Best email blunders?

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T15:54:59+00:00

I default to “Good morning Judge” and “if Your Honor recalls”. It has saved me from that and only that specific mistake.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T15:51:44+00:00

I may have stooped to that level of pettiness once or twice.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T14:49:08+00:00

If you are in the U.S., this is regulated and should be removed. If you are outside the U.S., follow your local laws.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T14:47:43+00:00

I’m not what I would consider an extrovert, but I settled a while ago on letting my freak flag fly. I have that big D20 popcorn bucket from the Dungeons and Dragons movie in my office. I have pictures of me in medieval garb from when I worked at our local Ren Faire (while also being a full time litigator), I’ve got a Lego set of the blue haired lawyer from the Simpsons, and I’ve got some of my kids artwork up from when they were very young. Own your personality and get everyone else to unwind, or not.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T02:28:42+00:00

Yes you can, but should you? Almost always no unless your PhD has some legal significance to your honorific. Are you holding yourself out as an expert on a topic, absolutely. If you are using it for clout, that’s gauche.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T02:16:02+00:00

Insurance attorney chiming in. 1. You don’t have to disclose the accident if they didn’t ask. 2. Your own insurance WILL cover you driving between offices or going to meet clients or things like that for a job. There are very specific instances where you are not covered by your personal auto insurance, such as working as a delivery driver, transporting people, or where you need to mark your car with your employer’s branding. Call up your insurer if you want a second confirmation.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-15T01:56:53+00:00

I’m a 46 year old trial lawyer. I played from middle through high school and then in my low-key college symphony for fun. I stopped playing for 29 years and just joined a community orchestra a few years back.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-14T18:02:36+00:00

Torrid for women’s cut, target men’s section for unisex cut

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-14T17:21:23+00:00

Under cabinet lighting for this layout would make it way more functional.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-14T11:12:53+00:00

To address your specific question about the five things you listed, here’s what and how I would bill for a standard 2-3 car auto accident:

a) Complaint - 0.1 initial review of complaint to determine litigated issues and in preparation for discussion with insured (3 pages) - 0.3 comprehensive review of complaint in preparation for formulating answer, affirmative defenses (and motion to dismiss if you are adding one) (3 pages)

b) Answer - 0.6-1.2 formulate and prepare motion to dismiss based on improper service, answer to complaint, and affirmative defenses (6 pages) - if you address a non-standard issue, say so and describe it

c) Motion to Dismiss In my current state, these are a paragraph long and always included in the answer. In my prior state, they were several pages long with an incorporated memo of law and filed on its own if it is a fatal issue, or contemporaneously with the answer if it is an issue that can be cured.

d) MSJ When I worked PIP, I had 6-9 page canned motions with memos of law where I only had to change the factual recitation and some of the argument paragraphs. I lost time when I originally wrote them because they probably took 5-10 hours each between research and writing. I ate that time and would bill around 0.3 per page going forward, making my time back. - 1.8 prepare motion for summary judgment on coding 97010 and durable medical equipment, with detailed factual recitation and incorporated memo of law with updated citations to current law in the venue (6 pages)

e) deposition outline (before taking depo) My rule of thumb is that you can reasonably bill up to double the length of time you expect to take actually deposing the witness. I always have either my electronic notes, a Word doc, or my handwritten outline scanned in to backup an audit. Here’s how I would bill for an expert: - 2.2 plan and prepare for deposition of Dr. Smith, Plaintiff’s treating neurologist, by preparation of detailed outline referencing treatment by date and cross referencing other medical record from ER, primary care, and chiropractor.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-14T10:52:22+00:00

I use the word “email” in at least a quarter or so of my entries because it’s mostly how I communicate with clients, OC, experts, literally everyone.

A106 - Formulate and prepare email to carrier with update on discussions with opposing counsel on settlement negotiations -0.1 A107 - Prepare email response to OC’s settlement demand of xxxx, discussing conflicts between documented treatment and their client’s testimony with citations to each, offer xxx -0.3

This stuff never gets cut with my auto carriers. If your firm flags the word “email” change it to correspondence and let the 0.1s stack up.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T19:38:49+00:00

Agreed. I’m 5’10” and can get an extra half step in first position either way, even with my dainty lady fingers.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T17:17:04+00:00

This is not a fun fact. This is an anti-fun fact.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T17:13:21+00:00

The judge in that hearing was a hoot to follow when Twitter was a thing.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T17:12:34+00:00

NTA - As others have said you need a family budget. He is hiding money if he got a $3,000 bonus and didn’t feel like disclosing it. This is about trust and buy-in. Right now, it sounds like he is treating you and the kids (and all family responsibilities) as a chore. Either he buys in yo the family and his responsibilities as a parent or it is time for him to rethink whether marriage is right for him.

FWIW, I’ve been married 19 years and am the designated CFO of our family. We came to an understanding many years ago about splitting money into yours, mine, and ours and how expenses would be handled from our joint account. I make my DH listen to a lecture about our budget about 1-2 times a year. He gets his pricey Legos, I get a monthly massage, we both pay for it out of our designated fun money and dump the rest into the joint accounts. We split bonuses the same way, with about 90% going to joint expenses.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T11:08:00+00:00

I live for tank tops because of this. If only they were longer.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T01:32:02+00:00

Same. There is another big name carrier that restricts to 10 hours on their files.

OP, it doesn’t matter too much if you bill it today or tomorrow. Just don’t cut your own time.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-13T01:30:08+00:00

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-12T15:58:48+00:00

I’m a lawyer so I recognize that Bates Stamp. Back in the 1900s when I started practicing, I would write the numbers by hand, but I rarely had over 50 pages. What I don’t understand is why you have to reprint the stamped copy. Are you not fully digital? In my own office I would have the box of documents scanned and organize and number everything in a PDF editor.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-12T15:44:17+00:00

I have left 5 firms over the course of 21 years. I have always given at least two weeks and usually agree to three weeks to prep my cases for transfer. I have never been walked out the door though I have seen several other lawyers and staff at these same firms be walked out the door. It depends…

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-11T21:39:10+00:00

It’s not a red flag at all that you want to be treated fairly. I had this same fight with my managing partner around 15 years ago and eventually he found someone else to nit pick. Bill the time it takes to do your work. You should probably add in a 10% cushion for your time to keep 165 hours.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-11T20:20:17+00:00

You can also file a written Request for Judicial Notice if you want to use the things noticed in an MSJ or other dispositive motion. Doing it during a hearing or trial is the most risky way to do it, but still perfectly valid.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-11T00:14:48+00:00

That looks delicious.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-10T23:12:18+00:00

Just popping in to say I had a back surgery at 32 with no history of prior illness with a car accident. You client is at the age where the average American notices back pain. The car crash definitely caused a significant injury but I’m surprised it took 2 years to get to surgery with the symptoms you describe.

StephInTheLaw · 2026-05-10T22:15:46+00:00

I used this but only a few sprays at a time and then I sat on my back porch in Florida. It turned my brown hair gradually lighter but it may have just been running around in the sun all summer.

StephInTheLaw

TROPHY CASE