- law dawg
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It’s not lost on us that there are few positive mentions of lawyers in the press. There are a lot of lawyers and firms out there who do, have done, and will continue to do, good things without getting any recognition for their efforts. Today’s post is dedicated to calling out people in our profession that are doing good things, or for pointing out what is working or even just to wax poetic about the things you like about being a lawyer in Las Vegas. Who or what made your nice list this year?
(1) The paralegals I work with right now are the best I have ever had. And they are nice people too.
(2) Judge Sturman and all her staff.
(3) The Clark County Bar Association, pretty much everything they do. I loved the CLE’s they put on this year during lunch. They were actually useful and interesting!
(4) I don’t know her name, but the very nice, kind lady at the information desk at the RJC. She is helpful and her smile does more in this dreary world than she realizes.
(5) My clients for trusting me with their problems.
(6) My spouse for not giving up on me even though I have given them many reasons to.
(7) My kids for really trying their best to be their best in spite of my frequent absences because of this profession. My kids are better than I deserve.
(8) All the great restaurants in this town. Thanks for the food and making me fat.
(9) All the opposing counsel who are willing to build camaraderie, speak frankly, problem solve together and when we have to, battle hard.
(10) All the opposing counsel who are not self aware and can be easily baited and exploited. If you’re not going to be in (9), I’m glad you’re here although I know that you don’t really know where “here” is. Which is kind of the point.
(11) Most judges have really good, helpful staff. I would murder people if I had to deal with all the bullshit they do.
(12) The lady that cleans our office. She does a great job and is always so upbeat.
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Barbara Buckley and her team work hard every day to expand access to justice. We are truly lucky to have them.
Respectfully disagree to the extent they seek to enlarge their bureaucracy at expense of those they claim to serve. See prior comments on cabal.
There is an appearance that LACSN is building an empire. There is money to build a giant office building and pay LACSN staff.
Having represented LACSN clients in District Court litigated matters, the biggest obstacle is that there is no money for discovery, depositions or court fees.
The client can’t pay it, so it fell to me not only to provide free legal services (me, staff, rent etc) but also to cover costs. If you expect the client to be grateful, you will be disappointed. I did get a hug one time.
Gratitude is a big deal to me. But with LACSN clients, I think it’s important to keep a few things in perspective. They generally don’t have the ability to comprehend the extent of the gift they have been given. I don’t mean that in a demeaning way, or to insult their intelligence. What I do mean is that the world where depositions cost thousands of dollars, where an attorney costs tens of thousands of dollars is so foreign and alien to them, that they simply cannot contextualize all of it. Even a grateful LACSN client doesn’t really understand what they have been given. In some ways, it reminds me of my kids. They don’t really understand what I give them because they have no contextual experience. And that’s really all right. So that leaves us in a position where we do a good thing and we are really the only ones that understand the nature and extent of the good thing. And we should keep doing those good things even though the recipients almost certainly don’t understand it. That is ok. If you are religious, it is actually a quite pure, sanctified sacrifice. Matt. 6:3 “When you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”
Tithing to God.
Send an invoice of your time noting DO NOT PAY. That way the pro bono client has an idea of what your value and what they are receiving.
well said. We help because it’s the right thing to do. LACSN provides a ton of support on pro bono matters (non-financial) and appreciate the time we do spend helping others.
An empire of what? The downtrodden detritus? LACSN has stepped in where no one else has or would. No one objects to giving the Clark County District Attorney’s Office the entire 301 E. Clark tower as a palatial monstrosity of excess. There seems to be this misconception that LACSN is taking monies out of lawyers’ pockets and food out of their mouths. Who was going to represent CAP cases if LACSN did not put together the program to do it and recruit private attorneys? The Self-Helps Centers? Organized by LACSN.
Us old timers will remind you of the days when certain judges drafted attorneys out of the front rows to represent pro ses and when District Court was hours of pro ses clogging up District Court. In an ideal world we would not need LACSN; that is not a realistic world however.
Hmmm.. you overstate the matter. Legal aid as a concept is good. That’s not what folks are complaining about.
No I hear what people are complaining about (bureaucratic creep, relentless marketing for pro bono, false perception that LACSN is a cash cow, lavish banquet where you are expected to pay money to be seen, contradictory complaints that LACSN and its staff do both too much). What I never hear is alternatives. “LACSN should be smaller.” OK then who should pick up the CAP cases? Clark County? That cannot happen and would be additional tax dollars. Who is going to teach community legal classes? EJDC? Never happened in 30 years before LACSN took it on. Who is going to represent wards is guardianship matters? That would mean filing fees or tax dollars going up again to finance Self-Help and those legal resources.
Trust me I get this. Barbara Buckley has been incredibly effective in using the bully pulpit of coercion and shame. My politics could not be more opposite of Barbara’s. But good. Good for legal community. Good for our Southern Nevada community. Good for us that we have legal aid resources.
Someone below compares LACSN to USAID. Even though funded quite a bit more independently than that, its a great comparison in many ways because gutting LACSN would be pennywise and pound upon pound foolish.
Gubment cheese funds it. Thems my taxes.
They are the USAID to the Clark County Legal system
I don’t get Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Tried to refer clients to them. When do clients ever get to see a lawyer. So many of their attorneys don’t actually do any legal work and represent clients. Seems like very lawyer that works there is not a full member of the Nevada Bar. They get admitted on Motion/Application with a special number–no bar exam. Not fair. They have no trouble recruiting folks to work there. They are not rural. They need to close that exception and have them step up like everyone else.
This one goes out to my former colleagues in the AG’s office. While the office has its share of lazy ne’er-do-wells (like any political office does), there are a lot of smart, kind, and dedicated lawyers and staff working there on behalf of citizens who never give them the slightest consideration. They’re underpaid and under-recognized, but to those who keep showing up despite it all, you’re on my nice list.
Part of the problem with the AGs office is their clients. Some of the various state department directors are unhinged, leaving their poor AGs with some doozies to defend.
I support Ford’s political philosophy but anyone who has worked with him comes away unimpressed. I would have to vote for him if the only choice was a right wing Trumpster.
Sebrina Raetz is awesome!
I second/third/fourth that. Pleasant to work with anytime I’ve had any issues with a medicaid claim in a probate matter.
My divorce attorney saved me and my kids’ lives this year. I can never repay that debt, but if I have ever helped a client feel even one iota as supported as I’ve been, I am grateful for that opportunity as an attorney.
If you’re reading this and wondering if you can get out: you can. You don’t know who is there for you until you call out for help. And if colleagues, friends, or family reject you, be glad they showed you their true colors so that you don’t invest in those relationships.
If you’re reading this and someone you know is struggling or you hear that they have something difficult going on in their lives, know that even the text saying, “I don’t know what to say but I’m here and you don’t have to even reply, just thinking of you” means more to them than you know.
Name
Liam Hemsworth
I like being a lawyer. I like thinking through a case or matter and enjoy it when the light bulb goes on and I see a better solution. I like being able to help people, which sometimes gets in the way of asking to be paid. I sometimes wonder how it would be to be in a different profession but always come back to the realization that lawyering is where I belong. Hope Y’all have a Merry Christmas and safe New Years Eve.
1. I’ve had good experiences with Judges Kierney, Gall, Reynolds and Barisich this year in EJDC. I was impressed with their preparation and rulings.
2. I have had a couple of complicated cases with Judge Navarro in federal court this year that she was able to manage relatively smoothly and come to what were fair and accurate decisions under the law.
3. I don’t practice family law, but I see Judge Gordon at many of the events I volunteer at. I also frequently see Justice Lee at these same events. It’s good to see judges out there willing to give back to the community–especially the aspiring legal community.
4. I think the supreme court has been a little more proactive recently. One of my constant complaints has been that they avoid giving us good case law–forcing appeals into the mandatory settlement program or issuing uncitable opinions–which adds a lot of expense to litigation because of the uncertainty on many issues of law. But they’ve been taking on bigger issues, taking up writs on important issues, exercising some level of supervision over district court judges, and issuing more citable opinions it feels like this year and for that I’m grateful.