Hard Knocks: Hilarious Life Lessons of a Lawyer (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781475227017)

Mervyn L. Hecht was educated at UCLA, University of Paris (Sorbonne) and Harvard Law School. In 1963, while still in law school, he authored an article in Taxes Magazine on real estate taxation, and in 1964 opened a law practice in Pacific Palisades California. During 25 years of law practice he represented investment advisors and investors in a number of matters, and worked extensively for Charles Schwab and Merrill Lynch. He acts as an arbitrator in options related matters for the NASD and the New York Stock Exchange, and lectures on option trading. The first edition of his book "How to Make Money with Stock Options--a Guide for the Conservative Investor" was published in 1974, and is now in its third edition. During the period of 1975 to 1992, Mr. Hecht was an active director of two companies providing computer education. One of the companies was among the first to offer computer training on the computer, and while Mr. Hecht was active in management the other became, and remains, one of the largest technology education companies in the world. In 1990 he retired from the practice of law and combined his love of business with his love of wine to start Fourcade & Hecht Wine Selections - which he solely & successfully owned and managed until 2005. He remains active in the company as an advisor to this day. In addition to authoring several books on a variety of subjects, Merv posts to a regular blog on financial news and investing: Double Your Yield at He currently resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Dr. Bonnie Hecht a retired research psychologist. And Merv plays golf regularly at nearby Riviera Golf Club.