties at the same time. For instance, two business partners want to hire one lawyer to work on their partnership. What risks and advantages arise?

Disclaimer: The following information does NOT constitute legal advice and is only for general educational purposes.  Each situation is different and specific legal issues usually req...

Introduction

I decided to write this piece because the last few years have taught me quite a lot about representing the “common” salt-of-the-Earth types that really make this world go around - the “solo-preneur” who often has a “real” or side job, or has invested their modest life savings into make a dream come true; or perhaps two partners operating out of a “garage” (or the NYC equivalent), and so forth. Previously, most of my experience was gai...

This is the third article in a series attempted to help bridge the gap between clients and lawyers. Sometimes, clients are surprised lawyers “don’t know how to do everything” in the legal field; I mean they went to law school, didn’t they, why doesn’t their personal injury attorney do employment discrimination also? Both fields deal with suing people that wronged you and injured you in a similar way. Perhaps another client is a bit concerned that...

Last month, I attempted to explain some of the disconnect between lawyers and clients. I started by describing how much law there really is out there.  Books and books and libraries and libraries of material.  I also did a quickie review of how there are three bodies of law (city, state and federal) and the difference between laws passed by a legislature (“statutory” law, a.k.a. “statutes”) and the way those statutory laws are interpreted by cour...

What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.

How do you know a lawyer is lying? His lips are moving.

“Lawyers occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”

- Winston Churchill

Sticks and stones, my friends. It’s fine. We have tough skins, we lawyers do. It’s a difficult profession, not for the faint hearted, and often times we lawyers feel unappreciated e...