Product Description

This collection of essays written by The Curmudgeon, offers practical, honest and you need to know this advice for surviving and thriving in a law firm. The book covers the basics of law practice and law firm etiquette, from doing effective research and writing to dressing for success, dealing with staff and clients and building a law practice. Concise, humorous and full of valuable (albeit curmudgeonly) insight, this is a must-read for every newly minted law school graduate or new lawyer.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26911 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

From the Back Cover
The Curmudgeon has been practicing law for just a little too long, and he may be too jaded for his own good. Beneath his crusty exterior, however, lies a fount of wisdom. The Curmudgeon knows everything about the legal profession, and he's willing to share his keen observations from the corner office. He offers practical and honest, if blunt, advice for surviving and thriving in a law firm. He tells you what you need to know about billing, managing your assistant, drafting internal memos, dealing with clients and building your law practice. Read the Curmudgeon and find out what drives law partners crazy, what will impress them and what ten mistakes you should avoid. Concise, humorous and full of valuable (but curmudgeonly) insight, this is a must-read for every lawyer and law student. "The Curmudgeon cuts to the chase about how to practice law successfully. . . .Instructive, insightful, ... and just plain fun!"

-- Gary Garfield, General Counsel, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC.

About the Author
Mark Herrmann graduated from Princeton University in 1979 and The University of Michigan Law School (Order of the Coif, Michigan Law Review) in 1983. After graduation, he clerked for The Honorable Dorothy W. Nelson in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mark practiced at Steinhart & Falconer in San Francisco from 1984 to 1989, when he moved to Cleveland and joined the international law firm Jones Day, where he is now a partner.

Customer Reviews

Note to law students: read this book.
Mr. Herrmann's guide is the most concise, well-written book I've read this year. Its style (and brevity) is reminiscent of Strunk & White's classic volume. I recommended this book without reservation.

Helpful but overpriced
This book has some genuinely helpful tidbits on legal practice, but take a look at the price and realize that it is a mere 135 pages long (disregard the 200 pages listed above) and bear in mind that each page is basically the size of a large index card. If you are expecting something the size of a textbook, you are in for an unpleasant surprise. I think this would be an excellent purchase if it were priced in the $6-$7 range.

Must-Read for Law Graduates
This book is very funny and is a must-read for graduating law students, even if they are not headed for the workplace the curmudgeonly author knows best (the large, top-quality law firm). Beneath the humor there is lots of excellent advice.