Posted by Hardy Parkerson, Atty. - Lake Charles, LA on 12/21/06

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Lake Charles, LA - March 27, 2004

Dear Ann,

Some thoughts on your question about how to get
established in your community:

1. I think I saw where you are of the Christian
religion. Therefore, get involved in your church. If you
are Jewish, your synagogue.

2. Get involved in your political party. Hope you are
a Democrat; but if you are a Republican, I'll still be
your friend. (Humor intended!)

3. Advertise. I suggest the classified, for it's
cheaper and it really draws in clients.

4. Attend as many CLE seminars as you can; but since
they are so expensive, just show up at many of them and do
not register. Just politic around and get to know the
lawyers there and collect cards. Learn who is good at what
and get to know them so you can call them for friendly
advice and discussion when you need to.

5. Join the Optimist Club, Kiwanas, Rotary or such.
Get active in it.

6. Take some criminal cases and try them. The more you
take the better you will get known, not to mention the
trial and other experience you will gain. There is no cost
to you in trying criminal cases, like there is in trying
civil cases.

7. Hang out at the local coffee shops and introduce
yourself to people and hand them a card or two.

8. Start your day off each morning at the courthouse,
just being seen down there. Go from one courtroom to
another and see what is going on. Do not be afraid to
introduce yourself to other lawyers. Tell them, "If I can
ever help you out, pinch hit for you in a jam, feel free
to call on me." If you meet out of town lawyers, tell
them not to waste a trip to Annapolis if you can run an
errand for them.

9. Insist that you be given a position, chairmanship,
whatever, in your local bar association, and possibly even
the state bar association.

10. Buy and read the book entitled HOW TO TOOT YOUR
OWN HORN WITHOUT BLOWING IT.

11. Join the Federal Bar Association. The membership
card alone is worth the $105.00 it costs to join. Flash
that on a jailer when you visit the jail and watch him or
her stand back and take notice! More and more lawyers are
lawyers are being demanded to present their bar card. The
FBA card is the best to present.

12. When a client comes in to see you and you go to
give them one of your business cards, give the a bunch of
your business cards and say, "If you know of anybody
looking for a good lawyer, I hope you will tell them about
me." Clients like to refer cases to their lawyer. Cards
are cheap.

13. When you go to a restaurant, instead of giving a
usual tip, give a large one, say a five or ten dollar bill
wrapped around several of your business cards. It's the
best gimmick in the legal profession. The message is
implicit. Watch how fast you get a very good paying
legal case from referred to you by that waiter or
waitress.

14. Call the Lees up out at Sherwood Forest and get
to know them. He's an architect, so he should not be hard
to find. They are great people. They were the host-family
to my son Blaine when he attended the Naval Academy. I am
sure they know lots of Annapolis people and will introduce
you and pass your name around. Tell them I said hello.
They were nice to Blaine.

I will give this some more thought and be back in
touch about it. As you can imagine, this is not for
publication. Best of luck! Hang in there! You will be
known all over Maryland before long. Just go to it! "Let
your light shine!" the old chiropractor and X-Marine told
me. He meant advertise. He said even Christ said, "Don't
light a candle and hide it under a basket." That means
advertise. Others are going to do it; you should too.

There is more to it all than this, but this is
something to think about.

Best of luck! Thanks for staying touch!

Sincerely,

Hardy Parkerson, Atty.
Lake Charles

Re: ADVICE TO ANN OR TO ANY YOUNG LAWYER, 12/22/06, by kurt katnik.

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