My major (on my first trip through undergrad) was in English, with an emphasis on creative writing. When I asked my favorite writing professor for a recommendation to law school, she literally covered her face with her hands and started shaking her head. After determining that she had slid into despair and was not, as […]
One of the rules I keep in mind when writing is that good writing is clear, crisp, and simple. The same rule often applies more generally as well. As Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” When it comes to managing one’s personal life while maintaining a practice, “simple” is […]
Anne Reed of Deliberations hosted this week’s Blawg Review #127. It’s a cleverly arranged Blawg Review, using the “17 best tips for voir dire” as an organizing theme. Reading this round will not only teach you about voir dire (with tips such as #4 watch for points of view, #8 watch for the quiet ones, […]
One of my favorite parts of The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law (previously reviewed here) is the section debunking the myth that a new lawyer is a potted plant. It’s easy for a new lawyer to get tripped up by the knowledge that he lacks experience and the desire not to appear arrogant. So, what’s […]
Tom Kane of the Legal Marketing Blog has written perhaps the best two lines on marketing that I have ever read: You can overcome your procrastination when it comes to developing business by doing a simple item each day. If you don’t get started, you may never become an effective marketer. Fortunately, his post Spend […]
I posted a few weeks ago about Saying NO, and I recently ran across a post on The Marketing Mix that suggests 7 ways to say no in a post titled, How to say “no, thanks”. After all, as is so often true with communication, it’s just as important to know how to say it as […]
A lot of law firms are working to make their associate review processes more useful — and some are even succeeding. Over the last 2-3 years, it’s become quite vogue to require associates to design a professional development plan so that they and the firm can track their progress. Although the plan is designed to […]
As I recover from declaring blog bankruptcy, I’m finding time to stay up on the marvelous things going on in the blogosphere. So, today I introduce Tuesday shorts, a collection of references to interesting posts I’ve run across recently. Drowning in email? I say a hearty AMEN to Dan Hull‘s (of What About Clients?) post […]
I’ve sometimes talked with lawyers (especially associates at large firms) who believe that another lawyer has stabbed them in the back: withheld critical information, misrepresented some aspect of the lawyer’s work to a more senior lawyer or client, or taken credit for the lawyer’s work. These experiences are enraging and painful, and it’s easy for […]
When you meet someone for the first time — especially in a social setting or at a networking function — how do you answer the inevitable, “What do you do?” The tendency for a lot of us is to answer quickly, “I’m a lawyer.” The person you’re talking with may inquire further about what kind […]