Looking back...

As Plaintiff enters its second year, there’s a new editor at the helm

2008 October

In Spring of last year, I was asked to be editor of Plaintiff magazine. I have to admit that starting a magazine seemed a little daunting yet exciting. I was worried about whether I could fill up Plaintiff with interesting articles month after month – not the sort of lengthy articles that you might scan for a few minutes before deciding if they were relevant to you, but articles that touched on your practices and your lives.

I had hoped to enlarge the definition of “plaintiff” to include areas of law that weren’t typically associated with plaintiffs’ attorneys.  We opened up our doors to articles on public interest, civil rights, disability rights, the subprime mortgage crisis as well as current events. We searched and found writers who were, well, dedicated to writing. We also found lawyers who were willing to share their expertise.

I suppose I should be more modest, but I am proud of all that we have accomplished. The feedback we get is so positive and rewarding. Through it all, I have had the opportunity to work with some fine people. Not just our writers but the people behind the scenes, such as Eileen Goss, who helps with editing and whips those articles into shape; our art director, David Knopf, who puts together the cover and the rest of the magazine in a way that invites your attention; Jean Hutchins, who can research almost anything; Chris Neubauer, who fills up the magazine with advertising that is relevant to our practices; and finally, Richard and Debbie Neubauer, who make it all work. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with all of you.

Now the time has come for me to turn over the title of editor to A.T. Kippes. If you have been reading Plaintiff on a regular basis, Althea is the one who has been writing our technology column. If you have followed her advice, you have probably saved hundreds of dollars in billing and calendar programs, telephone services, etc. She is herself a practicing plaintiff’s attorney, a life-long resident of Northern California, an at-large board member of Consumer Attorneys of California, and a dedicated animal rights advocate. I think you will agree that Althea is a fine choice, and I am hoping that you extend your support to her.

For me, I have so many directions to pursue that I am beginning to feel a bit like Dorothy on that Yellow Brick Road. But I will still be around, writing about appellate matters and such. And you are welcome to write me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or follow my blog at www.AnAppealtoReason.com.