Last December, Stephanie West Allen (of Idealawg and Brains on Purpose(tm)) and I launched a 10-day campaign that we called “Lawyers Appreciate…” We asked legal bloggers to make a post, sharing the things and people they most appreciate in the practice of law. And we were delighted with the results, which you can find summarized here. […]
Every office has one: the messy lawyer, whose desk and/or office always looks like a bomb exploded and left behind papers and files and coffee cups and who-knows-what-else scattered everywhere. It’s a good practice to clear the decks weekly or following the end of a major project, just to keep some level of tidiness. This […]
I often request new clients complete the DISC assessment, both to give the client a sense of his or her natural tendencies and how much he or she feels the need to adapt to the current work environment and also to give me the background for communicating by using the client’s language. As I outlined […]
Survival tips for new associates: David Dummer, an associate in the Dallas office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, has written an article with 10 survival tips for new associates. Although the tips are not particularly revolutionary, they set a good framework for new associates and might serve as a reminder for more advanced lawyers. Some […]
One of the interesting things about practicing law is that, until relatively recently, little discussion occurred about how to advance in practice beyond becoming a top-notch practitioner. While I have no doubt that other skills have always been required (the ability to communicate well, to lead well, etc.), it’s quite clear to me that more […]
I’ve been leveled by the flu this week. Whether it’s due to the resulting brain fog or a flash of insight (and if so, a flash probably triggered by David Maister’s Strategy and the Fat Smoker, which is still buzzing around in my head), I have been struck over and over by a single theme […]
This week’s article AmLaw 200 Managing Partners Issue Fog Advisory for 2008 provides a clear snapshot of some of the challenges facing law firms and lawyers these days. According to the article, a “substantial number” of managing partners (25% of those polled) are “uncertain” about their firms’ prospects in 2008, largely due to the slowing transactional market […]
One aspect of coaching that oftens initially surprises my clients is that I offer feedback that shows them something they hadn’t previously appreciated, something that reveals another factor or aspect of a situation and perhaps changes my client’s view of things. For instance, I was working with one client (let’s call her Barb) who was hoping […]
Lessons Learned on Balance: I’ve read Ellen Rappaport Tanowitz’s article Balancing Act: Lessons Learned (published in the September issue of the ABA’s GP/Solo New Lawyer newsletter) several times now, and it’s touched me each time. After recounting the story of death at an unconscionably young age, Tanowitz writes: Luke’s dad has taught me some very valuable lessons, that […]
Only 34 days remain in 2007, including weekends and holidays. Before we know it, the books will close and another year will have passed. What’s the most important step you can take today to ensure that you’re well-positioned as you move into 2008? Business development: Perhaps you could set aside a couple of hours to […]