I woke up very early this morning, still thinking about the Young Lawyer’s Conundrum (article no longer available) I posted about yesterday and Schiltz’s concept that lawyers who go to law firms will end up engaging in unethical practice — indeed, living unethical lives — because of the law firm culture that pushes endlessly for more money, […]
I’ve just read a staggering article (no longer available) by former Notre Dame law professor (then Dean of the University of St. Thomas Law School, soon to be District Judge) Patrick J. Schiltz. Published in January 2000 (I know it’s old, but what can I say? I was busy practicing law when it came out), the […]
When I was a teenager and even as a young adult, I used to keep a journal. A big believer in fresh starts, I’d start a new journal whenever a major life event prompted me to think it was the right time. A new grade in school, beginning college, beginning or ending a job or […]
I follow Worthwhile Magazine’s blog (no longer available) and found today an interesting story about God in the workplace. According to the entry, numbers of workers bring God or spirituality or religion to their work, seeking an opportunity to contribute to the common good by bringing their values to their work. The blog entry cites a New York […]
Since coaching is still a relatively new profession, having been around only since the 1990s, there isn’t much in the way of data to back up coaching’s claim to effectiveness. As a lawyer myself, particularly as a lawyer with some scientific training, that’s been troubling to me. I know coaching works because I’ve worked with […]
I attended a seminar last week in Orlando entitled Practicing with Professionalism. Michael Cohen, Executive Director of Florida Lawyers Assistance, presented the first session, entitled “Chemical Dependency/Stress.” He opened with his own story of substance abuse and recovery — instant credibility, a spellbinding tale of breakdown and recovery. I suspect that most of us who attend […]
I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday, and she asked why I’m coaching and what I want for lawyers. Ok, actually, she asked if I want lawyers to leave the profession and seek happiness in some other field! No, that isn’t what I want for lawers — unless, of course, that’s what some […]
There’s an interesting article by Steven Keeva in the ABA Journal, entitled “What Tears May Tell: Sometimes It’s Beneficial to Show Emotions When Working With Clients,” the article’s thesis is that showing genuine emotion permits deep interpersonal connection and communication. The article focuses on two stories: one of a lawyer who cried when recounting the […]
It doesn’t hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started. During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what criterion defines whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we […]