Everybody’s doing “end of the year” lists, so this is my list of law-related things that I’ve enjoyed in 2022, in no particular order:
Best Show About Lawyers? Extraordinary Attorney Woo: This South Korean legal dramedy follows Woo Young-woo, a new law school grad starting her career at a white shoe law firm. It debuted in summer 2022 to record-breaking ratings, and is currently streaming on Netflix.
The show offers commentary on the legal profession through a novel lens: Attorney Woo has autism spectrum disorder, so many of the profession’s customs and courtesies are lost on her. Through her unique perspective, the show thoughtfully examines universal issues facing lawyers everywhere, like burnout, imposter syndrome, and nuanced ethical issues (i.e. should an attorney care if their clients are corporate “bad actors”).
Maybe it’s the South Korean cultural influence, but the show presents a thoughtful and refreshing alternative to the typical blinged-out, L.A. Law-style lawyer portrayal. Added bonus? After watching the show, my kids think lawyers are really cool…
Best Lawyer Jokes on the Internet? Alex Su. Lawyer jokes are pretty bad, mainly because they play on misconceptions and miss their mark. Alex Su, a reformed corporate lawyer turned legal tech sales guru, knows exactly where to aim his mockery.
You can find his work on his TikTok page and Instagram, as well as his long-form blog, Off the Record.
He may be the funniest lawyer on the internet, but, whatever you do and no matter how brilliant and hilarious you think one of his clips is, never try to explain your favorite videos to a non-lawyer. They will not laugh. Alex has invented the niche category of “lawyer-jokes-for-lawyers-by-lawyers.”
Best third-party service that has made my job easier? Proof Technology, Inc. The most frustrating part of a new lawsuit is often service of process. Especially when you’re dealing with an out-of-state defendant, and you have to hire an out-of-state process server and have no idea who to hire. In my experience, whoever you hire will not care about speed, customer-service, or communication with a “one-off” customer. Unfortunately, your own client will care desperately about all of that.
That’s where Proof comes in. Proof is a nationwide service of process company, who–after you upload your legal documents to their site–does all the work to hire, monitor, and make sure you get your documents served, using their network of servers. Due to their nationwide network, you get the benefit of their buying power.
In the past, I’ve just used a random google search and hoped for the best, but generally expected (and gotten) the worst. Since I’ve started using Proof, I’ve been shocked at how easy this process is. I can’t recommend them enough.
Best Legal Conference? Clio Cloud Conference. Earlier this year, I raved about ClioCon so fanatically that a stranger on twitter attacked me for it. Doesn’t matter to me. I’m signed up for ClioCon 2023 (in Nashville), and I can’t wait.
Best One-Stop-Shop for a lawyer logo, website, and everything else? Huckleberry Branding. I left my big law firm 2.5 years ago, and, since then, I’ve had three websites and three logos (well, the “third” incarnation is going to be unveiled in a few weeks). Of course, there’s an entirely different post about that, but I want to talk about Huckleberry for a moment. They are genius branders, artists, and designers, and they really learn your story and incorporate your vision into building a unique and representative brand concept.
Is it time to upgrade from a bunch of people’s last names yet?
If so and/or if one your New Years resolutions to update your brand, call Mariko.
Other best items? I’ll probably supplement this list a few more times over the next few days, so stay tuned. It’s sort of hard to remember an entire year all at once. Tune in for Part 2 later.
Creditors Rights 101 