The Red Velvet Lawyer

Another Gap  Created by  Retiring Baby Boomer Lawyers Over the last several years, several state and local bar associations have focused on under-served clients living in rural areas.  Twenty percent of the U.S. population resides in rural counties, but only two percent of law practices locate there.   The October 2014 issue of the ABA Journal re-visits the topic again, profiling a number of lawyers practicing in rural North Dakota and South Dakota.  The article, Too Many Lawyers? Not Here. In Rural America, Lawyers are Few and Far Between by Lorelei Laird, gives a general overview of the situation, identifies a number of resources, and suggests the adaptations to rural practice required of young lawyers. An associated podcast is here . Additional states -- including Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, Vermont, Montana, New Hampshire, and Maine -- have started various types of programs designed to encourage younger lawyers to practice in rur...

A Touch of New Orleans  and  the Kentucky Derby Melded for a Charitable Cause Several years ago, our Dean, Lucy McGough, joined us after having lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana most of her academic career.  Soon, events linked to that history came to campus. First, came the sale of home-made gumbo to raise funds for a local charity.  Then, ASL had its first shrimp boil.   Last month, the local chapter of the Lion's Club sponsored  the second shrimp boil on campus along with a corn hole tournament designed to raise money for its many worthwhile projects.  The local organization especially focuses on the needs of the low-income residents of Buchanan County who need eye exams and eyeglasses.   I profiled the Lion's Club as a student organization here . Students and faculty at ASL enjoyed a meal of spicy shrimp, sausages, corn, and potatoes. Many of the students participated in the corn hole tournament.  Josh Kinzer ,...

What Happens When  Baby Boomers Retire? In April 2013 , I wrote about the possible opportunities for new lawyers created by the increasing age of lawyers -- who will eventually retire.  Bill Henderson, of The Legal Whiteboard blog, provides a very interesting analysis of his data on this topic  here .  One of his findings: The big surprise here is that the proportion of young lawyers (under age 35) has been declining for several decades. And not by a little, but by a lot. During this period, the median age went from 39 in 1980, to 41 in 1991, to 45 in 2000, to 49 in 2005. Some of his conclusions: The analysis above suggests that the JD Advantage / JD Preferred employment market started to take shape several decades ago, long before these terms were put in place by the ABA and NALP. Yet, we really don't know about these careers. To construct a more useful, informative narrative, we'd have to systematically study the career paths...

Feeling Like a  Master of the Universe! As many of you know, I spent the last year in a mastermind business coaching program that has made me comfortable with web-based platforms designed to build communities, deliver content, and market services.   I have proved that old dogs can learn new tricks.  In fact, this old dog is teaching the new tricks to folks much younger than myself.  My latest focus is on the "flipped" or "blended" classroom. These classes use the best of on-line education married with more traditional classroom approaches.   The Instructional Technology blog from Albany Law School provides a number of links to information about the "flipped" classroom.   Other resources include the following: Sean F. Nolan, Using Distance Learning to Teach Environmental Problem-Solving Skills and Theory , 28 J. Envt'l Law & Litigation 211 (2013). Gerald F. Hess, Blended Courses in Law School: The Best of Online and Face-to-Fa...

Remembering  How I Became  a Teacher My mom, Jo Ann Drinkwater Young, died of colon cancer this month seventeen years ago.  She was only 61. Her death caused me to live life with more urgency, intention, and love. Last week, a family friend sent some photos of her as a teenager that I had not seen before.  She is posing with her best friend, Leotta, shortly before Leotta's wedding.  Mom was seventeen or eighteen years old.  Even dolled up as the bridesmaid (blue dress on right), she still looks so very young. She married at eighteen, had four kids by the time she was 24 years old, was always a loving and supportive spouse, and gave me a very happy childhood. Despite her youthful commitment to family, she had an old soul, even as a young mother. To say I miss her is an understatement. To say that her death released an energy in me to live the life I wanted would be deeply true.   As many of you know, I am celebrating my silver jubi...

60,000  Page Views Friends, family, and colleagues: Another milestone reached! 60,000 page views! My blogging experience started in March 2013. Like everything, success relates directly to the attention and energy invested in the project. As I blogged more frequently, built my relationship with other bloggers, got more posts shared by my FB friends, and continued to create content I hoped you would like, page views grew exponentially. Here is a summary of my experience: 5,000 page views on August 2013. 10,000 page views on November 7, 2013. 15,000 page views on November 27, 2013. 20,000 page views on December 9, 2013. 25,000 page views on January 1, 2014. 50,000 page views on July 17, 2014. 60,000 page views on Oct. 10, 2014.

Meeting of my "Tribe" Plenary Sessions Offered by Leaders in the Field Last week-end, over 85 members of the Virginia Mediation Network (VMN) gathered for its Fall training conference. VMN is the largest state-wide organization of mediation practitioners, trainers, and scholars in Virginia.   Attendees enjoyed clear fall weather at the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel in Glen Allen, Virginia, a lovely Colonial-style facility on 20-acres of park/golf course just north of Richmond.   The 2-day event offered three plenary presentations by leaders in the field: Plenary Session on Careers in the Field On Saturday morning, Bob Rhudy presented a Plenary Session based on his article, “ Engaging Conflict for Fun and Profit: Current and Emerging Career Trends in Conflict Resolution .” His paper on the topic appears here . During this interactive session, Bob shared the results of his research and engaged participants in a discussion...

Recognizing the Leaders  in Our Field Last week-end, the Virginia Mediation Network (VMN) bestowed its highest honor on my friend and colleague, Jeanette Twomey. This award is presented annually to a prominent member of the mediation community in Virginia who demonstrates personal and professional commitment to advancing peaceful conflict resolution. Candidates are recognized for one or more of the following qualities: leadership in promoting and advancing the field of mediation;  innovation in the development of mediation programs or creative applications of mediation;  significant published writings on the subject of mediation;  exemplary pro bono mediation service;  cutting edge advanced mediation training; or  dedication of time and energy to an active mediation practice that supports collaborative problem solving.  Candidates must exemplify personal and professional integrity and respect for others, as well as demonstrated commit...