Sharing Information with other attorneys

One image of attorneys is that they are a cut-throat bunch, caring little about their clients and less about their competitors. In fact, a great deal of sharing and mentoring goes on in the legal profession, even among competitors -- at least in the family law arena.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association, Family Law Section, has a listserve on which all members may post questions. Surprisingly, most questions are answered rather quickly, and there is often an ongoing discussion for a few hours, or even days, on subjects that are controversial.

By regularly monitoring the discussions, and occasionally pitching in, an attorney keeps his or her skills sharp, gets an insight into unusual or difficult situations that arise, and participates in a community of professionals. This helps to raise the standards within the legal profession and allows attorneys to receive regular feedback on their practices and procedures.

Since participation is entirely voluntary (and one must actually pay to be a member of the Los Angeles County Bar and pay more to join the family law section), the listserve is another area of life, and the law, that attorneys can be proud of.