SHOP and BUY - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
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Manufacturer: American Bar Association
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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 340.02373 EAN: 9781590316764 ISBN: 1590316762 Label: American Bar Association Manufacturer: American Bar Association Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 200 Publication Date: 2006-03-25 Publisher: American Bar Association Studio: American Bar Association
Customer Rating: Summary: An Invaluable Resource Comment: Mark Herrmann does for young lawyers what it seems no one else will do - he tells the naked truth. The Curmudgeon, in his labor of love, openly and honestly answers the questions that every young lawyer struggles with early on in their practice. You will be miles ahead of the rest if you read this book. You will be noticed. You will receive work.
As a solo practitioner, this is an invaluable resource. This book serves as a great tool for someone like me who does not have someone like Mark Herrmann in the next office. I have found myself referring back to portions for help when drafting documents and working to grow my practice. It is like having a senior partner's advice whenever I need it.
On top of its priceless value to your practice, the Curmudgeon's Guide is a wonderful read. It is both entertaining and informative. It is loaded with information, but its tone is conversational. Unlike other conversations, however, you can - literally - remember every word this wise veteran has to offer.
The book reads quickly. Do not let the size fool you, the 135 pages of this volume are loaded with more information than many of the textbooks you will or have read in law school. There is no fluff, only the information necessary to convey the point. If you have not yet learned the value of information in its most concise form - you should read this book. You will learn.
Law students and young lawyers often spend half of their careers learning the lessons the Curmudgeon teaches in 135 pages. Buy it. Take two hours and read it. Take the advice to heart. You will recoup the money. You will save time in the future.
If you are a young lawyer, a law student or even a not-so-young lawyer and you do not own this book, ask for it or purchase it yourself. When looked at in perspective, the cost of this book is a very small price to pay for a head start on your colleagues. Customer Rating: Summary: Note to law students: read this book. Comment: Mr. Herrmann's guide is the most concise, well-written book I've read this year. Its style (and brevity) is reminiscent of Strunk & White's classic volume. I recommended this book without reservation. Customer Rating: Summary: Helpful but overpriced Comment: This book has some genuinely helpful tidbits on legal practice, but take a look at the price and realize that it is a mere 135 pages long (disregard the 200 pages listed above) and bear in mind that each page is basically the size of a large index card. If you are expecting something the size of a textbook, you are in for an unpleasant surprise. I think this would be an excellent purchase if it were priced in the $6-$7 range. Customer Rating: Summary: Must-Read for Law Graduates Comment: This book is very funny and is a must-read for graduating law students, even if they are not headed for the workplace the curmudgeonly author knows best (the large, top-quality law firm). Beneath the humor there is lots of excellent advice. Customer Rating: Summary: Every Young Lawyer (and some old lawyers!) Should Read This Book!!! Comment: The Curmudgeon's Guide is a no nonsense book about the realities of being a practicing attorney. The book pulls no punches in telling it like it is for an associate starting out in a big firm. Law School's do not prepare their students for the real world, this book will uncover the truths that all will need to discover at some point (learn it the easy way or the hard way...but you will learn it!).
I am not a lawyer, but did spend many years working in the legal industry. As an expert in legal marketing and business development, I have worked closely with associates and partners and have seen first hand all the examples that Mark Herrmann exposes in the book.
The chapter on working with your legal secretary is worth the whole price of the book (It is expensive, but if you take the advice in the book to heart, you will profit more that the $35 you spend on the book).
The only area the book comes up short is in the last chapter on developing and growing a practice. While everything the author says is 100% correct, he does not go far enough. Large firms today have marketing and business development departments with wonderful staffs. Herrmann does not address the importance of working closely with these team members and treating them with the respect they deserve. A good relationship with the marketing and biz dev staff can make building a lawyer's reputation a whole lot easier!!!
I will be recommending this book in my presentations and speeches to law firms around the country.
This collection of essays written by The Curmudgeon, offers practical, honest and you need to know this advice for surviving and thriving in a law firm. The book covers the basics of law practice and law firm etiquette, from doing effective research and writing to dressing for success, dealing with staff and clients and building a law practice. Concise, humorous and full of valuable (albeit curmudgeonly) insight, this is a must-read for every newly minted law school graduate or new lawyer.
