Many lawyers and commentators like to criticize the billable hour as the source of all legal woes — or at least work/life balance challenges. There’s a certain appeal to the argument since, after all, the idea behind the billable hour is that experienced attorneys know more and are more skilled and therefore can accomplish more for […]
Today I ran across a Law Practice Today article titled How to Be More User-Friendly, by Wendy L. Werner. The article lists reminders of what lawyers need to do, be, or think about “to not just be tolerated by the rest of the world, but to flourish.” Here’s the list, and I strongly encourage you to […]
I tried something new and different this week. I left my Blackberry at my desk when I closed up shop for the day. Now, granted, I work from home, so it isn’t such a big issue for me to go back to my desk, check email there, etc. And I can hear my office phone […]
Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a proponent of finding work/life balance AND a proponent of excellent client service. Though others may disagree, I think the two can and must co-exist, and frankly I question whether a lawyer can deliver top-notch legal services without some form of balance — recognizing that “balance” means radically […]
Dan Hull, of What About Clients? blog fame, posted a key question that associates (really, all lawyers) must be able to answer at a moment’s notice: What are you thinking? As Dan put it, “If a neuron fires in a brilliant young lawyer’s head, and no one hears it go off, did it even happen?” Dan writes […]
Most of the news about associate retention is cast in negatives — quoting, for example, that 60-62% of entry-level associates will have left their firms by the end of their fourth year in practice. What if changing jobs more frequently is simply a fact of modern life? Or the result of dual career couples, the consequence […]
I suppose the flu is going around everywhere now — part of the last gasp of winter. And, I’ve got it, and it’s hideous. I’m going to get some rest and get well. I’ll be back by Monday. Until then, here’s a quote for your reflection: “As a leader, you have to not only do […]
Most of the lawyers I talk with enjoy practicing law, at least to some degree. They may not love it, but there’s some part of practice that works for them, whether it’s the intellectual challenge, the stand-up work that can harness the acting bug, or even the money. I don’t think I’ve ever met a […]
I’ve been intending to write this review for months. What can I say about a book that so clearly describes the consequences of working with nasty people? Or of being a nasty person? It isn’t often that I feel gut-level resonance with a business book. My best advice here: stop reading, now, and go order The […]
Has anyone missed the news about the recent salary bump? Somehow, I doubt it. Plenty of questions remain, such as to what extent salaries increases will spread to other parts of the country and what increased expectations, if any, will be imposed on the anointed associates. I’d like to make several predictions about what’s likely […]