OK, well maybe Ruthie isn’t going to be joining Storm model agency any time soon, however she will be appearing in the 17th May edition of the Law Society Gazette in her bikini sensible jacket. And more to the point Ruthie had great fun yesterday with Dr. Gonzo, the Law Society Gazette’s maverick IT reporter and his Zimbabwean photographer. Oh and as well as looking at the photographs you may want to read what Ruthie has to say about computers.
Dr. Gonzo and I had a long chat about the function of the Gazette. Whilst he is obliged to tow the party line he’s also keen to produce a publication that is progressive, informative and interesting. ‘Tis true that a lot of lawyers never get round to taking the Gazette out the wrapper. If you’re too busy, fine. But if it’s because the Gazette is of no use or interest, then dust off your quill pen and write telling them what you want to read. Apparently one letter counts for a thousand views. So if you feel really strongly about an issue, get three of your mates to write in too.
Ruthie tends to go straight to the situation vacant pages, which tell her more about what is going on in the profession than any of the editorials. The Obiter Dicta page about lawyers making fools of themselves is also a good read, and James Morton’s musings on the days when criminal defence work was fun and paid the bills. If Ruthie wants to read about law she reads The Times.
May I have a copy?
Certainly. And for $10 I’ll even send you an autographed one. Speak to my agent (GL sort this out please.)
Just don’t post the pictures on any dodgy websites OK?
Why? Can’t you figure out how to get laid on your own any more
Erm…apparantly Dan has now circulated my photo throughout his Pittsburgh office to the general fascination/amusement of the staff.
At this rate we’ll have to do a US tour. I say *we*, I suppose I’ll have to take you with me if only to have someone to carry all my luggage.
Christ, you do talk bollocks.
I suppose he sent the photo round as a morale booster: “See?! there are European girls even fatter than those here.”
Have *we* christened Rupert Dr Gonzo? It’s a good nickname (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and a terrific film; a fellow civil liberties campaigner said Geeklawyer reminded him of the Johnny Depp character.
However Rupert is a journo not a lawyer…
Johnny Depp?
Bwa ha hah hah…
A deaf/blind friend of yours I take it?
Yeah, Rupert doesn’t feel the need to be anonymous, but having met him I thought the name suited him very well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Zeta_Acosta = Dr. Gonzo, presumed dead.
Heavens! Never realised there was such an intriguing history behind the book.
As I don’t have a Dr Gonzo ID here (yet?) I’ll have to say this in my realworld identity that, er, I think you should also mention that you read the IT pages in the Gazette as they’re amazingly informative and are helping the Gazette address the tech issues/futures of our readers. Or something.
And yeah, really I should be Hunter, if we’re going by trade. Though one law firm IT director reckons I’m much more like Bill Nighy’s character in The Thick Of It. Which is a bit worrying.
Hitherto I’ve rather taken the view that the Gazette was a somewhat fusty publication suitable for a quick glance then for lining the bottom of the bird cage. However, credit to you Rupert, I will now be taking much more of an interest. We rather expected you to turn up looking like Tory boy, and were pleasant surprised, when you did not.
We’re certainly impressed that the Law Society and the Gazette are taking the use of technology so seriously, rather leaving the Bar Council behind.
I appreciate that the Gazette has to appeal to a broad church and the Law Society is a naturally conservative body, however equally it should reflect the diverse interests of the profession. I do think that the profession is undergoing a radical period of change and transition, via Clementi, via use of technology and in order to respond to the changing needs of clients.
There is a chunk of the profession that seems to think the world owes them a living and that gaining a practising certificate is all the professional development they ever needed.
As the marketplace becomes more competitive and clients become more savvy, I fear that lawyers with such prehistoric attitudes will struggle to survive.
We’re already seeing redundancies within the criminal defence sector. I fear, conveyancing and P.I will be the next areas to be hit as they are the easiest legal serives to be commoditised.
Whilst Dan is very hard core in his attitude to client service, I do think a lot of English law firms have something to learn from him.
Ah flattery will get you etc. etc.
I’m glad to hear I’m not Tory Boy. Good job you can’t see the suit today then… which I wore to listen to Falconer bluff his way through the reasons why the Ministry of Justice is a fantastic idea and all the judges will eventually agree with all their proposals, whether they like them or not.
Oh and apparently I am John Simm in ‘State of Play’, not ‘The Thick of It’.
Ministry of Justice: very Orwellian isn’t it? Or Pythonesque, depending on your point of view.