Press Release

PALO ALTO, CA -- Oct 31, 1996 -- FindLaw is excited to announce a new feature "Find - satisfaction in the - Law" a regular column and forum located on the World Wide Web devoted to the professional development of lawyers. The column "Taking Control of Your Career ... and Your Life" and forum will be jointly sponsored by FindLaw Internet Legal Resources and the Center for Professional Development in the Law, which provides career planning, support and guidance for lawyers.

The featured columnists will be Ronald W. Fox, Esquire, and Mark L. Byers, Ph.D. Ron Fox practiced law for twenty years and served on the staff of Harvard Law School from 1984-89. Since 1990 he has presented workshops for bar associations and law schools, provided individual advice to over 1000 lawyers and law students, and is the author of Lawful Pursuit: Careers In Public Interest Law. After seven years at Harvard Business School, Dr. Byers moved to Harvard Law School where he has counseled students and lawyers for the last seventeen years. A counseling and vocational psychologist, he is the principal author of Lawyers in Transition, a self-assessment manual for lawyers.

According to the ABA Young Lawyers Division Survey on Career Satisfaction 1995, "About a third of the survey respondents (32.8%) who are currently employed report that they are 'strongly' considering leaving their current firm or organization at some point in the next two years. Another 31% 'might' consider doing so. Only 10.7% indicate that they 'definitely' would not consider leaving their current position in the next two years."

"The dissatisfaction of so many lawyers with their careers points to the critical need to focus on the professional development of lawyers," explains Fox. The primary assumption of the columnists is that lawyers, by assuming responsibility for all decisions about their careers, will be able to find satisfying positions - ones that are consistent with their personal values and professional goals.

The goal of this feature is to improve the process whereby lawyers develop as professionals in the law: It will provide advice, guidance and support both from the columnists and the readers; it will be a clearinghouse and source of referral to articles, institutions and people; and it will stimulate discussion about the barriers (both internal and external) which hinder professional development and how to overcome them.

The URL for "Find - satisfaction in the - Law" is
http://www.findlaw.com/satisfaction/

The URL for the Center for Professional Development in the Law is
http://www.shore.net/~cpdl

The URL for FindLaw is http://www.findlaw.com