flashing ambulance lights–
rain still filling
every puddle
at the bus stop
our backs to the wind
the sunrise changes color
she comes back–
the ocean drips off
every part of her
“she comes back” & “at the bus stop” – breathmarks: haiku to read in the dark
“flashing ambulance lights–” – Walking the Same Path (HSA 2004 Memb. Anth.)
potluck
Carolyn Elefant at MyShingle is complaining about a ban by the Maryland Bar
on the use of NonLawyer/Lawyer Referral groups, because it “discriminates against
solo and small firms.” The organization in question has chapters, each of which
“consists of various professionals and business people who seek to obtain referrals
and learn marketing techniques. Only one person from any given profession or line
of business can join any individual chapter. The particular chapter that has approached
you includes, among others, a beauty consultant, heating and air conditioning contractor,
investment advisor, and AFLAC insurance agent.” Please read Carolyn’s piece to fully
appreciate the facts and her position.”
I want to focus on Carolyn’s primary assertion:
“And ethics rules must be applied in a way that doesn’t disproportionally
impact one segment of the bar.”
If an ethical rule deals with an appropriate topic in a reasonable way, the fact
that “one segment of the bar” is impacted more than others should be totally
irrelevant. As noted here before: the fact that “small fry” lawyers are more
likely to violate a particular rule than “big shots” is never a viable ethical defense
— especially since the small fry were often the main reason a rule was needed.
Although Carolyn professes not to want special rules for solo-smalls, her
“disproportionate impact” theory of enforcement amounts to such pampering.
p.s. “Everybody does it” is no excuse either.
update: see Carolyn’s Comment and my reply.
Mike Cernovich is claiming a right to anonymity-privacy for non-felons that seems a “noyabutsSN”
little broad to me. Let’s hope he’ll state a principle for us that takes into account the
many existing exceptions likely to withstand Constitutional challenge, and that can guide
courts and legislatures when dealing wiith issues such as national ID cards.
plea for more guidance on internet and website advertising by lawyers has not been
answered. California bar groups seem to be looking into this matter. They will
hopefully lay to rest forever the notion that weblogs by lawyers are advertising per se.
Grumpy Reminder to MansfieldFox: Despite your headline, “Everything is Haiku Here,”
nothing in that post is haiku. Definitions are important (to lawyers and people). It’s far
better to call what you’re writing zappai or pseudo-haiku than to continue to misinform
the public on the nature of haiku. Everything with three lines of 5 -7- 5 syllables is not haiku;
in fact, most English-language haiku is not seventeen syllables. Haiku has some element of
nature in it, evokes an insight, and almost always contrasts, compares or juxtaposes two
images. Check out dagosan’s intro to haiku (or at least the tips at the bottom of the page),
or jim kacian’s haiku primer. End of sermon (for now).
misappropriating client funds, due to his “continued failure to be financially responsible with
regard to his own finances as well as in his dealings with others.” The Court concluded:
“[U]ntil and unless [Lawyer] makes a concerted effort to become personally
financially responsible and accountable to those that he has harmed through
his misconduct, he should not be successful in his attempts to be readmitted
to The Florida Bar.”
Florida Board of Bar Examiners re: Steven A. Papy, Sr., ___ So.2d ___ (Fla., SC04-
a very important part of the question of fitness for bar members.)
Prof. Hurt at 
To my amazement, I spent an entire weekend without thinking or talking 
As usual, my trip to Rochester has inspired me to find a few good haiku 
Inspired by our 
Like 
“Competitor law firms will be more adept at addressing the
I expect this Nickname Ban to be struck down as an overbroad limit on commercial speech. Here in Upstate New York, we once had Jim “
05-05-05: Be nice to your favorite pinata today. Viva! Cinco de Mayo. 
“Every culture has great restorative stew of humble 
Even if you won’t be accepting any invitations to whack a pinata 
