My New Office

Today I entered into a one year lease for an office. This week I had been contacting various landlords who were advertising office space for lawyers in the Cooley Classifieds (a publication of Thomas M. Cooley law school that has legal job ads, as well as some ads for available office space). One ad I called quoted a rate that was low enough to make me wonder what I would get for such a low rent. It turned out the quoted price was for a furnished office, including utilities, local phone calls, and internet access, plus the shared use of a waiting room, bathroom, conference room (with a small law library), kitchen/break room, ample parking, and an outdoor deck (!). Plus a receptionist who will answer the phone when I am out of the office. I will have my own key so can come and go as I please, and can work nights and weekends if I need to.

I will also be able to use the copy machine and the fax machine, and make long distance phone calls, I just will be charged additionally for these.

They have also offered me the use of a computer for a small monthly charge. And I can rent the services of their bookkeeper as well.

The building is in downtown Lansing, only two blocks north of the State Capital Building, and thus within an easy walk from all of downtown Lansing. It is across the street from a park, which my office window overlooks. There is a bus stop in front of the building, and many of Lansing's major bus routes pass through the neighborhood (being downtown). I suspect that the building was originally built as a house, but as the neighborhood changed it was converted into offices.

The building houses a small, two-attorney law firm. One of their law clerks is leaving to take the bar exam in Florida, so they had an office that was going to be available, and I suppose they thought it would make more sense to rent the spare office out than to just let it sit empty. The two attorneys seemed pretty laid back types,--neither of them wore a suit. I hope they weren't too put off when I wasn't quite as laid back as they are, and I asked that all these things we discussed be put in the lease! They have had many tenants like me before; there are two other solo practitioners renting space in the building at the moment. And of course they are in the building themselves. I can't imagine having any problems with this lease. It very much seems like the kind of place I will enjoy working.

Just to nit-pick a little (and if I wasn't a nit-picker, I wouldn't have any business becoming a lawyer), some of the building is not accessible for wheelchair users. My own office, however, is on the floor that is accessible, so I won't need to worry about accessibility issues with my clients. This is potentially important because disability law is one area I am very much interested in. Also the phone will be answered with the name of my landlords (instead of the name of my own firm). But I think I got a good enough deal that I won't concern myself with such a minor point. I will probably need to buy something to keep confidential client files in, that can be locked. This is a small cost when I think that I was afraid I might end up with a completely unfurnished office, and that I would have to buy everything.

This seems to be the best sort of deal for a new attorney starting out--renting a spare office from an established law firm. I will get many of the benefits of working for a firm with none of the disadvantages. Working in the same space with other attorneys, sharing the common areas and so on, will help me to network. Should the other attorneys have work that they need to contract out, I will be available right there. Or if a client comes in that they can't take (or involves a legal issue outside their practice) they can refer them to me. This is what they have done with their other tenants. The two attorneys have also offered to sponsor me when I appear before the judge to be sworn in, an offer I may take them up on.

We set the "move-in date" for July 7th, although they were willing to let me move in right away and start working. I chose that date because I have a few things I need to take care of, both professionally and personally, before I can start practicing law. I will be sure to post the address and phone number of my new office here in this blog when I do start practice, so now I am just counting down to July 7th.

Welcome to my blog!

Hello and welcome to In at the Deep End, my new blog that will be about my experiences as a new attorney in the state of Michigan.

First a little about me. I am a recent graduate of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing. I was awarded a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree with a certificate of concentration in litigation. I graduated in the top 25% of my class. While at Cooley I served as a Senior Associate Editor on the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review, and also participated on a Moot Court team that competed against other law schools in the State of Michigan Moot Court Competition.

Today in the mail I received a packet from the State Bar of Michigan that contained a number of items. The first was a letter notifying me that I had passed the bar exam. The second was a letter addressed "TO THE COURTS OF RECORD OF MICHIGAN" which stated that I have been found ". . . to be of full age and possessed of sufficient learning in the law, moral character and ability . . ." to practice law in Michigan. In addition to these was a form telling me that I now need to present these documents to a Michigan circuit court, where upon motion made ". . . by a licensed Michigan lawyer, the court will administer the oath of office and enter an order admitting you to the bar of the state." I then need to mail that Order of Admission, together with an application form and payment of half a year's bar dues, to the State Bar of Michigan, who will then provide me with my actual bar card. At that point, I can practice law in Michigan.

I am going to use this blog to talk about the challenges and triumphs I am sure I will be encountering as a new attorney. I am hoping folks find this of interest. If you are looking for an attorney, remember that I am not yet (as of 6/14/08) able to practice, but this should change within a couple weeks at the most. In the meantime my e-mail is paananenlaw@hotmail.com.

Thanks for reading, I hope to post again soon.