As I’ve mentioned, I hook into daily abstracts from the New York Law Journal. “Abstract” means I only get to see the curtailed essence of a story, or of a case. (To get the entire thing, I’d have to subscribe to the NYLJ, a very very expensive proposition. Indeed, although all New York law firms do subscribe, a lot of them only carry one subscription and everyone shares it.)<\/p>\n
Today, though, the NYLJ made a valuable reference available to me, ergo, to you. It’s a booklet entitled “Lawyers Who Lead by Example.” (Lawyers Who Lead by Example<\/a>.)\u00a0 In a way, it’s similar to the Super Lawyer booklet <\/a>published by legal publisher Thomson Reuters, given that it’s a select list of lawyers. (Super Lawyer offers editions covering other areas of the country.)<\/p>\n The Super Lawyer publication organizes into legal specialty categories many, many lawyers and law firms whom, they claim, are the “best.” Each year I read through this booklet, concentrating on areas of law with which I have some familiarity (I don’t bother with Aviation and Aerospace, but you probably figured that out), and am annually bewildered that certain lawyers I do know are not, in my estimation, anywhere near “the best.” A lot of them seem to hold tenure on the list.<\/p>\n Although Thomson Reuters does offer a “how we compiled this list” explanation (on page 29, “selection process”), I remain bewildered. Nevertheless, it is one way of looking for a lawyer who’s been chosen as one of the best by some organization. And some of them are, in my merely semi-professional view, the best.<\/p>\n But the NYLJ’s “Lawyers Who Lead by Example” list is a much stronger way of looking for a lawyer, since each lawyer is given a brief biography and an accolade for the work he\/she does. And a lot of these lawyers work pro bono, <\/em>that is, for people who need lawyers but can’t afford them.<\/p>\n So if\u00a0 you can’t afford a lawyer but need legal advice, read through “Lawyers Who Lead by Example.” (You’ll have to expand the pages; there’s a magnifying glass icon for that in the bottom left of your screen.) The several lawyers on this list whom I’ve heard of have wonderful reputations.<\/p>\n The Thomson Reuters Best Lawyers list is a good reference, but be prepared to write out a brief summary of your case before you start calling, so you don’t phumph around verbally. Lawyers (and their staffs) can be impatient creatures.<\/p>\n And brace yourself for a lot of rejection: some law firms\/lawyers won’t even respond to your inquiry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As I’ve mentioned, I hook into daily abstracts from the New York Law Journal. “Abstract” means I only get to see the curtailed essence of a story, or of a case. (To get the entire thing, I’d have to subscribe … Continue reading