I also help create strategies and story ideas for law firms and legal departments, and I train lawyers to write in plain English that people want to read. I’ve created this site to showcase thoughts and opinions about law and the business of law, as well as providing a resource for law firms, legal departments, and their marketers interested in my services.
What I offer is a unique skill set that will help you take your firm to new levels of clarity, accessibility, and media exposure. With 25 years of experience as a legal affairs journalist, and 17 years of experience as a practicing trial lawyer, my deep understanding of both environments enables me to translate complex legalese into plain yet elegant English. I can produce your content myself; I can also train your lawyers to write in simple English that anyone can understand, and assist in placing and pitching your stories to the media.
L
Fools believe silence is a void needing to be filled; the wise understand there’s no such thing as silence – Michael J. Sullivan, Age of Myth By Murray Gottheil | May 30, 2023 Client: Why do I want to pay for two lawyers to be in this meeting? Acceptable answers: Unacceptable answers: You might think that […]
Ryan Marinacci and Richard Bogoroch on what Hemmings v Peng means for access to justice By Julius Melnitzer | May 29, 2023 This article was produced in partnership with Bogoroch & Associates LLP The recent Ontario Superior Court decision in Hemmings v. Peng (2023 ONSC 66) awarding plaintiffs some $4.2 million in costs and disbursement lays […]
Farah Ismail By Julius Melnitzer | May 27, 2023 Good general counsel know that “at the beginning” is frequently the best time to call in the troops from their trusted law firms. But “before the beginning” taxes the imagination – unless you happen to be Farah Ismail, senior vice-president and chief legal, privacy and compliance officer […]
Giselle Basanta says GCs need to control the money if they are to control legal services By Julius Melnitzer | May 25, 2023 The Association of Corporate Counsel’s guide on establishing an in-house law department begins with a warning. “Whether the attorney hired to create the organization’s first in-house legal department has served as in-house counsel […]
Allan says scaling the legal team as his company grows is his greatest challenge By Julius Melnitzer | May 24, 2023 It’s fashionable to observe that good general counsel are integrated with their organization’s business. If that’s so, Travis Allan’s position at FLO Services Inc., the Quebec City-based operator of one of North America’s largest electric […]
Mark Dodd says in-house lawyers in cost-cutting environments should attend only essential meetings. By Julius Melnitzer | May 23, 2023 In uncertain economic times, the great conundrum for in-house counsel is that cost-cutting and workload are inevitably inversely proportional. Faced with this dilemma, Mark Dodd, head of market insights at Lawyers on Demand, an international alternative […]