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Attorney
By
Attorney
Career Profiles of the Profession
Who?
What?
Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields:
Real estate transactions and estate planning and estate administration.
When?
Years in Practice Area:
Since 1978
Years in the Legal Profession:
Since 1978
Where?
Employer:
Self
www.mnjlaw.com
Size/Sector:
Solo
City, State:
Philadelphia PA |
Law School:
Yale (1978)
Other Post-Graduate Education:
CLE, courses at Temple Univ. Law School
Undergraduate School/Degree:
Hunter College/CUNY, B.A. (1975) |
Why?
Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area:
The demand for real estate legal services is very subject to
the economy, and getting clients is a constant challenge, no matter
what state the economy is in.
Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area:
Real property law, contracts, wills, trusts; for my purposes -
basic estate tax (I don't do heavy-duty tax-driven estate planning),
technology (I am my own IT / CIO), and most important, people
skills.
Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice
Area:
Substantive courses in the above areas; join and be active in
Real Property/Probate sections of your bar associations, get to
know realtors, accountants as possible referral sources, after
law school, take CLE and subscribe to list serves and journals
to keep current; volunteer for pro bono assignments to gain experience,
get to know other lawyers, get excellent mentoring, and to just
do good.
How?
Career Path to Current Position:
I worked for 13 years in several business and non-profit areas
after my first year in college, then returned to school to get
my BA so that I could go to law school. In all of those jobs,
I picked up skills and resources that have been useful, if not
critical, to my running my own practice, and being able to empathize
and communicate with all kinds of people. Since law school, I
have worked as an associate in what were then considered "medium"
sized law firms, in-house counsel to a regional commercial bank,
and finally my own practice. Ironically, having my own firm had
been my original goal when I returned to school.
Influences and Mentors:
My parents; Lawyers I worked for/with in my previous life, before
law school, and even some of the lawyers and non-lawyers I've
worked with since law school!
Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area:
DIRT list, ABA-PTL list (ABA section list serves); ABA and NJ
and PA and Phila. Bar Journals.
Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position(s):
Interviewing at law school; culling firm names and contacts within
firms from Martindale-Hubbell; networking with lawyers I knew
in this area (for positions after my first).
Bar Affiliations and Activities:
ABA, PA, NJ and Philadelphia Bar Real Property/Probate sections, Law Practice Management section, Solos/Small Firm Committees - active in some, passive in others; attend conferences of those sections/committees from time to time; I am also currently (2006) the part-time staff attorney with Philadelphia VIP [Volunteers for the Indigent Program] for its "Tangled Title" program, to assist indigent clients in getting pro bono representation to clear title to their homes - this is part of a vacancy/homeless prevention effort.
I was just (June 2006) elected to the Solos and Small Firm Section Council of the PA Bar Association for a 3-year term.
Recent Professional Presentations:
I regularly plan and present CLEs and training for volunteer attorneys - methods of resolving title issues and getting legal title for the rightful homeonwers. This involves probate, Orphans' Court proceedings, and Quiet Title actions. previously, have lectured on automating estate-planning practice.
Memorable Career Moment:
Getting into law school, getting out of law school, having my
own practice, retaining my identity throughout; clients calling
me again and/or referring others to me; helping people who otherwise
wouldn't be able to attain their goals.
Intriguing Interests:
Furniture and space design; technology; problem solving in all
kinds of settings and areas.
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