Page 31 - January 2019 | Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal

than others depending on your area of good character and ignore those who don’t. experience you need. Do your research and work
practice. For my areas, I found that our Some of the best advice I received from with others. It won’t be long before you’re able to
firm magazine, “Dollars & Sense™” was the a seasoned mentor / attorney is that even handle those cases on your own.
best resource to stay connected with clients someone just starting out is equally as capable Additionally, make sure you review the rules
and colleagues. Whatever your method, it’s as those who have practiced for decades. If regarding keeping your IOLTA and business
much easier to maintain and grow your you’re young just starting out, then you need account separate. Whether you just passed the
business from a client you currently have to work harder than those who have been bar or have been practicing for years, chances
than it is to get a brand new one. practicing for years. However, experience are that you haven’t owned a business and have
sometimes falls short to those who put in not mastered the financial responsibilities
3. Website – The bottom line is you must enough time, albeit disproportionate, to of QuickBooks integrated with your IOLTA
have a website. Websites can range from outperform their opponent or accomplish
simple do-it-yourself platforms to spending their client’s needs. We all make mistakes as
tens of thousands of dollars to have one attorneys. For me, none of the mistakes I’ve PRIVATE MEDIATOR
commissioned. Regardless of your budget, made reflected on my age at the time or my THOMAS REPICKY, ESQ.
you should at least have something people experience. But I learned from them and made Tort, Employment, Commercial

can find to let them know you’re legitimate. sure they never happened again. and Malpractice Claims
The more content you post on your site the
better chance you have for people to find Ethical Traps Effective & Experienced

you online. It is also equally important to The single biggest trap a new lawyer will face is Over 1,400 Mediations
add content on a frequent and consistent providing advice to clients regarding legal issues
basis. Here’s a huge time-saving tip: If you’re in which the lawyer is not yet competent. Don’t Mediated Claims
researching a new topic or area of law, you commit malpractice. If you are marketing yourself $10,000 to $12 million

should blog about what you’ve read. Not well, then you’ll have new clients, many of which (440) 247-3898
only are you recapturing your research, but will branch into practice areas you’re not familiar TomRepicky@sbcglobal.net

you’re adding content to your website for with. That’s perfectly fine. Take these cases and www.ClevelandMediator.com
others to find you. co-counsel with another attorney who has the

Finding Your Niche
If you’re hanging your shingle coming from Representation includes
a large firm, then you probably already know CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND liquidation of financial
what area you enjoy practicing. For those just institutions as well as
starting out, you will know what area you want WHITE COLLAR LITIGATION, matters involving:
to spend the rest of your career practicing Bank Fraud
in when you come home at the end of the ENFORCEMENT AND Computer Crimes
day looking forward to going back to work. Conspiracy and RICO
Embezzlement
I look forward every day, but finding my COMPLIANCE Fraud and Bribery
niche came by accident. At first, I engaged in Government Contracting Fraud
a numerous practice areas and by chance, a Trusted legal counsel to individuals, businesses and Healthcare Fraud
client asked me to do a basic estate plan. This Internal Investigations and
federal regulatory agencies on complex criminal and Crisis Management
sparked my interest and eventually became Money Laundering
quasi-criminal matters initiated at the federal, state
the backbone of the few areas my firm focus Mortgage Fraud
on. I never thought trust planning or probate and local level from the investigation stage through Public Corruption
Securities Fraud
litigation would interest me, but learning from trial and, if necessary, the appeal process. Tax Fraud
this, my advice to young lawyers is to always
keep an open mind and assess how you enjoy
practicing in each area.

Challenges as a Young Lawyer
Age is just a number — right? Keep that
thought in the back of your head, because if Walter A. (Scott) Lucas Samuel J. Lauricia III Paul M. Shipp
you’re a younger attorney, I guarantee that at
some point you will receive adversity from
other attorneys who want to test you. Let them tel 216.241.6602 • fax 216.621.8369
test. Responding with professionalism, respect,
and a mountain of hard work will outweigh the
date you were born. Experience matters and it’s
important to learn from those who exemplify
January 2019 Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal | 31