Blawg Review

Posted by Susan Cartier Liebel, Esq.

(This Blawg Review is designed as a Letter to New Lawyer.  I've incorporated the interesting names of many legal blogs as part of the narrative but you will have no clue what the topic of each blog post is until you click on the link.  Hopefully you will have fun discovering each blog post.  I've included some of the well-known and prolific usual suspects and am introducing you to some new and exciting blogs I've recently discovered.  There may even be other Letters to a New Lawyer you will uncover. So, enjoy!)

Dear New Lawyer,

Let's face it.  Law is Cool. We have all fantasized about becoming The Greatest American Lawyer and the champions of Truth, Justice and Peace. Having grown up on all the glamorous legal shows like Perry Mason, Matlock, L.A. Law, The Practice, Boston Legal, Damages, it's hard to not get caught up in the excitement and the drama. Imagine if our days and careers could be edited so seamlessly.

Lawyers see themselves fighting the great legal battles in $2,000 apparel of their choice, being part of ground breaking class action suits, winning millions in a wrongful death action or championing the under served.  But be warned.  If you buy into this Hollywood scripted confection, one day you will be F/K/A an attorney because you will have left the profession and your degree behind as more than 50% of all lawyers leave the profession once reality and fantasy collide with almost certain fatality.  Why? Because many are incapable or unknowing of how to make the shift from employee to self-employed or Big Law employee to small firm employee.  Golden handcuffs, while expensive and hypnotically shiny, keep lawyers bound to the key holders.  And student loan providers hold the spare key should you become unshackled from your employer. This double-keyed slavery system keeps lawyers uncreative and suppressed professionally.