Noto Law School

No Refund For You!

A reader wrote in: Dear JJD: I am an alum of NYLS and wrote in

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Matasar Deserves Prison

I broke the story in ’09 that NYLS had admitted an additional 250 students to

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The Money Man Talks. Again.

He just won’t shut up. What a shame there isn’t an over the counter medication

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Careful When You Interview

I have not had many interviews since I received my JD, and not one for

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Matasar Speaks. Please Shut Up.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it today: Dean Tricky Dicky Matasar needs to

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New Direction

As you all know, I had wanted to stop writing this blog in part because

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Protests Paid Off

Earlier this month University of Virginia 3Ls wore tee shirts around school protesting their lack

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Here They Go Again

I have posted several times about this New York TTT, and once again, they have

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Crap And Pigs

Goldman Sachs is not an equal opportunity employer (white men only) but they believe in

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The Scam Starts Early

The school scam starts young; even 3 month year old babies are being scammed. Well,

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Michigan College Offers A Money Back Guarantee!

April 8, 2010 Alejandro Calderon General

Confession: I have been so depressed this week that it has been difficult for me to even get out of bed and write. My first smile of the week just came when I saw this article. A Michigan community college is offering a refund on tuition if the graduates aren’t employed within one year. YES!!

True, it’s a community college and it’s only for training courses that cost around $2400, but it’s a start. The program is expected to be highly competitive, and employers who heard about the program have already started calling.

Although there are some who still believe all that is needed is information from the schools. The article quotes Russ Whitehurst from the Brookings Institution who says that: I would rather see community colleges and technical institutions providing more information about program-completion rates among students and their employment outcomes. This kind of transparency would allow prospective applicants to make more informed decisions instead of gambling their futures away.

How To Deal With Evil Debt Collectors

April 7, 2010 Alejandro Calderon General

I know that there is a lot of pain out there (because you write and tell me) and many of you are having a difficult time dealing with debt collectors, not to mention Aunt Sallie and Uncle Access. I’ve linked an article below that is full of helpful tips for dealing with all kinds of debt collectors and how you can fight back.

This video was actually shot in a debt collection agency and shows how a debt collector’s evil mind operates. They hunt their prey with gusto and are proud of it! Don’t watch on a full stomach.

Consultants For Solos

April 7, 2010 Alejandro Calderon General

Good news for all of you who are forced want to practice on your own. There is a whole new industry cropping up: consultants for lawyers. Teerie Wheeler is teaching lawyers in Minnesota how to market themselves as many are forced to go solo.

Wheeler coaches lawyers in marketing techniques, because she says, “law schools don’t train lawyers to be business people.” No shit. That’s because if the law schools did, everyone would realize school was a bad business decision and drop out.

Julie Schaefer, a human resources consultant has a great term for solo practitioners: “involuntary small firms.” Yes, Julie, from taking the bar to paying off those loans, quite a bit of the legal experience is “involuntary.”

Judy Norberg, another new solo law firm consultant noted: “A lot of lawyers don’t understand the financial part of things.” Yes, Ms. Norberg, none of us do until the diploma hits our hand and Aunt Sallie starts calling every night.

It is comforting to know that if we do decide to go solo, there are vultures consultants just waiting to help, for a hefty fee, of course. However, our friends at Solo Practice U may have already beaten them to the carcass.

Fake Lawyer Manages To Get Clients

April 6, 2010 Alejandro Calderon General, Legal Profession

Michael Nelson, a career con artist, stole the identity of a New York attorney, started a law firm and stole $35,000 from clients for legal services he never carried out before he was caught. At least he doesn’t have to worry about malpractice.

The law scam was elaborate and well thought out. While between prison sentences, the con artist created the fake law firm and rented office space. He hired both attorneys and clerks, and based his new firm on a firm that really existed in Seattle. He found his clients online.

Maybe he could get work at Solo Practice University and troll for recent graduates online when he gets out of prison this time.

Actress Gets Bitch Slapped and Sues

April 6, 2010 Alejandro Calderon General

Nicollette Sheridan, the actress in ABC’s Desperate Housewives, filed suit against the show alleging assault and wrongful termination.

Talk about a nasty boss! Sheridan is claiming that producer Marc Cherry hit her in the face on the Wisteria Lane set in September 2008. According to her suit, all she did was ask him a question and he “took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head.”

Sheridan claims that when she went to ABC and reported the incident, they responded by killing off her character. She is asking ABC for $20 million for creating a hostile work environment and behaving abusively toward the cast. I still think it sounds better than document review.