Missouri Sees Growth In Use of Contract Attorneys
Provides Lawyers, Firms With Alternatives

By Geri L. Dreiling

Missouri lawyers seeking alternatives to traditional work arrangements-and law firms hesitant to add another permanent, full-time lawyer to the payroll-are entering into contract relationships in growing numbers, experts say.

Attorneys who take temporary work are able to maintain a flexible schedule, gain experience in different practice areas, supplement income, or evaluate different types of firms before joining full time.

And for law firms, hiring contract attorneys makes sense when extra help is needed for a brief period or when a case calls for a particular expertise.

Who Are Contract Attorneys?

One working parent is Colleen Joern Vetter of St. Louis, who works as an appellate lawyer. "After I had my first daughter, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom," Vetter said. "But I found that I missed being a lawyer.

"Because I clerked for a Supreme Court judge, I felt that I had an expertise writing appellate briefs. So I decided that my experience would probably best serve the needs of solo practitioners and small firms that need help writing briefs."

Other circumstances can cause lawyers to look into becoming contract attorneys. Andrew J. Koshner of JurisTemps in St. Louis said many lawyers want to gain experience in another field. "We are getting applicants who might have worked in, for example, general litigation, but they want to get into health care. He or she might become a project attorney as a way to get the experience needed to move into a new field."

Candidates can also expect to be personally interviewed by the placement agency, and have their references, work history and licenses checked. The placement agencies are also concerned about confidentiality and conflicts.

Like many agencies, Koshner said JurisTemps "requires each of our candidates to sign a confidentiality agreement at the outset," promising not to reveal information learned while working at the firm.

Firms' View

Firms that have used contract attorneys say the arrangement is usually mutually beneficial.

Cynthia M. Fox, a Clayton family lawyer who has used contract attorneys for several years, said, "I mainly use contract attorneys in two different situations.

"One is if I don't have the expertise to anser a question. As a family lawyer, a case may take you into a wide variety of areas. I've used trusts and estates lawyers, criminal lawyers, and securities lawyers on cases.

"However, there are times where one or several cases may heat up for trial and I need some extra help."

Fox believes using contract attorneys is necessary to serve clients properly.