How Many Cases Is Too Many?

  • Law

  • Panish, Shea & Boyle are representing the parents of special needs students in an abuse suit against CCSD. [8NewsNow
  • Suspected boogaloo trio gets trial pushed back by months. [RJ]
  • Counties want open meeting law exceptions for projects with environmental impacts. [Nevada Current]
  • A couple of our commenters had important questions that didn’t get many responses yesterday: 

    Question 1: How long should you practice before you are competent to take a pro bono case? I would love to volunteer my time and help people out, but I am a pretty new attorney and honestly do not feel I am competent/qualified/knowledgeable on anything other than the very narrow area of law I have been exposed to at my firm.       

    Question 2: How many cases is too many? I’m in ID and I have over 50 cases. All but 5 or so are in litigation and most have damages of at least ($100k). I’m not a partner either.

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Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 7:14 pm

Q1: If you know anyone in the area of law you're taking a pro bono case, ask a more experienced attorney if they'd go over the case with you to strategize and ask them for forms. Or if you're taking cases through a pro bono agency like LACSN, ask their attorneys for assistance.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 7:16 pm

In my experience 50 seems to be a sweet spot for ID under the described conditions in the question. Yes it is a lot of work but I have found you need that to hit your billing requirements and survive arbitrary insurance company cuts. I would suggest to make sure you have a good system in place for the various stages of your case and to ensure deadlines are not missed. A good paralegal or assistant also crucial but obviously hard to come by. Also make sure your clients are aware what is going on. It is a grind but doable.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 8:45 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Completely disagree that 50 cases is doable even with a good secretary and paralegal 100% devoted to the cases. Furthermore, no ID is going to have a secretary or paralegal devoted to one attorney. 11:16 AM is probably some "equity" partner at an ID firm that doesn't give a rat's behind about anything other than hours and realization rates.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 8:55 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Do you mean to imply that there is something other than hours and realization rates? Please do tell.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 9:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Re 12:55: Quality of work. Not committing malpractice. Sanity. Low employee turn-over come to mind fairly qickly.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 9:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

We only have about 6-7 cases per attorney at my office.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 10:33 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@ 1:22
Hey, where to I apply for work?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 10:42 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Back in the day, when I was employed doing med mal defense, 40 cases was about the right number. One secretary for two lawyers, no paralegals.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 12:05 am
Reply to  Anonymous

2:33 – you don’t apply. We find you if you are qualified. Skull and bones style.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 8:58 pm

Personally, I think physical discipline is tremendously useful, especially for non-binary units that identify as small males. That matters not, because CCSD is represented by attorneys who average 2.5 on a 1-10 scale. PSB is all 10s. CCSD should save its money and just write a huge check now.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 9:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Main players are 10’s.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 9:26 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

The use of 10 in the same paragraph as "non-binary" is really throwing me for a loop.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 10:38 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Binary numbers are made up of only Os and 1s.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 10:38 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I don't understand this post. Is OP advocating for physical abuse against small males? Small trans people? This seems weird and abusive. Why was non-binary brought up?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 12:05 am
Reply to  Anonymous

I think OP was acknowledging that there are more sexes/genders than male and female. Hence the binary (0 and 1) reference. Even though the entire internet and all computer programing can be boiled down to 0 and 1, Nonbinaryfleshkind cannot be boiled down to patriarchal labels of "male" and "female."

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 12:13 am
Reply to  Anonymous

So OP is being politically correct regarding gender while advocating violence against children? Wow.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 12:51 am
Reply to  Anonymous

OP is knocking CCSD attorney's skills, but who is the PSB that the poster is bragging is a 10? What did I miss?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 1:02 am
Reply to  Anonymous

As any dad can tell you, boys need to get knocked upside the head on occasion. Some more than others. Just as a picture is worth more than a thousand words, a punch in the chest is worth more than a thousand words. Time is money. Efficient management requires efficient methods.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 3:06 am
Reply to  Anonymous

4:51 – start with the guy Panish. Nearly $5 billion verdict in the 90’s. That is billion with a B. The guy Rahul is pretty decent too. Maybe just look them up.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 5:18 am
Reply to  Anonymous

"Nonbinaryfleshkind cannot be boiled down to patriarchal labels of "male" and "female.""
You come to the party with the equipment God gave you. Everything else is a preference. I like watermelon, you like cantaloupe. Doesn't mean we can't get along.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 5:40 am
Reply to  Anonymous

I like bacon.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 9:37 pm

For those of you who practice some Family Law, as you well know we have eleven new judges(all female, by the way) resulting from six newly created seats, four retiring judges being replaced, and one incumbent being defeated.

The new judges are Bailey, Butler, Mastin, Perry, Cutter, Throne, Pickard, Rocheleau; Almase; Charter and Mercer.

Add in two judges appointed over the last year–Gibson and Forsberg, and that runs the number to thirteen– a tremendous amount of new blood on the Family Court Bench.

So, how are some of them performing so far? Any of them hit the ground running? On the other hand, look like some of them will have a really steep learning curve?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 11, 2021 10:18 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Gibson already got sent back to abuse and neglect. Rumor is that the decision was based on his temperament on the bench in domestic cases. He was just mean to litigants and attorneys.
Forsberg appears to be problematic with her behavior on the bench. Lots of yelling. She still takes on the advocate role, not neutral.
Bailey was good as a hearing master, but has issued some odd rulings since she took the bench. I'm holding out hope.
Haven't been in front of Butler, but I hear she has trouble handling a full calendar so that's not promising.
Mastin is scary. When she goes, she goes all the way for one side. It's okay when you're winning, but brutal if she goes against you.
I've heard good things about Perry. I'm shocked, but if she's really doing good, I'll take it. God knows it would be an improvement over the last one in Dept P.
Throne appears to be as expected – smart, prepared, and no nonsense. Have your ducks in a row.
Mercer seems to have the right temperament so I'm hopeful.
No comment or rumors to report on Pickard, Rocheleau, Almase, or Charter. Anyone else?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 5:07 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I was in front of Pickard many times when she was a hearing master. She can be overly picky about procedural things, but that's not exactly a criticism.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
February 12, 2021 12:07 am

Question 1: Practice at least a year.

Question 2: Depends on practice. I know effective ID attorneys who are as overloaded as your average PD or DA.