Green Pairings

So often, the language of lawyers emphasizes the ‘can’t’: You can’t do that because . . ., That would violate this . . ., You’ll be vulnerable legally if you . . . . It is refreshing, then, to learn of some lawyers undertaking a more collaborative approach, with clients, with consultants, and even with other law firms and nonclients. In the May 2015 issue of Of Counsel, I chronicle the efforts of some environmental lawyers and others to walk together on this newer, friendlier path.

—Lori Tripoli

Interested in environmental practice management issues? You  might like these posts:

• Green Guilt: Profiting from Disaster
• Why Sustainability Needs to Be on Every Lawyer’s Radar

The Path To and From the Law

How lawyers got to the places they are always fascinates me. Good lawyers, bad lawyers, sharp lawyers, mediocre ones, the reasons they went into the profession and, sometimes, the reasons they got out always seem to be engaging stories, different than the ones to and from other professions somehow. 

I’ve known fantastic lawyers who started out as musicians and got tired of being poor, or as artists, or as nerds. Some have been altruists, others, politicians. Most recently I read about Adriana Gardella’s route to lawyerdom. Adriana Gardella, Auditioning for the Role of Young Professional, NYTimes.com (March 14, 2015). Once an actor, once a lawyer, today she is a writer.

Is there a right or wrong reason for entering or exiting the field? Of course not. All I really know for sure is that having a J.D. always helps no matter which way a career’s path turns.

—Lori Tripoli

Considering entering or exiting the legal field? Consider these posts:

• How to Survive a Depression, a Recession, and a Free-Fall Plummet
• How to Thrive in the Diminishing World of the Legal Business
• Have a J.D. and a Dream? Persevere through Troubled Times
• The Versatility of a J.D.