How Revealing My Mental Health Challenges Strengthened My Career
By Julie Thorpe-Lopez Tatro & Lopez LLP
My name is Julie Thorpe-Lopez, and I’m a trial attorney specializing in representing victims of elder abuse. Prior to practicing law, I was a social worker. I changed professions because I wanted to have a more powerful impact on protecting vulnerable populations. I love the law, and I would not trade being a litigator for any other profession. I love trial work, and there is nothing more gratifying than protecting elders from abuse. But, as a new lawyer almost 15 years ago, I was unprepared for the constant pressure and stress that is built into the legal profession.Read More
Ethical Considerations When Working with Other Counsel
By Irean Zhang
The old adage “two is better than one” certainly rings true in today’s legal world. A complex civil matter can involve national counsel, local counsel, trial counsel, and appellate counsel. Co-counseling combines the expertise and experience of multiple lawyers, which can provide benefits to the client and to counsel, including compliance with Rule 1.1 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct regarding competence. However, lawyers will do well to keep the following in mind before they agree to a co-counseling arrangement. Read More
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is a vital part of our overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, mental health issues among lawyers are prevalent. That is likely due to the stress and demands of our profession (which is added to anything happening in our personal lives). Many lawyers are deterred from seeking professional help and talking about their struggles with others because of the stigma around mental health.Read More
Last month’s SDCBA leadership panel explored the value of pro bono service and how attorneys can identify those needs and step forward with solutions.Read More
Legal Marketing 101: Three LinkedIn Tips for Attorneys
By Tina Mihelich California Western School of Law Class of ’23
Few people enter law school with the intention of becoming a marketing professional. The conventional wisdom of legal practitioners is: do good work, and success will follow. Over the last two decades, however, advancements in technology and communication have made client acquisition, development, and retention strategies nearly as important as good legal work to the success of a law firm, whether AmLaw 100 or solo practitioner.Read More
