TWELVE Principles

In plain English, the guiding principles of a sound legal practice.

  1. Don't lose your case in your office. 

  2. Instant law/excellent work/results oriented quickly and thoroughly 

  3. A page of history is worth a volume of logic.

  4. Win your case in the Table of Contents.

  5. Every court conference is an opportunity to state your case even if a status conference. 

  6. Usually argue without being bogged down with notes. 

  7. Don't waste your time with unfocused discovery or motions. Write your closing argument first.

  8. Generally, forget about interrogatories and use PMK or 30B6. 

  9. Try not to request more time to implement any of the steps required in the case.

  10. Rudeness to staff is a one-way ticket out the door; same for not responding to requests by clients in a timely fashion. We are legal doctors to the legally informed. 

  11. I think that billing by time is antiquated. I prefer project billing where possible. 

  12. The client is always right except when he is not. They do not hire us to tell them what not to do. 

  13. Don't tell me what the law is; tell me who the judge is. 

  14. Plain English, no wherefore, hereafters, etc. No sentence longer than 5 lines. 

  15. Headings should be substantive, e.g. not "the law,” but “the Statute of Limitations” Bars This Claim.” 

  16. Do not move to intervene, file a separate lawsuit and move to consolidate. 

Yes, there are more than 12. bBt when you have as much experience as Jerry, the list gets longer.

Contact Jerry Oshinsky.