There will be some more free CLE (including that mandatory AAMH credit) next as part of Lawyer Well-Being Week.
More parties are getting involved in the suit over the upcoming all-mail primary election. [TNI]
No visual cues in US Supreme Court telephonic oral arguments. [Las Vegas Sun]
What’s going on in District Court during coronavirus pandemic? [Eighthjdcourt blog]
How are you all holding up out there? Any predictions on how long the stay at home order will continue? Is working slowing down or picking up? Are you growing your hair out or attempting a haircut at home?
Sudden surge of writs of garnishment in anticipation of changes in the AO's of various justice courts. Garnishments still stayed in District Court, but hat may change. No changes in evictions so far. The occasional complex civil enforcement order allowable under current orders; most are stayed.
Hair starting to look like a badly aging boy band member; my wife loves it, I'm this close to ordering an electric clipper and going back to my graduation photo from OCS…
I have curly hair that if I don't keep somewhat short it starts growing out, not long. My trimmer I use for my beard (the one place I can grow hair well, given my age) has an attachment that works for hair and I'm thinking about taking the plunge and letting my wife try her hand at hair. Last time I let her do it ~10 years ago there was the inevitable 'Ooops' and she lost her hair cutting privileges for me at least.
Guest
dlowrey
April 28, 2020 5:58 pm
I have purchased a clipper set, but am still vacillating between "let it grow", DIY haircut, or wait for my barber to reopen.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 6:03 pm
Any law firms firing people yet?
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 6:18 pm
There's never really a good time to be bald. But at least my liberal use of the shorter clipper guards the past few years has left me with one fewer difficult decision to be made.
There's something freeing about exploring what your body can do while not having to face any social repercussions for looking so hideous. So no, I'll leave that bush on my face, thank you very much.
I've been in negotiations with my wife re: shaving my head. Probably should have done it day 1, but I think there will still be time for it to grow out before I have to show up in person to anything, if it looks terrible.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 7:47 pm
Question about the free webinars, do we get an email to log into webinar or do we have to sign into to state bar to access?
Reopening Plan?
My understanding is that the lockdown order expires on the 30th. Will it be extended, phased open or what? People need to be able to plan. A leader would have decided and let us know. It appears to me that Sisolak still has a finger in the air trying to figure out which way the political winds are blowing instead of making an executive decision.
Totally agree. He is way over his head and the only thing determining his next step is feedback from a public relations control group of constituents. I do not think he is bad or evil. Just another politician.
EVERY move Sisolack has made is a copy-cat move. He has no clue what to do next.
He will try to run again in 2022. He may not make it out of the primary when his close everything indefinitely plan comes back to bite him. The retrospective Infection Fatality Rate statistics will show his over-reaction and lack of vision. The good news is that in 2 years DETR will probably be caught up on the 2020 unemployment applications.
@2:38— If Goodman runs against Sisolak she will and would be crushed. She has thrived on support of organized labor in Las Vegas and she is persona non-grata to organized labor right now.
Jim Murren was appointed by Sisolak as Chairman of the COVID-19 Response, Relief & Recovery Task Force. It is obvious the Strip is dictating all policy decisions, and rightfully so. The only way for NV to recover is for the Strip to recover. Let those with the most to lose place their bets. They win, we win.
Wait, the same Murren who chased me off the strip by pricing everything to the very limit of the elasticity demand curve? That guy? Drop dead, Jimmy.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 7:55 pm
My firm has decided that we should go back into the office next Monday, regardless of what the courts and governor do. I'm not sure why, because I've felt more productive while WFH than I did at the office. Oh well, gotta roll with it.
He will update everyone tomorrow and I believe it will not be over.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 9:58 pm
PPP question:
As a solo with no employees, I applied for PPP. If I just pocket the cash, the entire thing is forgivable as owners compensation, as long as my annualized compensation was less than 100k, right?
Yes from what I've read – as long as you don't pay yourself more than $8,333.33/month ($100k/12months) over the 8 week period AFTER you receive your funding, then it appears you're good to go.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2020 10:36 pm
Ive been practicing for 15 years, my firm pimps me out at $350 an hour, and pays me $130k per year.
I feel guilty billing clients at that rate and it seems excessive for what they pay me. 1800 hours at 350 per hour equals $630,000. I'm ignorant about how rates should correlate to salary and I also understand there is a lot of overhead. So,are they getting a good deal on me or am I getting a good deal on them?
They are getting a good deal on you if they get paid on this hours. Granted some lawyers are worth more depending on what your abilities are, but if you are a solid “B” attorney or even a “C+”, you should be getting paid at least $30,000 more. It also depends in the type of work you do and if you generate business, but even if you do insurance defense and generate no business, you deserve a raise.
You are getting a good deal. They take the risk of getting paid. You mention nothing about you generating work for other lawyers. You are $130k before benefits. Assuming there are benefits above salary, this probably equates with benefits that they are paying for you about 44% of your billables. They might be getting deal if they get 100% collection. However if collection is below 70%, they are eeking by on you. If you doubt it, throw your hat on the open market and find out what other people are willing to pay for you.
4:48– I am a dinosaur but the rule of thumb when I was coming out was
–> 1/3 to partner who originated the file
–> 1/3 to the lawyer who did the work
–> 1/3 for overhead
When an Associate originated, the math was:
–> 17% to Associate who originated the file
–> 1/3 to the lawyer who did the work
–> 1/2 for overhead/firm cut
Youngish attorney here. The 1/3 1/3 1/3 rule is still used by many as a rough way of setting salaries. It's a good way to figure out what an associate is really worth, absent other factors like origination. To calculate the numbers though, you need to know not only the hours billed, but the collection rate. So, in the example above, a 70% collection rate would be a gross of $441k. 1/3 of that is $147k. So $130k may be a smidge below market, but we also don't know what kind of bonuses or benefits this person is receiving.
Are 70% collection rates really a thing? I am a midlevel/senior associate and my collections, even first year, have never dropped below 80%. I know transactional attorneys who collect something like 95%. In what practice areas are <70% collection a thing?
I agree with what 6:19 said. I doubt OP has a 70% collection rate. If we assume 85%, then the actual revenue would be $535,500. 1/3 of that is $178k+. I'd say you're underpaid.
The "price" for associates is governed by supply and demand, NOT some bloody formula based on labor productivity. If you practice low to mid-level PI, Family or Criminal law, be happy for what you get. There are a lot of empty suits graduating Boyd soon who can easily take your place, so keep on delivering excellence to your employer and its clients.
If you really want to make more money, here's my advice:
Find your strength, and build it up to the point that firms are bidding for your talents.
Market yourself. (Admittedly hard when in quarantine.)
Learn some new skills, such as the making the perfect soufflé, or playing guitar.
Start every day with a positive thought, and end each day with some reflection of what you are grateful for.
Guest
Anonymous
April 29, 2020 4:08 pm
OH FOR FFS….
Dear Heavy Breather on BlueJeans– I can hear you.
Dear Person feeding your baby on BlueJeans– I can hear you.
You talking to your Client before Hearing over BlueJeans– I can hear you.
Really people come on. Mute.
Guest
Anonymous
April 30, 2020 5:55 pm
I got the Nevada Lawyer today, and, per usual, skipped to the Bar Counsel Reports to see if OC on any of my cases had been disbarred. No such luck this month. But what I did see there baffled me. First, you see Terry Wike's suspension of 3 months (technically 2 years, but 21 months of it is stayed). What's the allegation? Oh, just flagrant mismanagement of the trust account. Running a Ponzi scheme with the lienholders (paying Client 1 and lienholders of Client 1 with money received for Client 2). Although I support the reduction of the draconian and punitive measures imposed for similar cases, I have to wonder what's changed.
And, then there's Dennis Prince. Apparently, a partnership dispute gets elevated into a bar grievance when the partner submitting the grievance has substantial political juice in this state.
Sudden surge of writs of garnishment in anticipation of changes in the AO's of various justice courts. Garnishments still stayed in District Court, but hat may change. No changes in evictions so far. The occasional complex civil enforcement order allowable under current orders; most are stayed.
Hair starting to look like a badly aging boy band member; my wife loves it, I'm this close to ordering an electric clipper and going back to my graduation photo from OCS…
I have curly hair that if I don't keep somewhat short it starts growing out, not long. My trimmer I use for my beard (the one place I can grow hair well, given my age) has an attachment that works for hair and I'm thinking about taking the plunge and letting my wife try her hand at hair. Last time I let her do it ~10 years ago there was the inevitable 'Ooops' and she lost her hair cutting privileges for me at least.
I have purchased a clipper set, but am still vacillating between "let it grow", DIY haircut, or wait for my barber to reopen.
Any law firms firing people yet?
There's never really a good time to be bald. But at least my liberal use of the shorter clipper guards the past few years has left me with one fewer difficult decision to be made.
Bald is beautiful and the cul-de-sac is better.
Agree; disagree. The Jason Statham look is good. The Clint Howard cul-de-sac is not.
hope this isn't obvious, but what's AAMH credit? is that the substance abuse requirement?
Yes, it's the substance abuse requirement. I can't remember what it stands for exactly, but it's something like alcohol, addiction, and mental health.
Please please please shave that bush off your face, its not hot
Haha, I was just thinking I might try to grow a goatee. I figured never a better time. It's always been thin but I'm old now. Not sure if that helps.
In the first three weeks I grew out an awful '80s-style 'stache. Got bored, shaved it off. Now I'm working on Civil War style sideburns/mutton chops.
There's something freeing about exploring what your body can do while not having to face any social repercussions for looking so hideous. So no, I'll leave that bush on my face, thank you very much.
I've been in negotiations with my wife re: shaving my head. Probably should have done it day 1, but I think there will still be time for it to grow out before I have to show up in person to anything, if it looks terrible.
Question about the free webinars, do we get an email to log into webinar or do we have to sign into to state bar to access?
12:47: You can register for the webinars via this link:
https://members.nvbar.org/cvweb/cgi-bin/utilities.dll/customlist?QNAME=COMBOSEARCHOVERRIDE&WBP=nqFastSearchList.htm&WHP=nqFastSearchHeader.htm&ENTITYCATEGORY=WEBINAR.
Reopening Plan?
My understanding is that the lockdown order expires on the 30th. Will it be extended, phased open or what? People need to be able to plan. A leader would have decided and let us know. It appears to me that Sisolak still has a finger in the air trying to figure out which way the political winds are blowing instead of making an executive decision.
Totally agree. He is way over his head and the only thing determining his next step is feedback from a public relations control group of constituents. I do not think he is bad or evil. Just another politician.
and his last two press conferences were a joke, complete waste of time. In each conference, he punted.
EVERY move Sisolack has made is a copy-cat move. He has no clue what to do next.
He will try to run again in 2022. He may not make it out of the primary when his close everything indefinitely plan comes back to bite him. The retrospective Infection Fatality Rate statistics will show his over-reaction and lack of vision. The good news is that in 2 years DETR will probably be caught up on the 2020 unemployment applications.
Maybe the Mayor will run against him in 2022. Her recent statements could buy her a lot of (out of workers') votes.
Interesting strategy or insanity?
@ 2:38
It's Nevada. Anything is possible.
Yes, look at whose on the bench already, awful.
@2:38— If Goodman runs against Sisolak she will and would be crushed. She has thrived on support of organized labor in Las Vegas and she is persona non-grata to organized labor right now.
In 2022, she'll be 83.
Jim Murren was appointed by Sisolak as Chairman of the COVID-19 Response, Relief & Recovery Task Force. It is obvious the Strip is dictating all policy decisions, and rightfully so. The only way for NV to recover is for the Strip to recover. Let those with the most to lose place their bets. They win, we win.
Wait, the same Murren who chased me off the strip by pricing everything to the very limit of the elasticity demand curve? That guy? Drop dead, Jimmy.
My firm has decided that we should go back into the office next Monday, regardless of what the courts and governor do. I'm not sure why, because I've felt more productive while WFH than I did at the office. Oh well, gotta roll with it.
12:55. I'm guessing you don't have kids.
Tom Beatty died for those who want a dose of humanity today.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/las-vegas-nv/thomas-beatty-9152591?fbclid=IwAR1coPVOHKG-Mp1Fcdli-kmrBltELkdOZ4_ZDMn0Smxt-ivhEgGJE9L9c7Q
Tom Beatty was a wonderful lawyer, a gentleman, a mentor. We'll miss you, Tom.
Has the Governor given a recent update re the state of emergency? As of now is it still over on Friday?
He will update everyone tomorrow and I believe it will not be over.
PPP question:
As a solo with no employees, I applied for PPP. If I just pocket the cash, the entire thing is forgivable as owners compensation, as long as my annualized compensation was less than 100k, right?
Yes from what I've read – as long as you don't pay yourself more than $8,333.33/month ($100k/12months) over the 8 week period AFTER you receive your funding, then it appears you're good to go.
Ive been practicing for 15 years, my firm pimps me out at $350 an hour, and pays me $130k per year.
I feel guilty billing clients at that rate and it seems excessive for what they pay me. 1800 hours at 350 per hour equals $630,000. I'm ignorant about how rates should correlate to salary and I also understand there is a lot of overhead. So,are they getting a good deal on me or am I getting a good deal on them?
They are getting a good deal on you if they get paid on this hours. Granted some lawyers are worth more depending on what your abilities are, but if you are a solid “B” attorney or even a “C+”, you should be getting paid at least $30,000 more. It also depends in the type of work you do and if you generate business, but even if you do insurance defense and generate no business, you deserve a raise.
You are getting a good deal. They take the risk of getting paid. You mention nothing about you generating work for other lawyers. You are $130k before benefits. Assuming there are benefits above salary, this probably equates with benefits that they are paying for you about 44% of your billables. They might be getting deal if they get 100% collection. However if collection is below 70%, they are eeking by on you. If you doubt it, throw your hat on the open market and find out what other people are willing to pay for you.
Thanks for both opinions.
Difficult to generate business in my area. Also, they keep me so busy that its difficult for me to find time to market myself.
Collection isnt 100%, but definitely above 70%. If lower than 70% it seems clients wouldnt be worth it.
Given current economy, not too interested in demanding 30k more or testing myself in open market.
When I first started out a 100 years ago, the rule of thumb was 1/3 of billables to attorney, 1/3 to overhead, and 1/3 to the letterhead partners.
4:48– I am a dinosaur but the rule of thumb when I was coming out was
–> 1/3 to partner who originated the file
–> 1/3 to the lawyer who did the work
–> 1/3 for overhead
When an Associate originated, the math was:
–> 17% to Associate who originated the file
–> 1/3 to the lawyer who did the work
–> 1/2 for overhead/firm cut
Youngish attorney here. The 1/3 1/3 1/3 rule is still used by many as a rough way of setting salaries. It's a good way to figure out what an associate is really worth, absent other factors like origination. To calculate the numbers though, you need to know not only the hours billed, but the collection rate. So, in the example above, a 70% collection rate would be a gross of $441k. 1/3 of that is $147k. So $130k may be a smidge below market, but we also don't know what kind of bonuses or benefits this person is receiving.
Are 70% collection rates really a thing? I am a midlevel/senior associate and my collections, even first year, have never dropped below 80%. I know transactional attorneys who collect something like 95%. In what practice areas are <70% collection a thing?
70% collection rates are extremely common in consumer and family law.
I agree with what 6:19 said. I doubt OP has a 70% collection rate. If we assume 85%, then the actual revenue would be $535,500. 1/3 of that is $178k+. I'd say you're underpaid.
The "price" for associates is governed by supply and demand, NOT some bloody formula based on labor productivity. If you practice low to mid-level PI, Family or Criminal law, be happy for what you get. There are a lot of empty suits graduating Boyd soon who can easily take your place, so keep on delivering excellence to your employer and its clients.
If you really want to make more money, here's my advice:
Find your strength, and build it up to the point that firms are bidding for your talents.
Market yourself. (Admittedly hard when in quarantine.)
Learn some new skills, such as the making the perfect soufflé, or playing guitar.
Start every day with a positive thought, and end each day with some reflection of what you are grateful for.
OH FOR FFS….
Dear Heavy Breather on BlueJeans– I can hear you.
Dear Person feeding your baby on BlueJeans– I can hear you.
You talking to your Client before Hearing over BlueJeans– I can hear you.
Really people come on. Mute.
I got the Nevada Lawyer today, and, per usual, skipped to the Bar Counsel Reports to see if OC on any of my cases had been disbarred. No such luck this month. But what I did see there baffled me. First, you see Terry Wike's suspension of 3 months (technically 2 years, but 21 months of it is stayed). What's the allegation? Oh, just flagrant mismanagement of the trust account. Running a Ponzi scheme with the lienholders (paying Client 1 and lienholders of Client 1 with money received for Client 2). Although I support the reduction of the draconian and punitive measures imposed for similar cases, I have to wonder what's changed.
And, then there's Dennis Prince. Apparently, a partnership dispute gets elevated into a bar grievance when the partner submitting the grievance has substantial political juice in this state.