Tell Office Supply to Order More Post-Its -- Mr. Levine Is About To Head Home!

I have long contended that concerns about "texting while driving" are really concerns about "other people texting while driving."

I say this because every morning and evening on my way downtown I see just about everyone texting and checking their emails, deep in phone conversations, looking at websites, watching movies(!) and typing away like maniacs.

I don't personally object to this practice, assuming you are competent at performing more than one task at the same time and know when to focus more on the road at the appropriate moments.

Of course we know many people who fail at this, and who fail at driving even without any distractions whatsoever.

But not Kluger Kaplan partner Todd Levine, who is all about the driving while post-its:

It’s 7 p.m. and Todd Levine saunters out of his office, opens his car door, flips on his Bluetooth, and starts his nightly routine of sticking Post-It notes to his dashboard. As he heads north on the highway, one by one he peels off the Post-Its with phone numbers scribbled on them and makes the return calls.

 “I conduct my business and by the time I hang up, I’m in my driveway,” Levine says.

Levine, a Miami trial lawyer, has a similar routine in the morning. “By the time I get to my office, I have done at least 45 minutes to an hour of work.” 

Question for Cindy -- was Todd really "sauntering" out of his office?

Maybe he just had a lot of post-its on his fingers he needed to put on his dashboard? 

Actually, Todd's driving habits are fairly routine, nonobjectionable even, and we've all seen way way worse.

I'd like to see Todd incorporate his post-it practice into his official firm bio:

Todd uses his analytical skills and creativity to find the winning angle other lawyers might overlook. Sometimes that means honing in on that one key piece of buried evidence that will make or break a case. Other times, that means formulating the one legal argument that will give clarity to an otherwise murky dispute.  Even more other times, it just means picking the right post-it and knowing how to Bluetooth successfully without killing anybody on the way home.  This is not as easy as it sounds.

See, I really should do more law firm marketing.

Welcome to the Depression, Gen-Y Lawyers!

Cindy Krisher Goodman has a nice run-down on young lawyers and how subservient and deprived they have to be, given that they are lucky to just have low paying jobs:

Because of these stark numbers, many of them realize that they cannot make demands for raises, promotions, time off, training, and the hottest technologies during a recession.

Cesar Alvarez, executive chairman of Miami law firm Greenberg Traurig L.L.P., which also has an office in Philadelphia, said he thought the recession was the wake-up call for these workers, much like other generations had defining events that changed their behavior.

"I think their concept of the ultimate safety net has shattered," he said. "I'm seeing them much more engaged. I think this was a tipping point that helped the new generation suit up for the game."

I agree with Cesar -- "raises, promotions, time off, training, and the hottest technologies" -- all wildly overrated luxuries.

I'd also add "pencils, coffee, Westlaw, parking passes, secretaries and anything after Windows 98."

Cindy also focuses on a representative "Gen-Yer" and new Miami lawyer Christina T. Blake:

  Christina Totfalusi Blake, a 29-year-old lawyer, feels lucky to have a job, particularly one that provides the attributes most Gen Y workers value: meaningful work, opportunities for learning, good quality of life, and likable colleagues.

Blake joined Kelley, Kronenberg, Gilmartin, Fichtel, Wander, Bamdas, Eskaylo & Dunbrack P.A., of Miami Lakes, after working solo in Orlando for two years. She views her workplace as a social hub where collaboration has value.

"There's an open-door policy, so I can chat with other attorneys," she said. "For me, brainstorming, having senior associates to bounce ideas off, is huge. It's something I can't put a value on."

But Blake still wants the high salary and work-life balance. "Young attorneys are taking lower-paying jobs for the same long hours. But our hopes are still there, in light of our student loans and high debt, that compensation will go back up."

Aah, I remember when I was young and optimistic!

(Ok, I remember when I was young.....)

Regardless, welcome to Miami, Christina!

For you Supreme Court junkies, here's the story behind David's reference to the large number of Elena Kagan recusals this term, including a massive, history-laced Glenn Greenwald smackdown of SCOTUSblog's Tom Goldstein.

The intertubes are a b#@ch!