| to make after I left
the firm involved losing the status which being a lawyer gave me in dealing
with bankers, creditors, and others. Just telling people that you are a
lawyer seems to be shorthand for I'm successful and wealthy. It's
much harder for others to grasp the concept of being a businessman. It took
me longer than I expected to become comfortable with my new self-image as
a simple businessman, rather than a high powered trial lawyer." As to his leaving, Howard remembers, "Many people at the firm thought that the leaving of someone they saw as a 'happy and successful partner' augured poorly for the future of the firm--and they were right. The firm is totally dissolved today, and the partners are with seven different firms." His deal with his investors was structured so that, while he gave up some equity in the business venture, he would receive compensation sufficient for him to maintain his family without going into debt during the start-up. Even with this, Howard's compensation became half of what it had been in the law practice. Times were lean. The business, however, was successful. The partners gathered information, data, and statistics, and found companies who needed, and would buy, this information for competitive or planning purposes. Howard has organized five, different information service businesses since leaving the law. The main difference, Howard notes, between running a law firm and running a successful information service business is that, "Our clients are willing to pay what is needed to ensure that the information that we |