Ask Ms. Ps & Qs

By Professor Nancy Rapoport

Dear Readers:

Remember that old expression, “in for a penny, in for a pound”? That’s the best way to capture the notion of “appearance counsel.” When a lawyer decides to be “just” appearance counsel, that lawyer is taking on some serious risk.

In large law firms, there is almost always someone who can pinch-hit at a hearing when the primary lawyer is double-booked or otherwise unavailable, and the firm represents the client, not just the individual lawyers on the matter. But what happens when a small-firm lawyer or a solo . . .

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