...to have an event on how to blog :)
So not only is the focus of my Docket article lawyers who blog, but Lawyer/Blogger Kevin O'Keefe is hosting a blogging event for lawyers! (My use of this exclamation mark makes it official: I'm a dork.)
Granted, I'm new to the blogging scene... and admittedly, I have a different blogging motivation than a number of lawyers who are out there self-promoting and linking to important cases they have worked on (of course only those cases that have come down in their favor), but the more I research my upcoming article, the more I find that many, MANY other lawyers have done this first. I shouldn't be surprised. The practice of law is generally about not reinventing the wheel, and an often used phrase around the firm is: "There's a form for that." Perhaps it's the reliance on form documents and pleadings that leads to monotony and the mundane-ness (I really want this to be a word... mundanity?) of the practice of law.
In grasping for the right word there, I am reminded of Eminem's segment last night on 60 Minutes and my awe of his way with words. Regardless of whether you love him or hate him (I generally like him but can admit that he sometimes makes me cringe), you have to respect his mastery of the English language and the talent he has for "bending words." Furthermore, I also genuinely appreciate Eminem's correct use of "enunciate," rather than "pronunciate." Despite the fact that I just made up "mundanity" and "mundaneness," I have a general disdain for blended (not "bended") words: like guesstimate. I don't care if it's been incorrectly used for long enough to make it into the dictionary... that doesn't make it a real word.
I have really digressed, so I'll stop here. The point of this post was supposed to be that I am interested in meeting other lawyers who blog and getting the scoop on their practices or non-practices, as the case may be. I also like that there will be beer, good beer. For some reasons lawyers who blog also strike me as the type of people who appreciate microbrews, run marathons and have labradors retrievers...
Showing posts with label The Docket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Docket. Show all posts
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Docket
Today, I joined The Docket Committee - the group of lawyers who publish the monthly newsletter, The Docket. It's by lawyers, for lawyers. Most notorious for their April Fools editions (specifically, the mandatory marijuana testing from last year: State Mandates Drug Testing for Attorneys), The Docket provides a much-needed outlet from the stifling monotony and/or overwhelming stress of the every day job. In preparation for my new "hobby," I began reading articles from years past. Here are a few of my favorites:
Babel Fish Saves El Dia
For those who know me, it's obvious why I laughed out loud (not to be confused with "LOL," but really, truly laughed. out. loud.) at this article. After a summer in Argentina as a foreign summer associate (translation: American intern), I more than understand the necessity AND danger of babelfish and its counterparts in translating law. In fact, another intern and I turned in a project we had worked on all summer: a 200 page guide to microfinance lending, targeted to Argentine microfinance institutions (think Grameen Bank) to assist them in soliciting fund from United States investors (it's a mouthful, right...) Basically, we wrote about the benefits of obtaining non-profit (501c3) status in the U.S. But that's not the story. The story is that we busted our butts (ok not really... We slacked off all summer, only working 4 days a week, traveling all over South America, and generally taking advantage of the 3:1 ratio of Argentine Peso : US Dollar, typically at bars, restaurants and shoe stores all over town) to get this report done, staying very late on our last night of work (before each of us left the following morning on our respective vacations: me to Peru, Caitlin to Ushuia and Tierra del Fuego), and left the extensive report on the Partner's desk and having the taxi take us directly to our favorite restaurant for much needed wine and sushi. However, we only produced the report in English. We figured we had a couple days when we got back to "translate it" into Spanish... I mean, how hard could it be? We had be "translating" documents all summer...
Suffice it to say, our translations turned out pretty similar to the babelfish translations and our supervising partner was not pleased. I still feel guilty for how much work we created for the friends we left at the end of the summer, the not-so-foreign summer associates who spent over three months fixing out monstrosity.
Who Is Your Favorite Kid Lawyer
I love this article. Not only did the article's author write a novel himself (clearly my dream), but he covered other books with exceptional plot ideas. I'm left feeling overwhelmed again by those who have gone before me... This article and the story descriptions solidify that I need to incorporate law into my book. Stay tuned for that.
Brazilian What?...
Mostly the title and general subject matter of this article got me. I can certainly appreciate the so-called "feminine struggle:" whether it's with jiu jitsu (the comparison of martial arts to the study of law was especially humorous to me, although I'm not sure that was intent. Is "yoga" a martial art??), being an attorney in a male-dominated profession (or conversely, having your superiors be extremely insecure female attorneys who have battled the male-dominated profession and, in my opinion, lost), or well... the Brazilian myth (what TMI??). But recently, I had a female partner come into my office and matter-of-factly state: "We need to do something about your work attire." My jaw hit the floor. This only happens in movies... right? Wrong. It was perhaps the most cliche conversation I have ever been subjected to: "We want people to respect you for your intelligence. It really isn't a good idea to wear sleeveless shirts and you stay away from skirts." And on, and on and on. Yes, I'm serious.
Anyway, guess what my first article assignment is?? Lawyers Who Blog. Again, I'm serious :)
Babel Fish Saves El Dia
For those who know me, it's obvious why I laughed out loud (not to be confused with "LOL," but really, truly laughed. out. loud.) at this article. After a summer in Argentina as a foreign summer associate (translation: American intern), I more than understand the necessity AND danger of babelfish and its counterparts in translating law. In fact, another intern and I turned in a project we had worked on all summer: a 200 page guide to microfinance lending, targeted to Argentine microfinance institutions (think Grameen Bank) to assist them in soliciting fund from United States investors (it's a mouthful, right...) Basically, we wrote about the benefits of obtaining non-profit (501c3) status in the U.S. But that's not the story. The story is that we busted our butts (ok not really... We slacked off all summer, only working 4 days a week, traveling all over South America, and generally taking advantage of the 3:1 ratio of Argentine Peso : US Dollar, typically at bars, restaurants and shoe stores all over town) to get this report done, staying very late on our last night of work (before each of us left the following morning on our respective vacations: me to Peru, Caitlin to Ushuia and Tierra del Fuego), and left the extensive report on the Partner's desk and having the taxi take us directly to our favorite restaurant for much needed wine and sushi. However, we only produced the report in English. We figured we had a couple days when we got back to "translate it" into Spanish... I mean, how hard could it be? We had be "translating" documents all summer...
Suffice it to say, our translations turned out pretty similar to the babelfish translations and our supervising partner was not pleased. I still feel guilty for how much work we created for the friends we left at the end of the summer, the not-so-foreign summer associates who spent over three months fixing out monstrosity.
Who Is Your Favorite Kid Lawyer
I love this article. Not only did the article's author write a novel himself (clearly my dream), but he covered other books with exceptional plot ideas. I'm left feeling overwhelmed again by those who have gone before me... This article and the story descriptions solidify that I need to incorporate law into my book. Stay tuned for that.
Brazilian What?...
Mostly the title and general subject matter of this article got me. I can certainly appreciate the so-called "feminine struggle:" whether it's with jiu jitsu (the comparison of martial arts to the study of law was especially humorous to me, although I'm not sure that was intent. Is "yoga" a martial art??), being an attorney in a male-dominated profession (or conversely, having your superiors be extremely insecure female attorneys who have battled the male-dominated profession and, in my opinion, lost), or well... the Brazilian myth (what TMI??). But recently, I had a female partner come into my office and matter-of-factly state: "We need to do something about your work attire." My jaw hit the floor. This only happens in movies... right? Wrong. It was perhaps the most cliche conversation I have ever been subjected to: "We want people to respect you for your intelligence. It really isn't a good idea to wear sleeveless shirts and you stay away from skirts." And on, and on and on. Yes, I'm serious.
Anyway, guess what my first article assignment is?? Lawyers Who Blog. Again, I'm serious :)
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