Bernard P. Wolfsdorf, PLC Bernard P. Wolfsdorf, PLC, the seventh-largest immigration firm in the United States, with offices in Santa Monica and New York, was founded nearly 20 years ago by the firm's namesake, Bernard P. Wolfsdorf. Throughout his career, Wolfsdorf has been honored in several capacities, including inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2006 as well as Chambers USA 2006 and Chambers... (98 views)
Your Lawyer and Your Best Friend: Howard K. Stern Right now, he is the most popular lawyer-turned-best-friend-turned-lover of the late Anna Nicole Smith. Many say that he was just her lawyer/gofer/coat hanger, but he says they were in love. Howard K. Stern is not like many lawyers out there. As he has shared the spotlight with Smith for the last decade or so, his role as her lawyer has bled onto his personal life and... (666 views)
Depression in the Law Profession Everyone knows that law is a time-consuming, stressful, and sometimes-draining profession, but can it really get the best of someone? With overwhelming evidence that proves lawyers are at higher risk for depression, substance abuse, and suicide than those in most other professions, young and old lawyers alike need to know that there is help available and that they are by... (404 views)
No Need for Mentors: Summon Your Posse! (And Turn the ''In Posse'' into the ''In Esse.'') Here is a quick test to determine your generational orientation. When you think of a ''posse,'' does your mind conjure up the image of 20 to 30 ranchers, all armed and eager to perform their civic duty, rounding up horse thieves? Or do you envision eight or so of your closest friends, all wearing terribly expensive clothes designed to look like Goodwill cast-offs and... (36 views)
Calling All Psychic Employers There are millions of possible ways for any candidate to phrase descriptions of past positions, and most of them are perfectly acceptable when taken at face value. Unfortunately, sensible grammar and solid phrasings do not always equal a strong sense of cognitive understanding on the other end. As I have said before, everything in your resume and cover letter should be... (8 views)
See Opportunities Where Others See Obstacles If you are looking for a job, one of the most important things you can do is see opportunities where others see huge obstacles. Most of the world sees huge obstacles to everything. There are always obstacles to anyone and everyone doing the absolute best that can be done. If you want to get the best possible job and go as far as possible in your career, then you need to... (319 views)
How to evaluate if the offer is good? Question: I need your help with how to best negotiate an offer I have. I am a third-year corporate associate focusing exclusively on mergers & acquisitions. I have an offer from another firm to join their corporate securities practice. Because I've focused on M&A, I don't have any real securities experience yet, but I think I can get up to speed pretty quickly, and based... (16 views)
Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP, is comprised of 180 members located in numerous cities across the United States, including New York and Los Angeles. The firm has several practice areas, including securities, antitrust, insurance, consumer, environment, and public-health class actions. The firm boasts a varied staff that includes attorneys ''who left... (421 views)
Taming the Corporate Sharks: Securities-Law Master Bill Lerach ''I suppose everyone would love to be loved, but I gave up on that a long time ago,'' said lawyer William S. Lerach, who goes by Bill. Criticized for being one of the ''most loathed men in Silicon Valley,'' he has built his entire law career on fighting for the little guys and bringing corporate cheaters to justice. As one of the country's leading securities lawyers,... (79 views)
Protecting Your Privacy in Law and the Judiciary Privacy protection has been an issue on everyone's mind for years. But for lawyers and judges, it can be an even more serious issue—especially when you have scorned criminals, felons, and other courtroom losers displeased with their verdicts on the prowl. With invasion of privacy and violent threats rampant in the judiciary and legal world, certain measures must be taken... (14 views)
Attorneys Kick Addictions with Help from The Other Bar Stress is a routine part of lawyers' work. In fact, 20 to 25 percent of lawyers suffer from stress so severe it impairs their practices, according to an American Bar Association (ABA) survey. Such extreme pressure sometimes leads lawyers to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. (2059 views)
Following Up on Your Career First impressions can be everything for any employer, but that does not mean, under any circumstances, that additional contact is worthless. It is time to discuss how to keep that amazing first impression going—or even improve upon the image of yourself you have already created in the eyes of an employer. (9 views)
Avoid the Dangers of Getting Jobs Through Friends and Family ''Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure.'' —Tacitus (c.55-120 A.D.) (8869 views)
Stephen Martin Thinks Outside the Box as General Counsel for Corpedia, Inc. Stephen Martin believes that a successful general counsel needs to have the ability to think outside the box and to be proactive. (5 views)
Should a resume be only one-page long? Question:I am a second-year associate, and I want to find a new job. I've always read that resumes should not exceed one page. Do you agree? (B.A., Washington, DC) (44 views)
The Life and Career of Richard Costigan of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Rose to the Challenge as One of Governor Schwarzenegger's Top Aides When Richard Costigan graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Alabama in 1991, he never dreamed that a mere 12 years later he would be one of the top aides to the governor of one of the largest states in the union. From November 2003 to November 2006, Costigan served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Affairs Secretary for California Governor... (760 views)
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, prides itself on offering boutique-type, specialized services with a commitment to clients. In addition, the firm is ''deeply committed to diversity, to public service, to involvement in the communities [it] serves, and to excellence in all [it does].'' (841 views)
The Life and Career of Mario Torres of Torres Benet, P.A. When controversial and risque photos of now-former Miss Nevada Katie Rees were leaked to the press late last year, her attorney, Mario Torres of Torres Benet, P.A., in Tampa, FL, was catapulted into the spotlight. After Donald Trump's recent decision to grant a reprieve to Miss USA Tara Conner, who admitted to underage drinking in New York bars, Torres is determined to get... (705 views)
A Career Audit for Associates In the nine years that I have been in the recruiting business, I have spoken to literally hundreds of associates about their careers. Through these conversations, I have noticed a number of repeating themes (concerns about how to achieve work/life balance, decreasing interest in partnership, etc.). (6 views)
''Coming Out'' Before the Courtroom Although acceptance of homosexuality has come light-years since the period before the 1970s, many existing social stigmas still stand in the way of the realization of a completely equal and nondiscriminatory society and workplace. (170 views)
Extra! Extra! Law Firms Battle For Top Pay Hike As Giddy Associates Cheer Them On Biglaw starting salaries flatlined over the last five years but recently have begun showing signs of life. Last year, top New York firms raised salaries by roughly $10,000 to $150,000, with many DC firms boosting salaries from $125,000 to $135,000 or $140,000. While not a substantial increase, the ripple effect was felt as far away as Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville, as... (16 views)
The Life and Career of Laura Wasser: Divorce Attorney to many Hollywood Stars She's served celebrity clients ranging from Britney Spears to Angelina Jolie to Nick Lachey. Yes, when the million-dollar wedding and honeymoon buzz are over and US Weekly starts running photos of your beloved hanging out with 20-year-old starlets in New York nightclubs, you might want to consider calling up Laura Wasser. Wasser, a hip, high-profile Los Angeles divorce... (3623 views)
Employment Patriotism For years, applicants have been utilizing objectives at the tops of their resumes or cover letters in attempts to grab organizations' attention and create appeal. Unfortunately, with advances in the hiring process and the large growth of the population in general, those doing the hiring have a lot more applicants to pick from, and an objective for career growth just will... (7 views)
Lorraine Koc Does a Lot of Everything as Vice President and General Counsel of Deb Shops, Inc. Lorraine Koc has spent almost her entire legal career working in-house. For more than 20 years, she has served as General Counsel for Deb Shops, Inc., a national retail clothing chain for teenage and pre-teen girls. Koc decided early on that building an in-house career would be more satisfying than working at a law firm; she left prominent law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, in... (25 views)
Trial Attorney Glenn V. Whitaker Takes Charge as Partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP Cincinnati-based trial lawyer Glenn V. Whitaker has had a long and distinguished legal career and is recognized as one of the top litigators in his field. He worked as Special Litigation Counsel for the United States Department of Justice for four years and has litigated a broad spectrum of cases over the course of his career. He is also a member of the American Board of... (417 views)
Wasser, Cooperman & Carter You can't say the name ''Wasser, Cooperman & Carter'' without envisioning images of Hollywood's most glamorous and highly publicized couples. The firm, which was founded in 1984, is located in Los Angeles and specializes in family law, divorce, custody, marital property settlements, support, and jurisdictional family law. Some of the 10-member firm's high-profile clients... (467 views)
The Life and Career of Robert Shapiro, Considered the Lawyer of the Century He's the world's best-known criminal defense lawyer. With a ''who's who'' client list and a career that skyrocketed in the mid-1990s when he got involved in the ''trial of the century,'' Robert Shapiro has become a household name. (31391 views)
Can a legal career run in a the family for three decades? Ever wonder what it's like to grow up in a family full of attorneys? Kfir Luzzatto and John Pendleton could tell you. Both of them said that having a tradition of law in their families instilled in them love and respect for the legal profession. (5 views)
Mesothelioma: A Thriving Practice Area Although it was thought to be an ideal building component for many years, asbestos, an inexpensive and flexible material used in cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation, was demonstrated to cause some serious health conditions in the 1970s. This resulted in its ban in 60 countries worldwide in 1978. (48 views)
Nothing about you can be kept hidden from your employers For some reason, there is this crazy idea floating around that portraying yourself in the best possible light also means saying whatever you need to say to get the job. I would like to submit that this idea could not be further from the truth. (7 views)