Gender: Female
Industry: Law
Age: Unknown
Location: Undisclosed

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Challenging the stereotypes

I don’t really expect to find law firms owned by women everyday and everywhere.  But, I do wish for greater women representation within the firm fraternity.  So, you can’t blame me for feeling a duty to appreciate the courage of these African-American women lawyers who are running a successful law firm – the Ghatt Law Group.  Their arguments on behalf of their client, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, led the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to levy a staggering $ 24 million fine against Univision on March 27 – the largest fine yet imposed upon a broadcaster by the FCC.  Univision, a big broadcaster, had top ranking law firms like Shaw Pittman and Hogan & Hartson on its payroll, but the women from Ghatt Law Group turned up besting the best and being better. 

Three women from large law firms decided in 2005 to strike out on their own and formed the Ghatt Law Group in Washington, DC.  In the fiercely competitive market of Washington, DC it was a step full of uncertainties. But, hard work and determination have seen them through.  Today, the Ghatt Law Group has been successful in carving out a niche practice catering to the communications industry.  Recently, they successfully represented Bakewell Media of Louisiana in acquiring a radio station.  The founding partners of the firm are Janeba Jalloh Ghatt from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLC, Nicolaine Lazarre from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, and Fatima Fofana from Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP.

In the press release issued on July 7, 2005 during the birth of the firm, principal Janeba Ghatt had viewed, “the legal field is run by white men in their 50’s.”  She went on to say, “Because there are still barriers out there for minorities and women trying to succeed in the profession, it is almost by necessity more so than choice that more of us are striking on our own and opening firms.”

Takes courage to say that, determination to carry that vision forward, and competence to achieve what they have done.  These women seem destined to become role models for others who feel the same way.  I can feel that in my bones.

 

05-22-2007

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Pre-paid legal services

In a welcome trend that can afford stable income and employment opportunities for a lot of small or average lawyers in the profession, pre-paid legal services are establishing in the market.

Hyatt Legal Plans, ARAG® North America, National Legal Plan, and Legal Services Plan of America are a few of the well known providers of pre-paid legal services in the market.  But they are facing tough competition from a company which has decided to fuse its services with its name – Pre-Paid Legal Services.  On a paltry sign-up amount of $20 a month, customers become entitled to a predetermined amount of legal services from local lawyers.  Standard plans include things like preventive legal services, IRS audit services, and, here’s the line, - 25 % discount on legal services not covered by the plans.

In effect, companies like these are turning out to be common marketers for local lawyers and providing a stable stream of income and clients.  Legal services have started to reap the benefits of multi-level marketing with pre-paid plans.  If you are a newcomer in the field, or solo, or planning to go solo, then tying up with companies like these may give you the boost you need to establish yourself.

05-21-2007

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Some people are getting jealous of the deserving

Hi folks.  This week, Ann Althouse over at ALTHOUSE (http://althouse.blogspo t.com/) put me in a rare good mood with her bout of Greenwald bashing titled “I cursed my fate because I had no shoes, and then I met a man who had no feet.” Superb!  Her surgical dissection of Greenwald’s writing is interesting reading and will give you some nice insights on blogging.

To move forward, I have found something that will interest everybody in practice.  The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals now has a wiki!  And it contains a practitioner’s handbook too!  Guided by Judge Frank Easterbrook, the wiki will lead counsel through the appellate process and also provide access to opinions, rules, and information of Seventh Circuit cases and procedure.  Check out the May 11 post at “V.U. LAWCITY – THE VALPO LAW BLAWG.  (http://www.v alpolawlibrary.blogspot.com/)  I ardently wish that other circuits, too, would pick up the healthy trend.

Moreover, this week, the U.S. government has issued an executive order that will stop the hiring of contingent-fee attorneys by U.S. Government agencies.  I came to learn about that at Overlawyered.  (http://overlawyered.com/ )  Seems the government wants no more to give the money of the poor to the deserving (the contingent-fee lawyers).  That is quite against the hallowed traditions of spending government money.  The Institute for Legal Reform seems to be encouraging the states to follow this hideous trend and join in the campaign to impoverish attorneys.  (I don’t know why, but it seems that failed lawyers jealous of practicing attorneys have assumed power on earth).

05-18-2007

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Graduate in History makes history at law firm

Now, this is real news.  Lori Alderman, a history graduate, who never found that teaching job she had been looking for, has made it to the top of a Pittsburgh law firm.  And she is going to be the only female Chief Operating Officer in the Pittsburgh law firm fraternity.

Lori, who graduated from West Virginia University and did her master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, wanted to be a teacher.  Failing to find an opening that met her needs, she ventured into marketing.  Before joining Meyer Unkovic & Scott, she did marketing for a radio station and also for Animal Friends and the Animal Rescue League.  She has been working at Meyer Unkovic & Scott for the last nine years and her previous position in the firm was that of director of client relations.

It shows guts and hard work to climb up to the top of a 75-year-old law firm, while being a non-lawyer and a working mother with a 5-year-old son and another child happily due this month.  Her promotion shows a lot about her law firm too.

05-17-2007

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Hate-crime legislation: More categories, more complications

The Constitution identified only three crimes: treason, counterfeiting, and piracy.  The Congress has added 4,000 offenses to the list, making it complex and duplicative.

Recently, the House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, H.R. 1592.  The Bill now awaits action in the Senate.  If it becomes law, it would replace the existing laws punishing doers of the underlying crimes.

The Bill widens the scope of the existing federal hate-crime law by including crime motivated by a victim's sexual orientation.  It also provides federal help to local and state law enforcement agencies to prevent and act against hate crimes.  

However, under the Bill, it would no more be "equal justice for all."  It would also mean different penalties for the same crime depending on the category of the victim.  A criminal will be punished more severely for killing a person from the specified segment than the one who kills any other not belonging to this "protected" category.  By awarding special status on certain groups, HR 1592 scorns the principle of equality before the law.
Hate-crime laws have been around for over a decade — only seven states haven't passed them — and yet there is no evidence suggesting reduction in the occurrence of bias-motivated crime.

Hate-crime legislation has certain merits, but it also poses questions.  First, it judges a crime on the basis of the motivation.  Isn’t it too complex to assess the mental state of a criminal?  Secondly, it questions distribution of responsibility between the state and national governments.

In my view, the new hate-crime legislation typifies moral exhibitionism.  The more categories will make matters more complicated.  Ideally, law should not discriminate criminals on different pretexts.  In law, what matters most is the act, not the beliefs.

05-16-2007

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