There are a number of attorneys who make their living by making court appearances for other attorneys, typically at case management conferences and minor motions. They search the docket for upcoming hearings, and send emails to the attorneys, making them aware of their availability.
This was a great service back in the day, but with the advent of remote video conferencing, not so much. Indeed, some courts don’t even allow in-person appearances due to Covid, so instead of saving me hours driving to and from some distant court, the attorney would save me only a little time in front of my webcam.
And now for today’s story.
On Friday I got the typical email, offering to cover my court appearance in Los Angeles on Monday for a reasonable charge of $120. But the appearance in question was a trial, estimated to last about four days. Of course I immediately signed up. The attorney won’t have any of the exhibits or even know what the case is about, but I’m sure he’ll be fine. You’ve gotta love this gig economy in which we live.
I feel a little guilty that the attorney will only be making about $3.75 per hour, but hey, he offered.