What's the difference between a lawyer and a comedian? Not much, according to Jack Thomas, creator of exlawyer.com.

Thomas practiced law for five years before giving up his practice to become a full-time comedian. Since then he has done stand up with Jerry Seinfeld, Dennis Miller, Ellen Degeneres, Drew Carey and Brett Butler. He has also appeared on A&E's "Evening at the Improv" and "The Showtime Comedy Club Network" giving his irreverent views on the legal profession, which he says isn't as serious as most people think.

"By and large lawyers have a much better sense of humor about themselves than people in other professions," Thomas said. "The same things that make you a good lawyer, being able to analyze and observe the inconsistencies in life, make you a good comedian."

His Web site offers everything from an extensive archive of lawyer jokes to the standard nondisclosure agreement for Las Vegas bachelor parties, which stipulates that no one present will discuss the event.

Most of the users, Thomas said, are lay people who come after seeing his act to laugh at his sometimes-reviled former profession. The rest are lawyers who want to poke fun at themselves.

"When you're dealing with serious, sometimes life and death issues, like lawyers sometimes do," Thomas said. "Laughing at yourself can be a good stress reducer."

One of the most popular sections is "Ask a Lawyer" in which people ask Thomas legal questions, ranging from serious to just plain bizarre.

One person asked, "If I have had a corner for several years selling pot and some new guy starts selling on the same corner can I sue him because I'm losing money and I can't pay the rent?"

Thomas replied, "Sounds like a joint property issue to me. Find yourself a lawyer who charges by the ounce instead of the hour."

The advice is meant for entertainment purposes only, Thomas says, and should not be used in a court of law.

Thomas also profiles a "Case of the Week," which tends toward the funny and the strange. One such case was Illinois v. Wardlow, in which the Supreme Court ruled that police can search and detain suspects for simply running away.

The ExLawyer's advice: "When you see the cops, run toward them. What can they say in court? "He was acting suspicious. He ran right at me."

Besides jokes, exlawyer.com offers a semi-serious do-it-yourself will kit and an online store where users can buy T-shirts and CDs of Thomas' comedy routines. There is also a wide-selection of law books for purchase.

Humor can be serious business, too. Offline, Thomas teaches a seminar called "Humor in Advocacy," which helps trial lawyers liven up their arguments in front of juries.

"If it's used well, humor is a persuasive tool to point out the inconsistencies in your opponent's argument," Thomas said, "And can help win a case."

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