alternative careers for lawyers
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In this presentation,TRANSCRIPT
Alternative Careers for Lawyers
Basil Plastiras, Esq.Entrepreneur and Attorney
John H. Corcoran, Esq.The Corcoran Law Firm
www.SmartBusinessRevolution.com
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How to Make the Most of this Webinar:• Turn up your computer speakers• Today we will do 40 minutes of presentation, 20
minutes of Q&A• Take out a pen & paper to take notes, close all
other windows. • We will email out a recording of today’s webinar• Enter your email at:
www.CaLawReport.com/webinar
Overview of today’s session
• History of legal profession over past 40 years• Growth industries in the law & outside of the law• Good jobs for non-practicing lawyers• Examples of successful non-practicing lawyers
• Attorney and expert witness• CEO of Parkway Properties• Owner or investor in a restaurant chain, an
Aquarium, a gas station, law firm, commercial real estate brokerage, shopping centers, office buildings, and a property management company.
• Formerly President of UC Hastings Foundation
About Basil Plastiras
About John Corcoran
• Attorney and Small Business Advisor with the Corcoran Law Firm in San Rafael (Marin county, California).
• Mostly serving small business, entrepreneur and real estate investor clients.
• Creator of SmallBusinessRevolution.com (formerly California Law Report).
• Monthly teleseminars & webinars with entrepreneurs, business owners, etc.
The Problem• A lot of lawyers are very unhappy• 45,000 law grads/year but only 25,000 new legal jobs per year• Projection of only 10% increase in number of jobs over next 10 years (U.S. Dept of Labor)
The Way Things Were
• In the 1950s & 1960s there was a steady state legal economy
• Changes occurred slowly and predictably
• Legal careers were secure
Pace of Change Has Increased
• Too much change in too short a period of time• Change is going to accelerate and …. the speed of change could induce disorientation in lots of people
The Ways Things Are“Future Shock”
• With future shock you stay in one place but your own culture changes so rapidly that it has the same disorienting effect as going to another culture.
• Changes are caused by accelerated/an accelerating rate of technological and social change.
The Ways Things Are“Symptoms”
Majority of “social problems” are symptoms of the
future shock
The Ways Things Are“Symptoms”
Example:
In one 5 year period, starting 1955, innovations brought us the birth control pill, universal television, commercial jet travel, and many other medical, scientific and technological innovations, which, over time, triggered deep and wide-spread changes in our sex lives, in our world views, and in how we work.
Change in 2010-2012
• Facebook• Twitter• Smart phones• Blogs• Commercial space travel • Executive suites & Airbed
How to Take Advantage of Rapid Changes in the Legal Profession
• Check the demographics: individual, commercial, professional
• Identify growth areas-legal, commercial, social, technological
• Build skills in the newest technology, legal and otherwise• Read the latest cases and statutes to spot growth areas
in law• Community involvement, activities and organizations
Perspectives of Change
•Law is ubiquitous
•Subject Matter Areas of the Law
•Geographic Areas of Growth
•Legal Industry Areas
Fast-Growing Subject Areas Within the Law
•Social media
•Intellectual property
•Bio-life law
•Space law
•Science
•Cloud-based technologies
•Health care law
•Elder law
Fast-Growing Legal Industry Areas
• Process servers• Document summary• Expert witness services• paralegal outsourcing
• lawyer networking & advertising• video service• Powerpoint presentations•Document storage & management
3 Areas for Lawyers who Don’t Practice Law
EducationGovernmentBusiness
Networking Secrets:
• Identify who you need to know • Ask for advice, not a job• Learn from their experience• Get lots of contacts while you are young• The key is in maintaining contact• Stick to the nuts and bolts
5 Things to Do to Get a Job
1. Follow the Demographics2. Identify Growth Areas (legal, commercial,
social & technological)3. Build Skills in Latest Technology4. Read all latest court decisions and
statutes in order to spot growth areas5. Community Involvement
Transitioning to a New Career
1. Search your background for your areas of expertise2. Identify other people with the right kind of expertise3. Rely on Expertise – your own and those you trust4. If you want to start a business, develop a business plan
How to Start and Build a Non-Legal Business
1. Focus on what you know2. Partner with people smarter than you3. Revenue is more important than expenses4. Use your legal skills – identify the issues, do the
research & investigation, analyze the research & investigation, and articulate a business plan.
Richard ThalheimerJ.D., UC HastingsFounder & former CEO, The Sharper Image
Mark BrittonJ.D., George Washington University
Formerly executive vice president at InterActiveCorp Travel (IACT) and Expedia.
Mark HarmonJ.D., UC Hastings class of 1982
Candace DavenportJ.D., UC Hastings
Lee BurgessBar Exam and LSAT Tutoring
J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
Alison MonahanThe Girl’s Guide to Law School
J.D., Columbia University
SUMMARY:
1. If you DO NOT want to practice law: start researching & analyzing what field is good for you. Identify those in the field and network with them.
2. If you DO want to keep practicing law, look at geographic growth areas & subject matter growth areas.
Need more help?
http:www.ptlegal.com/Coaching.html
Platinum Coaching Program (5 1-hour sessions)
$1,450
Gold Coaching Program (3 1-hour sessions)
$900
Basil Plastiras Contact Info: (415) 472-8100
Q&A