USA WEEKEND
February 16, 2001
NEWS & VIEWS
"Shades of Ed: The California coffeehouse where "justice is served daily"
AT THE LEGAL GRIND in Santa Monica, Calif., law is anything but. This real-life version of NBC's hit series "Ed" (whose lead character practices law out of the bowling alley he owns) is run by - you guessed it - an affable, hunky lawyer, Jeffrey J. Hughes, 35. Rather than a chance to down pins, here $20 will get you a 10-minute consultation and all the java you can drink. The pairing has been a big hit, professionally and personally: This month marks the fifth anniversary of the "coffee and counsel" watering hole, just honored by the American Bar Association for its service working Joes (and coffee fiends) who may not be able to afford both a pricey Starbucks latte and a lawyer.
The menu features legal specialties du jour (Wednesday? Stop by for family law, including divorce, spousal support, child support and prenups). The most common topics? Landlord/tenant problems, family law issues, employment law and personal injury. Says Hughes: "If half the people who come [here] had gotten it in writing, there never would have been a problem."
Why does an ambitious young lawyer give up a promising career in San Francisco to open a novelty coffeeh9ouse? "I want to help change the perception of lawyers," says Hughes, who was inspired to pursue a law degree by Gregory Peck's portrayal of a lawyer in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Finding the space was easy: Hughes' grandfather’s former Santa Monica awning shop got a facelift and was reincarnated as the Legal grind. Against a wall once lined with sewing machines are tables where lawyers offer advice to clients "of all makes and models," with incomes from $25,000 to $125,000.
The common element, Hughes says, is "just people looking for value." The response? "Overwhelmingly enthusiastic." So much so that Hughes opened a second store in San Fernando Valley; a third opens this year. He hopes to find partners to expand across the country and go public.
Clients "are just tickled there's a place they can go that caters to them, not to the lawyers," Hughes says. Even if you don't need legal advice, it's still a bargain: A cup of coffee goes for about a buck.
Contributing: Elizabeth McCall and Brenda Biondo
