This month, I had the pleasure of meeting with former DeKalb Bar Association President Mike Hawkins of the Hawkins Law Firm. Mike works exclusively in the area of DUI defense and has done so for many years now. For 10 years, Mike practiced as a named partner at his former firm, but ventured out in July 2008 to establish his own practice. Mike and his former partner dissolved their partnership on good terms, and the impetus behind the change was largely Mike’s preference to design his professional life in a manner that complemented his personal life.

Last month I discussed some of the considerations and challenges involved in establishing a solo law practice right out of law school. This month, I spoke with Douglas Tozzi, an attorney who spent more than seven years working at a firm in Buckhead before starting his own firm, Tozzi Law Group, LLC, in Decatur.

Recently, I have been involved in countless conversations with colleagues about starting up new law practices and joining existing practices. The economy is perhaps the most significant reason for this topic coming up so much more now than in years past, but many attorneys are using what might normally be considered adverse changes to their career path as an incentive to achieve better, more satisfying employment.

There is an unfortunate epidemic in this country of debt buyers purchasing old credit card debt and pursuing collection in illegal, unethical, and unprofessional ways.

First, let me say that I wish to address the concerns held by many prosecutors, legislators and others in the wake of the Brian Nichols verdict that the burden of achieving a recommendation of death in capital cases is too high. I do not intend toassert any opinions as to the constitutionality, legitimacy or ethical considerations regarding the death penalty. I simply feelcompelled to respond to the increasing distrust of and contempt for the discretion of Georgia juries.