Transcript
I love reading your articles, but you paint a dismal picture of what practicing law in large law firms is like. Unfortunately, I believe you are accurate in every respect. What attorney can legitimately work and bill 4,000 hours per year of quality work for clients who are entitled to the very best quality effort, and what ethical partner to pass that time through the system to the client?
This is nothing short of fraud, and it is the parlance of large law firms. I acknowledge that they may be the best and brightest, but it is still unethical and yet continues every day. I'm 44 years practicing law. And my 32 years as general counsel of three different substantial and important companies, which I thoroughly enjoy.
I've sometimes hired and worked with these large law firms. It's almost impossible to turn off the spilling machines, and believe me, I've tried. Sometimes you just need them, but it is a deal with the devil. I hate that I feel this way about the profession, but I'm glad I found a better way to help my clients.
One last thing. Does anyone care about this part of the practice of law? So seemingly, is it all just about the money? I don't think that every large law firm is bad. I'm sorry that I paint a bad picture of some of them. I do think that it can be very difficult for the wrong person.
I think that even small law firms can be bad. I was talking to a very well-known attorney yesterday, that represents several celebrities. He's got this great job and was just offered a job working for one of these celebrities in this pretty good-sized company. And he said that he's going to do it . Because he hates work in a law firm, and he has a small firm. It doesn't necessarily matter the size of the firm, but you're right. They are billing machines, that law firms, and it is hard to turn them off.
it was a very funny cause I've experienced that working with attorneys and small law firms. I think it's up to different types of people. If a large law firm is a good thing or not, I think they are billing machines, but it's like any service.
If you go to a doctor and decide you want to do surgery, what are you going to do? You need good second opinions and so forth and, you need to work with people you trust, but I don't think all large law firms are bad. I certainly don't even think most of them are. I think that there are individual actors inside these law firms, and if a client like yourself is unhappy, they can always speak with their feet.
