Better Lawyer

Fall 2010

• Better Lawyer
  Complete publication for Fall 2010.
• Cols sez u cant txt & drv - by Stephanie R. Hanna and Frank Kremer, Jr.
  On May 5, 2010, Columbus joined Cleveland and Toledo as Ohio’s big cities that have told drivers they can’t write, send or read text or email messages while operating a motor vehicle.
• Diversity in the Legal Profession - The Ongoing Road to Change - by Lisa Kathumbi
  For as long as I can remember, my father talked about the law with an unyielding degree of enthusiasm and reverence. Although he never told me that I had to become a lawyer, by the time I started high school I could not imagine doing anything else.
• Introducing 2010-2011 Committee Chairs
  Name and photos of all 57 Columbus Bar Association committee chairs for 2010-2011.
• Leadership Skills - Nature or Nurture - by Marty Eisenbarth
  Several years ago I heard a presentation by a person heading up a leadership institute. She was encouraging law firms to identify and select a few new lawyers to enroll in the institute so they could develop and be groomed for leadership roles.
• Legal News of the Weird - by Matt Austin
  All attorneys at some point murmur to themselves how shocked they are that opposing counsel just filed what she did. Hopefully none of you has been on the receiving end (or worst yet, representing the plaintiffs) of the following absurd law suits.
• Lessons from Lebron - by Josh L. Schoenberger
  It has been almost a month since “The Decision.” One flip of the calendar since Lebron James announced to the world, in a one hour special on ESPN, that he was “taking his talents to South Beach.”
• Limits of Advocacy - by Mark G. Kafantaris
  The young lawyer was at his office late in the evening when he received the phone call. He recognized the caller as the man he was representing in connection with a disturbance on the union picket line during a long and bitter strike.
• On Financial Reform Via Espresso - by Kenneth L. Finley
  The following excerpt is a glance into a collegial debate of what two of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, might say about the new financial reform bill signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010.
• Referralogy 101 - To Accept or Not to Accept - by Jameel S. Turner
  Lawyers who have been practicing for more than a year or two know that the term “referral” can either be a gift or a curse.
• The Most Important Lesson from My Summer Clerkship - by Joseph Lipps
  I drove downtown and parked in the garage before the morning rush. I was eager for my first day as a summer associate and I did not want to take any chances with traffic or parking.

Spring 2010

• Better Lawyer
  Complete publication for Spring 2010.
• Actively Practicing Law - by Lisa Kathumbi
  During my second year of practice, I developed extreme chronic back pain. As I consulted with several doctors to no avail, I grew concerned that I might be facing a serious condition.
• Attorney Fee Agreements: What Ohio Lawyers Need to Know - by Rasheed Khan
  The ethical requirements for fee agreements are primarily found in Ohio Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5, which focuses on the factors determining what a lawyer can ethically charge and the requirement for new attorney-client relationships...
• Confessions of a Self-proclaimed Sell-out - by Megan H. Boiarsky
  I’m a sell out. After five years as a public attorney with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, I left for greener pastures. And while I feel as though I have begun to embrace my new identity, the decision to move to the private sector was a difficult one.
• Dealing with Difficult Clients - by Mark Kafantaris
  A strangely dressed woman walked into a lawyer’s office and said only that “my mother died and my sister is not giving me any money.” The doubtful secretary summoned the lawyer who proceeded to examine the file in the neighboring county...
• Is There a Hole in Your Hold? Four Common Litigation Hold Oversights - by Marc Fulkert
  Although litigation holds are nothing new, Judge Shira Scheindlin’s recent Pension Committee decision has spawned a renewed focus on them.
• Legal Writing Tip of the Month: The Etiquette of E-Mail - by Jameel S. Turner
  Despite the popularity and ease of using email in the era of technology, it is surprising how many attorneys and businesses do not spend more attention educating themselves about the importance prompt, meaningful replies to email inquiries.
• New Lawyer Spotlight – Spring 2010 - by Mark Hatcher
  Prologue: The Editorial Board thought it would be a good idea to feature a new lawyer in each edition of the Better Lawyer publication to share insights, perspectives and best practices with other new lawyers and future lawyers as well.
• Products Liability Cases and Legislation to Watch in 2010 - by Erika Schoenberger
  In the product liability arena, this year should be interesting as lower courts determine how preemption issues play out after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Wyeth v. Levine.
• The Modern Struggle For Sanity and Success - by David J. Lisko
  I am a second year law student at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Just recently, I began sleeping easy at night.
• What Offices Need to Know about OSHA - by Matthew D. Austin and George S. Kunz
  What is OSHA and why does it apply to offices? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a federal government agency responsible for ensuring that safe and healthy working conditions exist for all employees.