So you say you voted. But did you finish the ballot?

Today, I share some information from the State Bar of Arizona. They have devised a smart and witty way to remind you about ALL the races that can be found on our ballots, and the vital importance of completing that ballot all the way to the end. Here you go:

The November election is just weeks away and soon your friends and family will be asking you the same question they ask every election: How should they vote the judges on the ballot? We want to help, so this election we’ve come up with a way for you to answer that question.

Watch our Finish the Ballot video below:

That’s it.

Send them the Youtube link and the two-minute cartoon will answer their questions. It explains why we vote for judges, and where to find the information to make that vote.

In fact, it’s something you should send to all your friends whether they ask or not (hey, maybe even you should watch it). Retention elections are an important part of the merit selection process. The more you help you friends and family understand the process, the better it works.

We also have a fun way to promote our Finish the Ballot campaign. Click here to read more about a chance to win $250 in our Instagram “Finish the Ballot” contest. (The page even includes a sample video.)

Follow @azatty

 

Prize money, fame, more on tap for @TheExpertInst law student blog contest

Today’s Change of Venue item is aimed at law students (sorry lawyers). But I’d sure appreciate your sharing it with worthy law student friends.

The sum of it is, there’s a blog post contest, and there is cash-money involved. Full stop.

(My blog title may have fanned the flames of your interest by mentioning “fame,” but who’s to say, really?)

The Expert Institute is seeking great law student blog posts and decided a contest may be the best way to locate them (this is their first annual). You can read more details here.

There are a list of rules (it is a legal writing competition, after all), but note that the contest is (1) open to all law students in the United States and Canada and (2) open through December 31, so you have time to provide much valuable content for possible review.

And yes, as you might guess, posts must be related somehow to the use of expert witnesses in litigation.

Turn up, law students! If an Arizona blogger earns a prize in the contest, maybe we at Arizona Attorney Magazine will throw a little fame their way ourselves. (No promises; I’m just thinking out loud. Get writing.)

Have a marvelous—and blog-worthy—weekend.

Follow @azatty

 

No joke, it’s past time to hug a lawyer

Let’s start the lawyer-love by forswearing attorney jokes, for one day at least

Yesterday, I am slightly bemused to note, was Be Kind to Lawyers Day.

Understand, I am not in favor of the opposite. I tend to like lawyers in the aggregate, and many in particular. But there are a few reasons I’m a day late (and a dollar short, as my dad used to say) with my attorney affection.

1. I’m in a vortex in which I miss significant dates by exactly one day. For example, April Fools’ Day came a day late in my mind (and blog). I’m sure it’s some kind of cry for help, but let’s move on.

2. Upon hearing of this “holiday,” my first thought was that the day exists for one reason only: To help blog writers. After all, we have a news hole to fill. And how many of us are willing to muse on the nexus between lawyers and kindness? (OK, not that many.) (And did I just use “nexus” and “kindness” in the same sentence? Someone cite me for contempt.)

3. Finally, yesterday was also Equal Pay Day. Before you start telling me it’s not official or nationally sanctioned, let’s remember that (a) you’re reading a blog and not the Federal Register and (b) you’re rising up in defense of something called Be Kind to Lawyers Day. We really must get over ourselves, mustn’t we?

So yes, it irked just a bit to advocate embracing advocates as others were advocating for equal pay for women and men. As a woman I respect stated, “Annoyed that we even have to have a day about this, so I’ll defer to Queen Bey: ‘smart enough to make the millions, strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business.’ Yep, we run the world.”

But today is another day, and the more I think about it, the more the idea grows on me.

So I’m (semi)officially extending the festivities another day. (And won’t attorneys be surprised to be hugged the day after the holiday!? Brilliant, right?)

In case you missed it, here’s how the State Bar’s CLE Department reminded us on Facebook. Good job!

Bring it in here, buddy.

And if you’d like a reminder of how others celebrate a joyous lawyer holiday, read how I described the festivities surrounding World Intellectual Property Day. As I recall, I recommended you all hug a patent lawyer that day. How many did that? Uh-huh, I thought so.

To encourage the lawyer love, I will happily post a photo of you hugging a lawyer you love (or at least like quite a bit), plus a brief (100 words, tops) explanation of the non-billing-based foundation for your affection.

Let’s get this hugapalooza started.

Follow @azatty

 

We have a winner in the lawyers-show-us-your-desk contest

No, this desk is NOT the winner of a prize for revealing workspaces.

And the winner is …

Wait wait wait! Taking a tip from the Academy Awards, I have to stretch this out for a bit.

Back in January, I offered a prize—a book of legal poetry—to a reader who shared a photo of their desk, messy or not. A description was invited but not required.

You may recall that my desk-psychosis grew deep as my own workspace got lost under piles. And I started to wonder what a clean or dirty desk says about each of us. Like my paper piles, that musing got pretty deep; read it here.)

I am happy to report that my messiness concerns resonated with readers. I heard from a number of folks who reported the state of their workspaces’ messiness levels.

As promised, I randomly selected a winner, and she is … K Royal. Congratulations, K!

K Royal’s desk photo won her a book of poetry (though storage bins might have been a better prize!).

And here is K’s description of her space:

“Your note about a messy desk made me laugh out loud, so although not noteworthy, here is mine. Yes … double monitors, family photos … including my dog, shoe tape dispenser, diamond post it note holder, Dutch slippers, m&m coffee mug, and although you may not be able to see them … shoe phone holders for two cell phones and a Hedwig mug to hold pens.”

She ends with a cheery but noncommittal “May your organization remain exactly what you need it to be!”

By coincidence (yes, it’s a coincidence), I’ve known K from when she was at ASU Law School. She’s gone on to other things (including a stint in Texas), and she’s now Privacy Counsel at Align Technology in San Jose, California.

Privacy Counsel? Hmm, am I allowed to mention that?

In any case, I hope K enjoys “Poetic Justice” as much as I did.

K, send me a note at arizona.attorney@azbar.org with your snail-mail address and I’ll get this posted tout de suite.

K Royal’s desk photo won her this book of poetry!

Follow @azatty

 

Legal Laughs Return in John J. O’Connor Humor Contest

It’s been a long week. Time for a laugh.

Scott Rose

I’ve been offering you arts-related content this week (e.g., here), and today I remind you of an event that honors the art of the wisecrack: the Second Annual “John J. O’Connor Phoenix Rotary 100 Humor Contest.”

The event will be on Friday, February 1, at noon, and is sponsored by the Phoenix Rotary 100. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will be the guest of the Club that day. As lawyer and emcee Scott Rose has described Justice O’Connor’s husband John, “He was a great lawyer, quite the raconteur and President of our Club in 1977-78.”

I wrote about last year’s inaugural event; you can read “Try the Veal, Tip Your Lawyer” here.

Some additional photos from that event are here, on the magazine’s Facebook page.

2012 contest finalists and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. L to R: Ryan Nelson, Matt Shorrs, Justice O’Connor, Jodi Weisberg (first place), Trevor Cox and Bob Howard

The important thing to note now, today, is that there is a deadline approaching for those among you who think you’ve got what it takes, comedically. You have two weeks to complete the application, available here. Of course, if you have hilarious friends, feel free to pass this on.

Don’t delay. Applications should be in as soon as possible because there will be preliminary judging on January 24 at the Phoenix Country Club. And as Scott says, acts “can be 3 – 6 minutes of classic stand-up comedy, funny stories, war stories, humorous anecdotes or whatever they choose.”

Prizes? Yes, there are prizes: $2,500, $1,500 and $500 to the top three contestants. And $2,000 will be paid to each of ASU, UofA and Phoenix School of Law on a rotating basis (ASU being the recipient this year).

If you’ve got the chops, it’s time to trot them out to an appreciative public. Fellow lawyers look forward to laughing along with you.

Have a great weekend.

John and Sandra Day O’Connor in their Paradise Valley home (undated photo). (Click for Arizona Attorney Magazine story.)

Follow @azatty