Naela Journal – Incls Naela News

The Brick Dance

A law firm is a business entity formed mostly by a group to engage in the practice of law. The primary service provided by a law firm is to advise their clients about their legal rights, obligations and responsibilities and to represent them in business transactions and other legal cases in courts of law.
Most of us need a lawyer, at some time or the other in our life to solve problems for which there can only be legal remedy.  Most businesses also quite often rely on the knowledge, skill and expertise of law firms for running its business. Legal issues are a major part of everyday life, and the existence of law firms is an imperative need. Whether you’ve been injured because of another person’s negligence, arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or simply need help with your tax and estate planning, a law firm is typically your best source of information.
If you are considering a career in the legal industry, the time is most opportune for new entrants. The legal industry has experienced its largest expansion since 2001, according to a recent survey done by The National Law Journal. The survey, which polled the nation’s 300 largest law firms, revealed a 5.6 percent growth in 2007. Partner and associate growth surpassed last year’s numbers and the number of women working in law firms also showed a healthy increase. The National Law Journal attributes the increase to law firms’ efforts to meet the growing legal requirements of clients. 
As demand for legal services expand and become increasingly complex, the need for law firms also grows commensurately. George Washington University has now thought it fit to create a new master’s degree program in law firm management which will focus exclusively on the management and challenges unique to running a law firm. According to a recent article in the Legal Times,there is a growing acceptance among law firm partners of the important roles they can play in implementing firm strategies, expanding business, enhancing financial performance, improving professional development and staff morale and providing the high-quality infrastructure essential to the efficient delivery of legal services.
Domestic law firms are expanding beyond national borders, collaborating with foreign counsel and forming international mergers. Although globalization is not new, it is gaining momentum due to the growth of the Internet, the automation of legal processes, developments in data security and the creation of new technology tools. The convergence of a number of demographic, economic and social trends is contributing tremendously to the growth of law firms.  
Globalization of the legal industry is transforming the world into a single vast legal marketplace.  The other factors that are driving increase in law firms are – a competitive legal climate, a need to serve transnational clients, the off-shoring of legal work a larger share of the global legal market have contributed to the internationalization of law firms. Although international clients generally opt for large law firms, it is now found that even smaller firms – with fewer than 20 lawyers – had foreign clients, to lend credence that globalization has been responsible for adding to the growth of law firms.  The effect globalization will ultimately have on the management structures and practice strategies of multinational law firms remains to be seen. However, globalization will continue to create greater demand for lawyers.

When selecting an attorney, there are a number of important
factors to consider. This article focuses on one: is the
attorney you have contacted a “referral attorney”? Referral
attorneys are attorneys who advertise to attract clients, but do
not represent clients themselves. Instead, they forward the
client on to another attorney. A typical referral attorney takes
a fee as a percentage of the total recovery.

Is my attorney a referral attorney?

This is a simple question to answer – just ask them. A referral
attorney will always, at some point, have to disclose that they
will not be the primary attorney on your case. They will
eventually be forwarding you on to another lawyer. Generally, if
your attorney is advertising on television or has run ads
seeking victims of injuries caused by a specific product (Vioxx
cases, asbestos or mesothelioma cases, diet drug cases, or other
class action lawsuits), then they are probably a referral
attorney.

Will it cost me more money if I have contacted a referral
attorney?

Generally, no. The typical agreement between a referral attorney
and the actual lawyer working on the case grants the referral
attorney a percentage of the actual lawyer’s fee. Instead of
coming from the client, the money comes from the lawyer who
eventually is the attorney on the case. However, you should make
sure that this is what your actual agreement is. A typical
contingent fee case costs the client one third of the recovery.
If you have contacted a referral attorney, ask what the ultimate
percentage will be.

Why even bother with a referral attorney if I’m going to someone
else anyway?

If you know an attorney who is an expert in the field or who is
handling that kind of case, there is generally no reason to.
However, many people have absolutely no knowledge of the legal
industry. They simply can’t find an appropriate attorney on
their own. A referral attorney usually only makes money if you
win, so he will have an incentive to forward your case to a
competent lawyer. Just make sure that you aren’t being charged
more for a referral – it’s not worth paying extra to get it,
especially because many other lawyers would be eager to point
you to competent counsel for a cut themselves.

Riverside County has over 4,000 Riverside County attorneys or Riverside County lawyers registered with the State Bar of California. Some popular cities within Riverside County where Riverside County attorneys may be practicing law are Aguanga, Anza, Banning, Beaumont, Bermuda Dunes, Blythe, Cabazon, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Cherry Valley, Chiriaco Summit, Coachella, Corona, Desert Center, Desert Hot Springs, Hemet, Homeland, Idyllwild, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Mecca, Menifee, Mira Loma, Moreno Valley, Mountain Center, Murrieta, Norco, North Palm Springs, Nuevo, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Perris, Pine Cove, Quail Valley, Rancho Mirage, Riverside, Romoland, Rubidoux, San Jacinto, Sky Valley, Sun City, Temecula, Thermal, Thousand Palms, Wildomar, Winchester, and others. With so many attorneys practicing law in Riverside County California, how do you find the right Riverside County divorce attorney or Riverside County divorce lawyer who can help you with your particular divorce case and/or child custody case?

First, an experienced Riverside County divorce attorney or Riverside County divorce lawyer should have experience and legal expertise in the field of family law. Family law covers a variety of topics such as divorce or dissolution of marriage, paternity, domestic partnerships, child custody and visitation, domestic violence, restraining orders, spousal support, child support, guardianship, adoptions, community property, division of property, and more. Some Riverside County divorce attorneys may specialize or have more experience than others in specific areas of family law. For example, some Riverside County attorneys are certified by the State Bar of California or an organization accredited by the State Bar of California as a specialist in the field of family law. Currently, Riverside County has approximately a dozen Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS) registered with the State Bar of California. These Riverside County attorney’s have made efforts to become State Bar certified in the field of family law. In other words, of over 4,000 Riverside County attorneys in California, only a dozen are Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS). However, just because a Riverside County attorney is not a Certified Family Law Specialist does not mean he/she is not qualified and/or experienced to handle a Riverside County family law, divorce and/or child custody case. In fact, there are many well-qualified Riverside County attorneys or Riverside County lawyers who do not hold State Bar certifications. If you are searching for a Riverside County divorce attorney or Riverside County divorce lawyer and you do not know what to look for or where to begin, narrowing down your search to only those who practice family law in Riverside County may be a good place to begin.

Further, an experienced Riverside County divorce attorney or Riverside County divorce lawyer should have success representing clients on child custody and divorce cases in Riverside County. He/she will likely be familiar with the judges, processes, and procedures in the Riverside County family court which an attorney outside of Riverside County may not have. However, just because an attorney or lawyer is not located in Riverside County California does not mean he/she is not qualified and/or experienced to represent you on a family law, divorce, or child custody case in Riverside County. Ultimately, if you have a child custody and/or divorce case in Riverside County, you will want to investigate any prospective attorney’s background and experience and choose the right divorce attorney or divorce lawyer you believe can help you with your Riverside divorce case and legal need.

© 2007 Child Custody Coach

Child Custody Coach supplies information, online materials, and coaching services to parents in the field of child custody, namely, divorce, child custody and visitation, child custody evaluations, 730 evaluations, parenting, and all issues related to child custody and divorce. “How to Win Child Custody – Proven Strategies that can Win You Custody and Save You Thousands in Attorney Cost!” is a unique child custody strategy guide written by The Custody Coach and made available by Child Custody Coach in an easy to read, understand, and apply E-Book format. Custody Match is an online consumer and family law attorney matching service to help you in your search for the right attorney for your divorce or child custody case. Custody Match can help you find the right family law attorney, divorce lawyer, or child custody attorney in your area.

Deciding whether to attend paralegal school or law school is not an easy task. Both have significant pros and cons, making the decision a challenging one. If you are trying to decide between these two career paths, here is some valuable information you can use to help make your decision.

Pros of Pursuing a Paralegal Career

Paralegal school is much more affordable than law school. In fact, many paralegals can start their careers with just three months of paralegal-specific training, provided they have the right college education behind them. Most paralegals start working with little school debt other than the college loans that most people have, in comparison to lawyers who graduate law school with tremendous amounts of debt, usually pushing the six-figure mark.

Paralegals do not have to pass a school entrance exam. Those who take the LSAT and do not receive high enough marks to enter law school often have no choice but to enter the paralegal program, unless they want to continue taking the LSAT in order to improve their marks.

Paralegals also have less stress in the field than lawyers. Since they must work under an attorney or lawyer, paralegals answer to someone other than themselves for their actions. Also, working in law requires long hours. Paralegals are usually able to get overtime pay. This is not the case for lawyers.

Cons of a Paralegal Profession

Pursuing paralegal school when you qualify for law school limits your advancement opportunities. There is only so far you can go in the system as a paralegal. The highest you can earn in most markets is $90,000 a year.

Some people feel that the tasks assigned to paralegals are mundane and become routine over time. This eliminates some stress, but also may eliminate the challenge of the job. Paralegals usually operate in a shared office environment, which some may view as a con to the job.

Pros to Attending Law School

The main two benefits to attending law school are unlimited career growth potential and the fact that a good lawyer has unlimited earning potential. If you are successful as a lawyer, you can grow in your profession and pursue a broad range of specialties. If you start your own firm, you will not be limited by the direction others wish you to pursue.

A successful lawyer has a lot of perks. Secretarial support and the help of paralegals are all benefits enjoyed by leading lawyers. Lawyers typically work out of private offices and enjoy a diverse assortment of tasks throughout the day.

Cons of Law School

The main drawback to law school for many people is the tremendous cost. If your LSAT scores are high enough, you may be able to get aid. However, most people end up graduating from law school with a lot of debt.

The other drawback is all of the testing you will have to do. First, you will need high enough LSAT scores to qualify for a law school program. Once you graduate, you will have to pass the bar exam in order to become a lawyer. It is entirely possible for a student to go all the way through law school and fail to pass the bar exam, which means that a career as a lawyer is impossible, in spite of the money spent on school.

So which career path should you pursue? Only you can answer that question. If you desire to have unlimited income potential and feel you have the knowledge and resources to pass the rigorous testing required for law school, then pursue that option. If, however, you wish to take the safe route, a career as a paralegal may be the best option. You now know the benefits and risks of each career, so you can make a more informed decision.