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Interview with Deborah E. Johnson, Entertainment & Sports Lawyer - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • July 24, 2019 •Ms. JD, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Women and Law in the Media
Please welcome Ms. Deborah E. Johnson, an entertainment and sports lawyer from the Dallas area and Texas A&M University School of Law graduate. A solo practitioner for over five years specializing in entertainment and sports law, Ms. Johnson runs her own company, teaches government at a local college, and serves as in-house counsel of a construction company. Ms. Johnson has experience in diverse practice areas including compliance, education, juvenile representation, in-house practice, and transactional law. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me! Let’s get started. I enjoyed your post, How to Survive Law School, in which…
Protecting Client Information from Cybersecurity Risks
By Anonymous • July 08, 2019 •Issues, Other Issues
Lawyers, whether you have your own firm or are working in a firm, have an ethical obligation to keep client information confidential. Digital data, often stored online, is also the obligation of the firm. Law firms need to have security measures in place, starting with the very basics of password protection to using encryption. Password protection, especially for laptops, is required, but one report found that only 94% of lawyers in firms that have 10 – 49 attorneys have their laptops password protected. If the laptop is stolen and client data is on the laptop, a lack of a password…
The Lingering Effects of Student Loans on Women
By Jolevette Mitchell • July 04, 2019 •Issues, Other Issues
You might remember my colleague (who is also my bar exam coach and business coach) discussing her struggles with student debt. We got an inside look into life after law school – the pile of debt that comes knocking on our door every month just like the Red Queen. But unlike the Red Queen, which stops visiting after menopause, student debt can haunt us for years to come…even into retirement. Why are we women so inundated with this form of debt? Because women are still struggling economically. It is a known fact that economics works against women in almost every country- including the…
Tips from Jill McBride Baxter, Sports Agent - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jill McBride Baxter, a sports lawyer, and certified CFLPA and NFLPA sports agent. A graduate of University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, Jill has worked as a sports lawyer for over thirty years, representing professional athletes—including those in the NFL and MMA—athletic administrators, coaches, and media personnel. Ms. Baxter also runs a blog and podcast featuring sports law topics and helpful advice for those interested in sports law. As someone who’s had a successful career as a sports agent for over thirty years, Jill has a wealth of lessons about…
How to Get Leadership Positions to Build Your Practice
By Claire E. Parsons • June 10, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Ask most experienced attorneys how they built their practice and they’ll tell you they “got involved” in the community or professional organizations. Maybe this advice doesn’t always use the term “leadership” but that’s what it means. If you really want to “get involved” and build your reputation, you need to do some real work rather than just paying a membership fee and adding your name to a list. This may be a little scary for young attorneys, since it is easy to think that you haven’t paid your dues long enough to qualify as a leader. It may be easy to…
Self-Care Everyday: The Importance Of Taking Care Of Your Mind, Too
By Brittany Raposa • June 07, 2019 •Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
Lately, in the craze of social media, "self-care Saturday" or "self-care Sunday" has become a phenomena. What does self-care mean? To many, it means working out, taking time to yourself, going for a hike, or meditating for 20 minutes. What it should be, however, is much more than this. We should participate in self-care every minute of every day, to the extent that we can, of course. It's important to take care of your body, which includes working out, eating right, and taking care of each part of yourself. Most of us, I think, forget to take care of one…
Summer Associate Advice Good for a Lifetime: Solicit, Receive, and Materialize Constructive Feedback
By Vanessa Stephens • May 31, 2019 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, •Mentoring and Networking
Many leaders succeed in their fields because they request continuous feedback, process it, and adjust their course. As a law students, I attended panel discussions centered on soliciting feedback very frequently, so it seems like a hot-button topic for young associates. The legal field is incredibly challenging; the learning curve is steep and the workplace dynamics are intricate. I want to make continuous and open dialogue about my learning opportunities a regular part of my legal process, so I talked to my mentors about how to request and receive actionable constructive feedback. Here are a few tips that I picked…
Hell No: Caster Semenya’s Fight for Bodily Integrity - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • May 29, 2019 •Ms. JD, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
On April 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ruled that the IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development) (“DSD Regulations”) were valid, and suspended Caster Semenya’s, and her co-party Athletics South Africa (South Africa’s athletics governing body), request for arbitration. This is just the latest development in a years-long inquiry into how athletics organizations define Caster Semenya’s gender and whether and in what type of body she is able to compete in as a female athlete. The Court of Arbitration for Sport was created in 1984 to provide independent arbitration and mediation for disputes…
Breaking Down the Fear of Networking as a Young Lawyer
By Jacob Maslow • May 15, 2019 •Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Bar association events are often the first time a young lawyer will really network. Conversations are the key to networking, but a lot of lawyers get jittery. You’re meeting new people, some who have far more experience and success than you, and it’s easy to get intimidated. The good news is that anyone can master the art of networking. Whether you’re sitting down for a cup of coffee and start a conversation with someone or you’re going to a networking event, it’s important to think positively and start making new contacts. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone from the Start…