Law And More

Age - Banning Media From Citing It, Without Specific Reason

There was a time when media, such as the local newspaper, would automatically cite the race of those covered.

Typical was "John Abraham, a black male, was arrested in the Journal Square area, Jersey City, New Jersey, for public intoxication." That was routine in my hometown paper, the Jersey Journal.

Eventually that was stopped.

Currently, just as pernicious is the citing of age, without any specific reason.

For example, coverage of Jane Pauley's new job as "Sunday Morning" anchor notes her age: 65. How intrusive and unnecessary. Also, since there is age bias in America, from the get-go, it could work against her.

Of course, there might be reason to mention age. An athlete has a fatal heart attack when she is 27.  A minor is lost in the woods. An advocacy group is campaigning against the eviction in San Francisco of a couple, ages 87 and 89.

Aside from that, we who make the news should be free from the burden of being positioned and packaged in terms of our age.

Brad Pitt Lawyers Up

More and more becomes at stake in the Angelina-Brad split-up.

At first, it just seemed like the legal issues would focus on the distribution of money. However, no fan of either or both was too concerned about that. After all, the couple is known to have created a pre-nup agreement when they tied the knot 2 years ago.

Also, there was the issue of getting some action on the side. But that is common in Hollywood. However, some were taken aback that Angelina was not "enough" for Brad.

But, now the situation darkens.

Angelina has accused Brad of alleged child abuse on a plane trip. The FBI has reported that it is investigating the matter. At stake can be Brad's ability to stay out of prison and his brand as a good guy we pay money to see in the movies. Until now, his persona has been a genial one. In addition, we respected his acting talent.

No surprise, as LawNewz reports, Brad has hired lawyer to celebrities such as Charlie Sheen - Lance Spiegel. He specializes in family law. That umbrella practice includes divorce and custody issues.

It is often personal matters which can end a career. Recall how much-loved Eddie Fisher was dropped by his fans when he left America's sweetheart Debbie Reynolds for Liz Taylor. The latter went on to drop him. Her career continued to flourish. His never recovered. His image as a good guy outweighed his talent. So, he couldn't leverage a comeback on performance art.

Angelina, The Good Mother, currently has the upper hand in the battle for support from myriad constituencies.

In addition to the top-notch legal representation, Brad needs a powerhouse public relations agency. A woman scorned, we know from Mia Farrow, can be relentless in ongoing attempts to destroy the brand of a former lover.

DigStream Investigations, Portland, OR - Assist with Investigations

Here are details and how to apply.

Courthouse News, Holbrook, AZ - Courthouse Researcher

Here are details and how to apply.

Happy Clappy - Lawyers Don't Have to Fear This Movement

In the "Schumpeter" section of the current edition of The Economist there is coverage of Happy Clappy.

That is essentially the belief system that positive makes for happy and happy is always good. Currently both human resources policies in some organizations and interaction with customers embody happy clappy.

For example, at work, the environment is structured to motivate employees' experiencing a sense of well-being. There may be even be a Chief Happiness Officer. Those on the front lines serving customers - in-person, online, or on the phone - are trained to exude positive feelings. Those range from smiles (over the phone it's the smile in their voice) to wishing the customer a happy rest of their day.

It's debatable if happy clappy significantly improves employee performance or the bottom line. Also, observers wonder if all the energy invested by employees in happy clappy can precipitate burnout. When I handled the hospitality industry's calls to the front desk, that smile in the voice wore me out. I might not have quit so early in the game if I could have just managed the calls in a business-like way.

Lawyers in law firms probably don't have to fear that this movement will become organizational policy.

After all, the system is essentially up or out. That isn't a fertile setting for happy clappy to take root. In interfacing with clients and pitching to prospects, the  worst of happy clappy - smiles and over the moon optiism - would be counterproductive. The law business is about solving problems, many of them serious. A positive tone could be a good fit. But not much more than that. Clients and prospects are reassured by caution. It is all too easy winding up in prison, paying out big in a verdict, fine, or settlement, or becoming the victim of bad press. 

One lawyer, shrewd about persona, told me the best way to present yourself both internally and externally when practicing law is with a poker face. 

Bridgegate Trial - David Wildstein Depicts Christie Administration as Favor Bank

There is a phrase which bounces around both networking theory and practice: The Favor Bank.

I first came across it in the early 1990s, when I read Bob Dilenschneider's book "Power and Influence." It positioned and packaged making deposits into The Favor Bank and few withdrawals as a primary networking strategy.

On the stand as witness for the prosecution in the Bridgegate trial, David Wildstein essentially describes the Christie Administration as operating The Favor Bank. A priority was to have state Democratic leaders and office holders switch over to the GOP. Here is coverage in New York Magazine.

Wildstein entered a guilty plea to having been the mastermind of Bridgegate. That involved two felony  counts of conspiracy. The plan was impeding the flow of Fort Lee, New Jersey traffic on the George Washington Bridge. By that time, the Christie Administration has shifted from dispensing goodies to putting on the muscle. The Democratic Fort Lee mayor had not come to the party, literally.

Of course, since Wildstein is struggling to reduce the penalty for his own criminal activity in Bridgegate, he is not entirely credible. However, if he is believed and if others testifying back up what he is saying, Christie could become a liability to Donald Trump. And Christie could be banished from the Magic Kingdom of power.

Currently, Christie is heading the possible transition initiatives should Trump make it to the White House. But, as testimony continues in the trial, Trump might have to replace him - in a very public manner. Could that finish Christie? Maybe in politics. However, he could return to practicing law. With his contacts, he could be a very useful advisor and advocate for clients.

Injury Law Firm, Las Vegas - Legal Assistant

Here are details and how to apply.

Large Law Firm, Los Angeles - Digital Marketing Specialist

Here are details and how to apply.

MLex, D.C. - Anti-Trust Reporter/Researcher

Here are details and how to apply.

New Business Development/Closing Sale - Learning from Kardashian Buisness Model

In the staid legal sector, there is frequently a gap between changing market realities and what law firms (of all sizes) are doing to develop and close new business.

If they have suffered enough  from the not-enough-business syndrome they may have broken open to considering doing their marketing and closing differently. One model for all that is how the wildly successful the members of the Kardashian clan operate.

Insight on their business model comes from the 2016 book "Kardashian Dynasty" by Ian Halperin. An investigative reporter, he used both undercover methods and standard interviewing tactics to bring to the surface the success formula the Kardashians use. If it had to be summed up in two words, those would be "relentless hustle."

To some, the Kardashians may seem to be a goofy rich bunch, addicted to pleasure, ranging from partying to convenient sex. But Halperin shows that this is a well-oiled machine overseen by Mama Bear Kris Jenner.

She rules, although the next generation members such as Kim are being kept on a longer leash. Kris and the major players rise at 5 A.M. and often go at it until 3 A.M.

All, going back to patriarch lawyer, Robert who participated in the O.J. Simpson Dream Team defense, seem to have a natural gift for sensing what could produce profits. Not that there haven't been clunkers along the way. But their focus is on profit, not passion. All lawyers have to become more hard-nosed about what niches are profitable. That might mean apprenticing to learn a practice which is new for them.

However, those good ideas, such as for a reality show, wouldn't actually have produced profits if they didn't also understand what counts in business. Here are they key tactics:

• Branding. From the get-go, they knew they had to create unique space. That was the Kardashian brand. Then they had to protect it as well as expand it. To do that they had to size up and exploit the attributes of each player. In a sense they were positioning and packaging themselves like P&G, which is the umbrella brand for diverse products, including Tide.
• Play nice. They were able to triumph over the domination of the  young-girl market segment by Paris Hilton without her even realizing they would be a threat.
• Forget trying to be consistent. On the one hand, their message is that all bodies (and big butts) are fine. On the other hand, they marketed a weight-loss product (which they ditched because of regulatory problems).
• Transform adversity into opportunity. When one member screws up, they hand that over to the press as a way of getting even more attention. Some market segments want bad girls and bad boys.
• Cut losses fast. Their credit card was nothing but trouble. They exited that without blinking an eye.
• Be excessive. For them, there is no such entity as too much publicity.

From what Halperin presents in his book, the dynasty does not seem to consist of the kinds of people we would want in our lives as close friends. But it is likely they don't care about that. They are self-absorbed and require lots of money to maintain their lifestyle. And that's it. They make no apology. Lawyers might be equally ruthless in their signature image.