Hi Everyone,
The purpose of this weblog (or Blog) is to give kids (from 4-29) and their parents (or other family members) a safe, family friendly place, to learn about our government; our laws; and our Judicial system. You are invited to have polite conversation, post questions or just browse what we write here. If you have a question of a more personal nature, and do not want the whole World Wide Web to know about it, you can leave us a message at www.ThatLawyerDude.com (I think I just left you a link... I am good at law, bad at computers.)
We will try to answer your questions every other day or so, but as we are practicing lawyers we may need more time. (Wouldn't it be great if we had so many readers we couldn't keep up??) Please feel free to send this page to a friend and to tell others where they can find us.
How we got our name: Well I have been giving classes ( teach-ins) at numerous Middle and Senior High Schools on Long Island and in NYC for many years. I participate in a Lawyer in the Classroom programs run by the Nassau County (NY) Bar Association, and by the John F. Kennedy Chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity at Hofstra University Law School. As I began to run into students who had been part of those programs outside of school ( at the Mall, or on the Soccer field, or sadly sometimes in our local court lock-ups) they would greet me with shouts of "Your that Lawyer Dude that came to my class." Often my oldest son would be with me when this would occur and he suggested I take this URL and start this Blog... And I did!!!
About me: I love being a lawyer!! I have been practicing law (and some day I hope to get it right) for over 20 years now. My practice concentrates on criminal trial law and on cases that concern allegations of criminal activities. Hopefully you will learn from this site that this practice includes far more than the defense of those accused of crime. In addition to the usual cases ( fraud, drugs, and violent crime) my friends and I also handle cases that involve allegations of criminal or wrongful activities. Family or Matrimonial (divorce) law; Qui tam (or whistleblower) cases; Civil Rights law; consumer rights; Cyber or internet law; Civil RICO, First amendment law; Victims rights law; and business law all become part of our daily routine, as long as criminal activity is alleged. (Don't worry if you do not know what all of these things are... If you check back here regularly you'll learn all about them. )
I also write legal articles, and lecture regularly. ( I also love to teach people about law). You can occasionally catch me on TV or in the newspapers ( which my mom loves and my kids hate.) Speaking of my family, I am married and the father of two teenage boys (who both want to be lawyers!!!)
Our Favorite Charity: In addition to our busy practice and bar association responsibilities (and now this blog)I am also very active in helping raise funds for the Scleroderma Foundation (www.scleroderma.org) (I am getting better at this link thing no?) If you would like more information about this devastating, painful and potentially fatal disease, that most often affects young women (especially new moms) please visit the site above. Any donation you can give them will be most appreciated.
Finally if you would like more information about our legal practice, or would like to post a private message or subscribe to one (or all) of our e-newsletters (they're FREE) please visit us at www.Colleluorilaw.com or www.ThatLawyerDude.com .
That's about it for tonight. I hope you all enjoy reading this site as much as we enjoy writing it for you. We hope that you will find it insightful and that it helps you to understand and use the legal system.
Yours truly,
That Lawyer Dude
