Dear John
I believe that lawyers will be required
to undertake 10 charitable hours a year under the soon to be introduced
Charitable Legal Endeavours (CLE) points scheme. While previous charitable acts
will be taken into account, my last one was in 1997, and I did not even win
that raffle.
Is this not just another fad foisted on
the legal profession like mediation and suspended sentences?
Concerned lawyer
Dear CL
Many legal practitioners will not have
any difficulty as CLEs are to include hours spent talking clients out of
litigation which is a daily occurrence with some clients.
I understand that the management of
some larger firms insisted on a Charitable Emissions Trading Scheme (CETS) so
that extra CLE’s can be purchased from smaller firms and overseas to fulfil the
targets of their associate lawyers to avoid any distraction. Therefore, CLEs
may prove fruitful, although the extra paperwork could be burdensome.
Of course, this is being driven by
those young things in legal marketing departments who have an unprofessional
interest in the spandex covered buttocks of trainee lawyers. Gone are the
cherished photographs of lawyers and judges standing at cocktail parties, as
legal websites begin to resemble Club Med. Charity seems to start with
expensive clothes and unrelated strenuous activity. Mother Teresa would not get
a look in these days. The other day I saw a flyer for a fund raising walk for
orphans which said “Bring the Family”.
My approach to charity is that it is
good for the soul, if anyone finds out about your charitable deeds, it does not
count. Of course, without a marketing department it has been tricky over the
years to let clients and others know how discrete and humble I am about this,
but with the right receptionist I have managed.
Note: Lawyers undertake Continuing
Legal Education (CLE) points each year which are regarded as of limited use as
the younger and older lawyers know everything already.
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