When I finished law school in 1993, the expectation of joining a firm, making partner there, and staying for the entirety of a career was beginning to fade. By this time, it’s almost an anomaly for a young lawyer to walk that path. In 2006, a NALP study (reported in a Law.com article titled Firms Losing Top […]
Because of the stress of practice, burnout is a real issue for lawyers. Just about every lawyer has at least an occasional period in which it seems that work is pressing 18-20 hours a day, and most of us know intuitively that it’s important to recover following that kind of exertion. But what about the […]
Most of us start each day with a “to do” list, or at least a good idea of what must be accomplished. Time management experts often suggest starting by knocking off the easiest tasks, and overachievers often attack the toughest item first. However, each of these approaches misses the mark and may facilitate being busy […]
Lawyers and law firms increasingly have the concept of coaching on their radar screens, particularly as coaching continues to filter into the mainstream. Now that the concept is well-known, the next step is gaining familiarity with how coaching actually works, what topics may be addressed, and what the effects may be over a given period […]
I often write here about taking the time for real recreation and relaxation. It’s important for all of us (lawyer and non-lawyer alike) to do something that refills the pitcher of “self” so that we have more to pour out in service to our clients. But there’s another dimension to restoration, and that’s getting the […]
I’m a fan of Bruce MacEwan‘s Adam Smith, Esq. blog, which studies the economics of law firms. Today, I’d like to call attention to a recent post that suggests a response to the issues of work/life balance. It’s probably news to no one that although men and women graduate from law school in roughly equal […]
I’ve noticed that summer associate season is in full swing — not only because clients are mentioning their summer programs, but because I’m seeing more and more summer associate-related searches that people have entered before landing on the Life at the Bar blog. So, it’s time for me to trot out my favorite topic not […]
I’ve been intending to post about a New York Times article I read a few months ago, and today’s the day. I have noticed recently that I’m receiving a lot of emails informing me that the sender is now limiting the number of times she checks email in the course of a day, and to […]
One of the most important pieces of coaching rests in illuminating distinctions. I have several favorites that come up in the course of a great many coaching engagements: reaction vs. response, hearing vs. listening, assertion vs. assessment, interesting vs. purposeful, and so on. One distinction is particularly relevant to effective action: busy vs. productive. My […]
Do you ever feel that you’re just one small lawyer in a large sea? New lawyers often begin their practices wondering how to distinguish themselves from the hundreds or thousands of other lawyers occupying the same niche. And that feeling isn’t limited to new lawyers, by any means. Though the question may fade, it certainly re-emerges […]