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Blog
By Melody Kramer on Monday, June 21, 2010 at 1:58:14 PM
As I stare out the airplane window, my mind runs through all the things to be done. It’s a quick trip. Find a house and head back across the country to finish packing. I have so many things still to do – I haven’t even touched the kitchen and I still need to schedule the utilities. Oh yeah, I also need to finish that paternity action when we land.
I am a military spouse. I am also a freelance paralegal. Why? So I don’t have to give up my career every time we transfer. Lately, that seems to be regularly. . . .
I am a military spouse. I am also a freelance paralegal. Why? So I don’t have to give up my career every time we transfer. Lately, that seems to be regularly. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 12:10:30 PM
Freelancing provides many great benefits - the pride and satisfaction of owning your own business, flexibility in how you accomplish your work, improved work-life balance, amongst others. However, with all the benefits comes all of the burdens of ownership including paying income and employment taxes. Understanding these obligations is important to ensure taxes are paid on time and without stiff penalties from the Internal Revenue Service. . . .
Guest blog, courtesy of NAFLP member attorney Vincent Kan
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By Melody Kramer on Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10:53:47 AM
On May 7, 2010, NAFLP and Lisa Solomon of Legal Research and Writing Pro, responded to the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 Call for Comments regarding Legal Process Outsourcing (Domestic and International). Of particular interest, however, is that the ABA's call for comments contains three pages of questions, none of which addresses freelance lawyers. Furthermore, there is not a single question directed to contract lawyers, those . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 4:41:57 PM
Republished with permission from Lawyer On! The Contract Attorney's Blog by Kimberly Alderman, Lawyerbird Legal Research & Writing
So I saw a fancy dandy JD Supra feed of recent docs on the fabulous Rick Horowitz’s Probable Cause Blog, and I just had to have one for my freelancing website. . . .
So I saw a fancy dandy JD Supra feed of recent docs on the fabulous Rick Horowitz’s Probable Cause Blog, and I just had to have one for my freelancing website. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 12:42:28 PM
Guest blog post, courtesy of NAFLP member Stephanie R. Ellis, J.D.
First, I have to say that I never knew the level of satisfaction involved in working for yourself. I was not one of those people with a deep desire to be an entrepreneur. When I was in law school, I dreamed of getting hired by a decent law firm and doing what was asked of me. I always wanted to succeed at whatever was before me and grow from there. However, things do not always go as planned.
After law school, I started . . .
First, I have to say that I never knew the level of satisfaction involved in working for yourself. I was not one of those people with a deep desire to be an entrepreneur. When I was in law school, I dreamed of getting hired by a decent law firm and doing what was asked of me. I always wanted to succeed at whatever was before me and grow from there. However, things do not always go as planned.
After law school, I started . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 1:56:39 PM
When it comes to increasing inquiries and traffic to your business, the more visitors to your website, the better. Of course, targeted traffic is best and you don't want to drive people to your website in unrelated ways.
That's why we've compiled a list of 17 places that you can list your business online. While there is no charge to list your website . . .
That's why we've compiled a list of 17 places that you can list your business online. While there is no charge to list your website . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 6:32:07 AM
The ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 has made a call for comments regarding Legal Process Outsourcing (Domestic and International).
The 3-page list of questions includes questions for lawyers, law firms, and clients who have outsourced legal work, as well as a series of questions for "providers of legal process outsourcing services." There is no mention of independent legal freelancers.
The 3-page list of questions includes questions for lawyers, law firms, and clients who have outsourced legal work, as well as a series of questions for "providers of legal process outsourcing services." There is no mention of independent legal freelancers.
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By Melody Kramer on Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 8:13:44 AM
Article recommendation from NAFLP member Stacy Lilly - "How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo" - from the Wall Street Journal.
"The consultants and freelancers who are most successful offer a technical skill or expertise that is too expensive or infrequently used for companies to keep in-house. . . . "[F]inding the next assignment cannot be done at the expense of retaining and enhancing these skills. Cutting-edge expertise is vital to long-term professional health." . . .
"The consultants and freelancers who are most successful offer a technical skill or expertise that is too expensive or infrequently used for companies to keep in-house. . . . "[F]inding the next assignment cannot be done at the expense of retaining and enhancing these skills. Cutting-edge expertise is vital to long-term professional health." . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 8:06:45 AM
Two years ago Amanda Mineer and I began building this community of individual legal professionals who had chosen or found themselves working outside of traditional “jobs.” These people, we didn’t know how many, had no idea that they were not alone. They had no idea how many other people across the country worked the same way they did, in the ambiguous world of ghost writing and law firm support. They had no idea that their struggles to learn how to run a business, market their services, and plan their taxes, were shared experiences with others. They had no idea that it was okay to choose to be an entrepreneur and a legal professional, in fact, it was the gutsy way to approach their careers. . . .
Legal outsourcing, scarcely discussed several years ago, has now come to the forefront of discussion in the legal community. Why? Because lots and lots of legal professionals have engaged in the discussion and done their part to assist others. . . .
Legal outsourcing, scarcely discussed several years ago, has now come to the forefront of discussion in the legal community. Why? Because lots and lots of legal professionals have engaged in the discussion and done their part to assist others. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 8:00:45 AM
It has been less than a year since the legal industries pundits were claiming that hourly rates for lawyers would not decline despite the recession and that the traditional billable hour fee structure was not going to change. . . . What a difference a few months makes. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 9:05:35 AM
A recent Fortune magazine article “What It Takes To Be Great” explains what should be obvious to us all. It is not innate, natural-born talent that will determine your success as a legal freelancer; success is achieved through deliberate practice and hard work. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 2:16:24 PM
I’m a lawyer, not a bird!” may be your gut-level reaction to anyone suggesting that legal professions ought to use the social media platform Twitter as part of their professional practice. That was certainly my thought before I read the newly-released “Social Media for Lawyers: Twitter Edition” book by New York lawyer Adrian Dayton. I’ve been convinced otherwise.
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By Melody Kramer on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 6:19:59 AM
Blogging can be an important facet of business development. We at NAFLP know this well. NAFLP was launched in early 2008 into the legal community with a simple blog article entitled "Real Lawyers Don’t Work 80 Hours a Week.” Now NAFLP has well over 500 members and continues to grow every day.
But blogging can be hard some days, and a little expert assistance would be welcome. Grant Griffiths at Blog for Profit is going to provide that expert assistance for FREE in his ...
But blogging can be hard some days, and a little expert assistance would be welcome. Grant Griffiths at Blog for Profit is going to provide that expert assistance for FREE in his ...
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By Melody Kramer on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 11:09:23 AM
Recently I was given a quote from Abraham Lincoln - "The best way to predict your future is to create it." Lincoln knew what he was talking about and . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 1:42:44 PM
"To every person who says 'I hate my job' and has the guts, determination, and prudence to do something rational about it."
This book gives you the tools to analyze your current situation and evaluate various types of career changes . . .
This book gives you the tools to analyze your current situation and evaluate various types of career changes . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Friday, September 4, 2009 at 7:12:45 AM
As a freelancer, you need to be constantly aware of the needs of your law firm clients and be prepared to demonstrate to them why hiring you will make them money. You are not a job applicant begging a law firm to take you "under their wing," and become your sole source of income and benefits. You are a strategic business resource that will help them increase their financial success. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 11:45:21 AM
Dramatic changes in the relationships between law firms and their clients offer the “perfect storm” of opportunity for legal freelancers. The Wall Street Journal has cited Pfizer, Cisco, and American Express as just a few companies intent on reducing the amount of legal fees it pays to its outside law firms. . . .
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By Amanda Mineer on Monday, August 31, 2009 at 12:49:49 PM
In August we conducted a Telecoffee where members shared great tools and resources for the Freelancer. Here is a list of resources you might want to look into.
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By Melody Kramer on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 1:58:10 PM
It seems that corporate America continues to be run by people who are just as sexist and out-of-touch as those who argued that women should not be allowed to vote, who seem to think that women cannot both raise children and be successful in business.
As reported in the Wall Street Journal, in a June 28th speech at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference, former General Electric Co. Chief Executive Jack Welch asserted that women had to choose between taking time off to raise children and reaching the corner office . . .
As reported in the Wall Street Journal, in a June 28th speech at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference, former General Electric Co. Chief Executive Jack Welch asserted that women had to choose between taking time off to raise children and reaching the corner office . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 1:48:18 PM
These two books are excellent reads for women lawyers trying to find work-life balance:
“Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women’s Success in the Law"
"It's Harder in Heels: Essays by Women Lawyers Achieving Work-Life Balance" . . .
“Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women’s Success in the Law"
"It's Harder in Heels: Essays by Women Lawyers Achieving Work-Life Balance" . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Monday, July 13, 2009 at 5:01:18 PM
Here at NAFLP, we have consistently defined a freelance legal professional as an attorney, paralegal, interpreter, court reporter, or other professional that provides services to attorneys or law firms on a non-employee/ independent contractor basis. . . .
Seth Azria, Esq. a freelance lawyer in Syracuse, New York, has recently written several articles . . . "The freelance lawyers I have seen are each a study in innovative marketing and business management." . . .
Seth Azria, Esq. a freelance lawyer in Syracuse, New York, has recently written several articles . . . "The freelance lawyers I have seen are each a study in innovative marketing and business management." . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 10:41:32 AM
“[T]o cut costs during the recession, U.S. businesses increasingly are handing work to less expensive small and midsize firms . . .” reports the Wall Street Journal. Citing a survey done by BTI Consulting Group of 550 large companies, the Journal reports that 38% of law firms hired by these companies were not from the “prestigious” AmLaw 200 list. The reason for this shift? Fees. Pure economics. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 2:41:44 PM
On June 6, 2009, Alan Feuer had an article in the New York Times titled “A Study in Why Major Law Firms Are Shrinking” It is worth a close read . . . A few quotes are as follows:
“As the apocalypse on Wall Street ripples out into the larger economy, a thick red tide is lapping at the once-impregnable foundations of New York’s corporate law firms, threatening to turn the industry — and with it, some iconic city characters — into an endangered species. . . .
“As the apocalypse on Wall Street ripples out into the larger economy, a thick red tide is lapping at the once-impregnable foundations of New York’s corporate law firms, threatening to turn the industry — and with it, some iconic city characters — into an endangered species. . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 4:45:08 PM
NAFLP affiliate, FreelanceLaw, Inc., has launched a newly-updated website and is currently recruiting additional freelance legal professionals to post their profiles on its nationwide, qualification-searchable database – www.freelancelaw.com. Many NAFLP members . . .
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:54:18 PM
The current economic downturn has served to disclose more and more examples of why the large law firm practice model should be discarded, in lieu of smaller, more nimble, legal freelancers and law firms. While the business world struggles to adapt . . .
(originally published 5/15/09)
(originally published 5/15/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:52:58 PM
The interest in legal freelancing is gaining momentum as reflected in major periodicals publishing articles about this segment of the legal industry. In the past week, NAFLP co-founders were each cited in articles published by the American Bar Association and the National Law Journal. . . .
(originally published 5/7/09)
(originally published 5/7/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:52:02 PM
There are many misconceptions about legal freelancing on the internet, so much so that I am compelled, again, to explain the fundamental differences between “freelance legal professionals” and other things such as “contract attorneys.” . . .
(originally published 4/14/09)
(originally published 4/14/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:50:16 PM
I recently watched a dog show and found myself intrigued by the pomp and circumstance of the entire process. Dogs combed and brushed and primped . . .
Lawyers resumes are managed just like show dogs. . . .
(originally published 2/21/09)
Lawyers resumes are managed just like show dogs. . . .
(originally published 2/21/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:48:16 PM
How does a women lawyer achieve distinction as a leader in the legal profession? You might be surprised at the answer that arrived in my mailbox today.
. . .(originally published 1/30/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:45:50 PM
Billable hours have become a vicious task master hanging over lawyers’ heads, encouraging them to abandon all life outside of the office in quest of squeezing the most hours, . . .
(originally published 1/28/09)
(originally published 1/28/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:43:29 PM
Legal education in this country is very expensive. Most students emerging from law school these days are stooping under the weight of a $100K+ student loan burden. They (and their law schools) justify incurring such debt by saying that it will prepare them for . . .
(originally published 1/21/09)
(originally published 1/21/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:41:34 PM
I wanted to share with our readers an article from the CNN website about former high-paid executives of Google who have recently left their high-paying, secure jobs to start their own businesses and work for themselves, despite the uncertain economy. . . .
(originally published 1/9/09)
(originally published 1/9/09)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:38:41 PM
In early 2008, Amanda Mineer and I launched an ambitious project - creating an organization to support and educate freelance legal professionals across the country. We didn't know how many freelance legal professionals were out there, and didn't know how many were embracing freelancing as a meaningful career choice.
We have been pleasantly surprised, and indeed somewhat overwhelmed, at the incredible response to our efforts. . . .
(originally published 11/10/08)
(originally published 11/10/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:37:12 PM
"If success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not live in your heart, it is not success at all." Anna Quindlen
This quote prefaces an interesting . . .
(originally published 10/31/08)
This quote prefaces an interesting . . .
(originally published 10/31/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:36:02 PM
The current turmoil in the U.S. economy should emphasize an important point for freelancers - bigger is not necessarily better. Mega corporations are failing right and left and leaving disastrous consequences in their wake.
Is bigger really better? . . .
(originally published 9/23/08)
Is bigger really better? . . .
(originally published 9/23/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:34:26 PM
Today is Labor Day, an annual celebration of the American worker and the important contribution of labor organizations to this country. What better day is there to rethink the structure of how Americans do their jobs?
Our daily lives have dramatically changed in the last few decades from established structure to flexibility on every level. . . .
(originally published 9/1/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:32:39 PM
What kind of work schedule produces 5 Olympic gold medals (and counting)? According to the phenomenal US swimmer Michael Phelps who has been dominating the swimming competitions in Beijing,. . .
(originally published 8/13/08)
(originally published 8/13/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:29:46 PM
The concept of contract lawyering is foreign to many in the legal profession, but it doesn’t have to be anymore. In the most comprehensive book I have found to date on contract lawyering, "The Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering, What Every Lawyer and Law Firm Needs to Know About Temporary Legal Services" by Deborah Arron and Deborah Guyol, you can get a solid understanding of this segment of the legal industry.
(originally published 7/29/08)
(originally published 7/29/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:24:57 PM
Online networking is all the rage these days, from our own NAFLP Members-Only Forum and open Freelance Legal Professional groups on LinkedIn and Facebook to any number of other online communities. I set out to compile a list of groups that might be of interest to NAFLP members and found more than I ever imagined. Thus . . .
(originally published 7/16/08)
(originally published 7/16/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:22:40 PM
Some law firms are desperately hanging on to traditional ways of doing business, but some are boldly going where no law firms have gone before. I am talking about Davis LLP, a Canadian law firm . . .
(originally published 7/14/08)
(originally published 7/14/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:18:49 PM
Last week, Bruce MacEwan, at the Adam Smith, Esq. blog, joined NAFLP in tackling the question of what constitutes a good attorney – "How High Quality Are Your Lawyers? (How Can You Tell?). He submits that there is “an inability, or at least a failure, of clients to measure quality of legal services. With no real handle on what’s extraordinary work, what’s acceptable work, and what’s unacceptable work, client’s buy the ‘proxy’ of prestige firm, law school pedigree, and yes, high hourly billing rates. . . .” . . .
(originally published 7/8/08)
(originally published 7/8/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 4:12:57 PM
What constitutes “an elite firm”? Why is there a heavily promoted theory that if one does not land a job in a BigLaw they are a lesser lawyer?
“People, this is crap! . . .
(originally published 7/5/08)
“People, this is crap! . . .
(originally published 7/5/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 6:03:04 AM
Ashby Jones at the Wall Street Journal Law Blog has reported about one example of inroads that an innovative law firm has made into well-known large corporations such as Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse Group, Cisco, General Electric, Google, and Xerox. "New Comer Law Firms are Creating Niches with Blue Chip Clients"
“The legal industry isn't known for innovation. But a few upstarts have come up with a business model that challenges the tight grip big law firms hold on corporate business. This new breed of firms is landing blue-chip clients and, in the process, making money.” . . .
(originally published 7/3/08)
“The legal industry isn't known for innovation. But a few upstarts have come up with a business model that challenges the tight grip big law firms hold on corporate business. This new breed of firms is landing blue-chip clients and, in the process, making money.” . . .
(originally published 7/3/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 6:01:14 AM
As little information as there is "out there" about freelancing lawyers and freelancing paralegals, information for freelancer interpreters and translators seems to be even more sparse. . . .
(originally published 7/2/08)
(originally published 7/2/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:59:26 AM
FreelanceSwitch.com, an online community of all types of freelancers, has just published an article titled "Freelancing and the Law" featuring Melody Kramer and the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals.
"Most people think about creative careers when they consider freelancing. But not Melody A. Kramer. She’s the Co-Founder of the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals, and has cracked the code on how legal eagles can break into freelancing, too." Read more at http://www.freelanceswitch.com/. . . .
(originally published 7/2/08)
"Most people think about creative careers when they consider freelancing. But not Melody A. Kramer. She’s the Co-Founder of the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals, and has cracked the code on how legal eagles can break into freelancing, too." Read more at http://www.freelanceswitch.com/. . . .
(originally published 7/2/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:58:04 AM
Just a brief update on my prior post - it seems that Monica Parker's upcoming book has also caught the attention of main stream media. The Wall Street Journal Law Blog has also interviewed Ms. Parker. . . .
(originally published 6/25/08)
(originally published 6/25/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:56:12 AM
How do you know that dissatisfaction with the legal profession has reached an all-time high? When helping lawyers leave the profession becomes its own cottage industry.
That may sound far-fetched, but it is not. (Former) lawyer Monica Parker in Atlanta, Georgia, has done just that in starting her own company – LeavingTheLaw.com. I recently talked with Monica about her company and the reasons for creating it. . . .
(originally published 6/19/08)
That may sound far-fetched, but it is not. (Former) lawyer Monica Parker in Atlanta, Georgia, has done just that in starting her own company – LeavingTheLaw.com. I recently talked with Monica about her company and the reasons for creating it. . . .
(originally published 6/19/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:53:49 AM
In 2005, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a job satisfaction rating of freelancers is dramatically higher than that of temporary workers. In February 2005, there were 10.3 million independent contractors. The majority of independent contractors (82 percent) preferred their work arrangement to a traditional job. In dramatic contrast, on-call workers and temporary help agency workers had only 46 and 32 percent, respectively, preferring their work arrangements.
(originally published 6/18/08)
(originally published 6/18/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:51:59 AM
This morning I found an interesting tool on the JDBliss- Balancing Life and the Law site. Do your own work-life balance and let us know what your results are.
(originally published 5/25/08)
(originally published 5/25/08)
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By Melody Kramer on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 5:48:44 AM
It has been less than two months since Amanda and I officially launched the NAFLP blog and started accepting memberships. The response has been phenomenal and we want to thank all of you for supporting our efforts.
Just to give you a little glimpse of how far word has spread about NAFLP, as of today, our site has been visited by readers in 39 states and 15 countries, including India, Pakistan, Australia, Norway, Canada, Germany, Spain, Russia, and others.
(originally published 5/8/08)
Just to give you a little glimpse of how far word has spread about NAFLP, as of today, our site has been visited by readers in 39 states and 15 countries, including India, Pakistan, Australia, Norway, Canada, Germany, Spain, Russia, and others.
(originally published 5/8/08)
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