PROFILE OF A PRESIDENT
Leslie A. Gordon, San Francisco Attorney Magazine, 64 SUMMER 2006
Aside from being a lawyer, Barristers Club President Josh
Ridless has another thing in common with BASF President
Joan Haratani: they are both competitive triathletes. In
May, Ridless competed in his second half-Ironman triathlon,
which included a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike race, and 13.1-
mile run.
A transactional attorney who counsels small and midsize
businesses such as Bruno’s Restaurant and Funky Door Yoga
Studios, Ridless also does pro bono work for the Booker T.
Washington Community Center and Museo Italo-Americano.
We caught up with the San Francisco resident to see what
makes him tick and to hear about the Barristers Club.
What makes you happy?
Being balanced—having enough time to get all my work
done, to take time during the day to get outside and exercise,
and to see my family.
What makes a good lawyer?
A combination of good technical skills and specific knowledge
of the law, along with people and negotiating skills. When
attorneys have all three, it’s a rare thing.
What makes a good person?
People who at least attempt to do as much good for others as
they do for themselves.
Who has influenced you the most?
My father. Since he passed in 2000, I feel I’m more like him in
ways I didn’t see before. I inherited his values, no matter how
hard I fought them as a kid. He set a high bar for moral positions
and how to live life.
What has been the most fulfilling moment in your work?
No one moment has been the most fulfilling—probably the
last six or seven years of professional development, including
leaving a firm and going out on my own. The other day, in a
meeting with a client and the company’s cofounder, the client
said I explained things with patience and in a manner that’s
easy to understand. That made me feel I’m doing something
right. It’s sometimes difficult to gauge how I’m doing, even if
I’m getting seemingly good results.
What’s a lawyer stereotype that fits?
That lawyers work hard.
What’s a lawyer stereotype that doesn’t fit?
Every other one. Lawyers span the range of people, and
attempting to categorize them is a disservice. It’s an enormous
group of people that’s very diverse.
What’s your favorite place to relax?
The Coastal Trail in San Francisco. I like being on the edge
right next to the Pacific. It’s a cleansing feeling to be at the tip
of a huge body of water.
What do you like about yourself?
That I can make people feel comfortable when they’re
speaking with me. And I’m usually able to hold off making
decisions until I’m in the right state of mind.
Who’s your idol in the legal profession?
A fictional character: Atticus Finch [of To Kill A Mockingbird].
He got me interested in being a lawyer.
What’s your favorite film?
Shawshank Redemption. It has a magical sense to it. I like the
idea that the central character is innocent yet still has to
redeem himself to gain freedom. And I like the perseverance
aspect of the character.
What are your goals as Barristers Club president?
To increase involvement with our existing members through
events, MCLE seminars, and social gatherings and to really
make our membership aware of how valuable this community
is to their professional development. Whether they’re looking
to make a lateral move, to go out on their own, to do pro bono
work, or to mentor or be mentored—these resources are all
available through the bar association.
Every attorney should…
…do more pro bono work than they think they can afford to.
For more information contact:
Joshua Ridless
(415) 614-2600
http://www.ridlesslaw.com
In the news:
Small Law Firms Stay Under the M&A Radar, The Recorder, May 5, 2008:
http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=900005561727
http://www.digmypage.com/san-francisco-business-commercial-attorneys
Josh Ridless Achieves Copyright Precedent in Federal Court, Pike & Fischer Internet Law and Regulation Reports, September 12, 2007:
http://www.ridlesslaw.com/RidlessLaw_BriefSept.2007.pdf
http://www.digmypage.com/SF-Business-Attorney
http://www.digmypage.com/san-francisco-ip-attorneys
Small biz how to Probe legal, tax structure of partnership agreement, San Francisco Business Times, August 17, 2007:
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/08/20/smal...
http://www.digmypage.com/san-francisco-business-lawyers
Who Says Being a Lawyer Has to Suck?, San Francsico Magazine, January 2007:
http://www.ridlesslaw.com/San_Francisco_Magazine_Who_Says_Being_a_Lawyer...
http://www.digmypage.com/sf-business-attorneys
Profile of a President, San Francisco Attorney Magazine, Summer 2006:
http://www.digmypage.com/san-francisco-commercial-business-lawyers
http://www.ridlesslaw.com/2006%20SF%20Atty%20Mag%20-%20Summer%20-%20Ridl...
Laywer Athletes Work Out for Charity, San Francisco Attorney Magazine, Fall 2004:
http://www.ridlesslaw.com/lifestyle.pdf
Busy S.F. corporate lawyer prizes his volunteer work, San Francisco Chronicle, May 27, 2003:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/0...
http://www.digmypage.com/san-francisco-business-commercial-law
VLSP Cycling Challenge:
http://www.sfbar.org/vlsp_bike_challenge/
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/eve/658388219.html
References:
http://www.digmypage.com/Joshua-ridless
Other Links:
http://www.digmypage.com/josh-ridless http://newtech.meetup.com/14/members/7089554/
http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/94111-ca-joshua-ridless-212425.html
http://www.linkedin.com/in/joshridless
http://www.gobignetwork.com/profiles/Joshua-Ridless.aspx
http://artmam.net/Josh_Ridless.htm
http://www.sfbar.org/foundation/supporters.aspx
http://ezinearticles.com/?A16-Restaurant-Review&id=1072878
http://www.lawyersguide.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&Itemid=132&task=v...
http://www.nawlist.com/details.php?num=100510
http://newtech.meetup.com/14/members/7089554/
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1129729
http://www.livesimon.com/index/listings/page24370.htm
http://joshridless.blogspot.com/2008/03/josh-ridless-cost-effective-busi...
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Ridless
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/news/mediacoverage/may2003a.html
http://www.sfbar.org/foundation/supporters.aspx
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Ridless
http://artmam.net/Relationship__Other_People-10.htm
http://www.attorneysdir.com/business-and-corporate-law/california/the-la...
http://artcharm.com/Attorney_Joshua___Ridless.htm
http://www.seekyourbusiness.com/business/350/paul-moore-joins-joshua-rid...
http://sf.ohsohandy.com/a/132496-cost-effective-business-attorneys-law-o...
http://www.lawyersguide.info/detail/3263/the-law-office-of-joshua-a-ridl...
http://artcharm.com/Attorney_Joshua___Ridless.htm
http://artmam.net/Relationship__Other_People-10.htm
http://classifieds.enterto.com/76/6/62/30016/
http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=-583076
http://classifieds.enterto.com/76/6/62/31157/
http://classifieds.enterto.com/76/6/62/31159/
Triathlon Events:
http://www.onyourmarkevents.com/results.asp?id=1370
http://www.onyourmarkevents.com/results.asp?id=1499
http://www.capitalroadrace.com/results/07_AIT_HIRON_AG.HTM
http://www.tricalifornia.com/timing/results05/bk/bkov1-500.cfm