Notes from practice · D.C. Superior Court
“The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers”
Back in my days with the federal government, before I had my own J.D., I hated working with the lawyers. It was not just that...
On the Benefits of a Flat Fee Agreement
Criminal defense attorneys often use flat fees; that is, we charge a set sum to cover the entire course of a representation. This includes arraignment,...
A New Perspective on Representing Indigent Criminal Defendants
Three months into my court-appointed work in D.C., I now have a completely different perspective on representing indigent criminal defendants. At the time I quit...
The Prosecutor Doesn’t Care About You
There is good news and there is bad news for anyone who has ever been charged with a minor criminal offense. The good news is...
Joining the Adult CJA Panel in D.C.
I have just been appointed to the D.C. Superior Court panel for adult court-appointed cases. I was one of three lawyers appointed on a “provisional”...
This Is Not About You Or Me
The prosecutor is mad at me. So I send her a quick email to apologize. It is true: I am sorry. I am sorry that...
Solo Practitioners Don’t Have A Jackie Frankfurt
We had a tremendous support network at the public defender’s office in Philadelphia. There were social workers and mental health professionals. There were administrative staff...
Court-appointed lawyers should lighten their case load
I will not take cases away from the Public Defender Service. How can I take someone’s money when that person is already getting top-notch legal...
On the judges who take the bench on time
The judge takes the bench at 9:15 am. That she does this every day without fail is a sign of respect for herself, for the...
Life Lessons for My Law Practice
I am in Nairobi. Kenya is famous, among other things, for its malachite jewelry, and I would like to buy my wife a malachite necklace. ...
From Law School to Law Practice: The Importance of Clinicals
Unless we were working in some capacity in which we were actually dealing with clients, everything we learned in law school was theoretical. Maybe we...
Common Sense in Dealing with Court Staff
It is a foolish lawyer who offends court personnel. During my first year as a public defender in Philadelphia, one of my colleagues made the...
What We Learn About Our Colleagues
We feel like we know our colleagues. We know who the good ones are and we know who the bad ones are. But that is...
You Have To Love The Law Books
I just treated myself to the entire Wayne LaFave collection: 3 volumes on substantive criminal law, 6 volumes on search and seizure, and 7 volumes...
Taking The Fall For A Client
If you work for the federal government, you have a boss. Depending on the structure and size of an organization, staffers normally work for a...