TechnoLawyer: Videos

Does Your Law Firm's Mission Statement Date Back to the Ostrogothic Empire?

Many law firms take great pride in their legacy — especially the pearls of wisdom handed down by the founding partners. For example, Paul Weiss proudly displays its original Firm Principles on its Web site — written by the late Judge Simon Rifkind in 1963.

But what happens when such lofty principles date back centuries rather than mere decades? You might need to selectively quote only those pearls of wisdom that pass muster in today's world. Take a look at Cadwalader, a send-up of just such a scenario by Trophy Dad, a comedy sketch group in New York City.

Finally, some trivia about the video. Trophy Dad chose the name "Cadwalader" for the fictitious law firm featured in the video because one of its members, John Phillips, worked at the real Cadwalader as a paralegal for 1.5 years after college.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

By now you've heard about the charges being dropped against the three Duke students. I'm a Duke graduate who disagreed with the decision to put the kibosh on the entire lacrosse program. Forget the team. That was unfair to the fans. Duke's president repeatedly implored us alumni to let the legal system run its course. Fine, but that means innocent until proven guilty.

Incidentally, when I was a student, a lacrosse player dented my car while practicing in the parking lot behind the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. That knucklehead. But I digress.

As we march further into this century, it seems like all the best new talent is on the Internet. For example, take a look at video blogger Mary Katharine Ham's take on the Duke case in which she creatively excoriates the poor lawyering on the part of the prosecution. She's not a lawyer, but she thinks like one. Oh yeah — she recorded this episode in December 2006, four months ago. (Click here if you can't see the video below).

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Syracuse University law students Eric Spoth, Noah Garber, and Kathryn Herold have created a video entitled "Lawyers in High Profile Cases." Set against Gary Jules' outstanding cover of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World," the video showcases supposedly famous lawyers (and actors playing famous lawyers) addressing the media and in court.

Though an admirable project, the video falls short of its potential because I could not identify most of the lawyers or the cases. The filmmakers should have used subtitles to provide this information. Take a look (click here if you can't see the video below).

(A tip of the blog to Robert Ambrogi's LawSites for pointing me to this video.)

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

In this video deposition, a lawyer (who bears a striking resemblance to Michael J. Fox) has difficulty answering this question: Are you truthful in your dealings as an employer? Take a look before it gets pulled (click here if you can't see the video below).

Have you ever deposed a lawyer? What was that experience like?

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

With so many forms of marketing available, you would think law firms would shun video since it's the most difficult to pull off. But YouTube's enormous audience lures more and more law firms every day since uploading a video doesn't cost anything.

Today, I bring you two law firm marketing videos. One features Michael Lynch at Levin Papantonio Thomas Mitchell Echsner & Proctor discussing food poisoning, and the other features Greg Schlender of the Schlender Law Firm discussing estate planning.

To its credit, Levin Papantonio has produced a slick TV magazine-style video in which Michael Lynch interviews an expert on food poisoning (no doubt the firm uses this expert in its cases). During the interview, you're treated to music, graphics, B-roll, and even a news crawl along the bottom of the screen. Michael is a natural with a smooth delivery (the expert less so, but she knows her stuff). Great job!

By contrast, the Schlender Law Firm's video features Greg Schlender sitting in front of a camera at his desk. The camera angle never changes, and Greg often looks at his notes. This is a shame because the Schlender Law Firm has branded its approach to estate planning, referring to its method as the "Family Fortress." This creative touch deserves a creative video to match.

While video is challenging to pull off successfully, it's not expensive thanks to desktop video editing software, royalty-free photos, videos, and music, and lots of film school grads seeking work. Do it right or don't bother.

Watch Food Poisoning — A National Epidemic? (click here if you can't see the video below).

Watch The Family Fortress (click here if you can't see the video below).

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Not to be outdone by their peers at the University of Alberta, law students at George Washington University have posted a video of their own revue. In this skit, a 1L returns home for Thanksgiving break to find himself besieged with legal questions. Amusing throughout, the best punch-line comes at the end. Take a look (contains some vulgar language) (click here if you can't see the video below).

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Every year, the law students at the University of Alberta put on a variety show called Law Show that "take a humorous look at the law school experience and the legal profession in general."

One group of students created a parody of the Nelly Furtado hit song, Promiscuous. Titled "Promiscuous Firm," the parody likens the law firm recruiting process to dating complete with head games and being unceremoniously dumped. The students don't just sing, but also perform an elaborate choreography. Nicely done!

Thanks to YouTube, what once would have had a parochial audience is now available for the entire legal profession to enjoy. Take a look (click here if you don't see the video below).

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Having trouble playing this video? Play the YouTube version instead.

Download the original song I'm Not Feeling Lucky in MP3 format.

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In every issue of TechnoGuide, we try to bring you a hot new online video related to legal practice. Fittingly, in this last issue of the year, we bring you the best video of the year — a music video parody entitled "I'm Billing Time."

Sung to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," it feature lyrics such as:

If you come to my office or call my phone,
I'm billing time.
If you stop me at parties to whine and moan,
I'm billing time.
If I think of you when I am all alone,
I'm billing time.
If you're late for appointments,
I will be waiting and billing time.

You must watch this video! (Click here if you don't see the video below.)

Vickie Pynchon, founder of Settle it Now and the author of its eponymous blog, created this video to showcase this song, which was performed by the Bar & Grill Singers, a group of lawyers in Austin, Texas who create and sing parodies to raise money for public interest legal services.

The next video we bring you will put even this one to shame. Stay tuned. Until then, warm holiday wishes from all of us at TechnoLawyer, and a very happy and successful 2007 full of technology goodness!

PS: We'll publish the last TechnoLawyer newsletter of the year on Friday. Publishing resumes in 2007 on January 8th.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

The Georgia Civil Justice Foundation has produced a slick Web site designed to inform the general public about the legal system and help those who wish to represent themselves in small cases that may not interest a law firm. The site features clever animated shorts starring the founding fathers that explain the American legal system, and a series of videos about a mock small claims court case to discuss the various components of litigation. Nicely done! Take a look.

On a more humorous, note, does anyone know the name of this judge? In this video, "Judge Nose," as he is being called on YouTube, uses his microphone to scratch his nose. If you see a judge doing this during your opening argument, you may want to settle your case! Watch this 10 second video (click here if you don't see the video below).

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.