So I jumped at the opportunity to write a green piece for Law Technology News on my decision-making process when I bought my Prius.  Thanks so much to Monica Bay at ALM for the idea and opportunity.  To be honest, I couldn’t have had worse timing with the publication date.  2010 Priuses were recalled the same week for brake issues.

Nonetheless, take a look at the article, and we hope you might consider buying a hybrid for your next car.   If nothing else than to save a little dough.

Reprinted with permission from the February 1 issue of Law Technology News. (c) 2010 ALM Media Properties, LLC. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not what Fox News would exactly label a lefty, tree-hugging, egghead liberal. True, I did watch Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and drank the Kool-Aid a bit, but not so much to completely eliminate Styrofoam and incandescent light bulbs from my life.

But I wanted a hybrid car, a low-fuel consumption vehicle that alternates between gas and battery power. In one fell swoop, I’d not only be transferring less money to unsavory foreign petrostates, but I’d also be reducing my carbon footprint. Regardless of your politics, data is data, and there’s a correlation between increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and historically increasing global temperatures.

I didn’t want just any hybrid, I wanted the Toyota Prius, with its great mileage. My family wasn’t completely sold on the idea, and I was plagued with nagging doubts. Compared to our minivan, it seemed small and unsafe. I always assumed that our next sedan would be bigger and more comfortable than our 2004 Acura TSX.

Read the full article online.

One of the reasons is that many people are now starting their own law firms.  And, newer firms are looking for online legal practice management and a way to do time and billing on the web.  Online tools save overhead expenses and are easier to use (that’s the idea, anyhow).

Here’s an interesting article from the ABA Journal that discusses this trend.  The following is a brief snippet.

Despite the struggling economy, lawyers are opening new firms—some voluntarily, and others as an alternative to unemployment.

In both cases, many of the fledgling law partnerships are doing well, reports the National Law Journal.

…

In addition to finding plenty of work despite the struggling national economy, partners of many start-up law firms are also noting that current conditions can actually benefit a small business like theirs.

At Rocket Matter, we see a lot of firms starting out and getting up and running.  Feel free to contact us for resources and best practices – we’re happy to help!