Are you satisfied with your client development efforts?
I often notice that lawyers with whom I talk have some good ideas about client development activities. They know what to do, and they implement some of that knowledge. But when someone hires me to work on business development and we take a good look at what they’re actually doing on a consistent basis, the […]
Tuesday Shorts 3/11/08 (Unhappy associates, dealing with mistakes, time)
The Lost Generation of Associates Former GE General Counsel Ben W. Heinemann, Jr. and Harvard Law professor David B. Wilkins have written an article outlining some of the challenges that associates in large law firms face: At the 250 largest law firms, the arrows are pointing up for many associate indicators. Summer internships […]
Determining decision-making authority
In my experience, newer associates often have challenges in determining what they do and don’t have the authority to do. Some may take on too little authority, undermining their usefulness to more senior lawyers who need not be consulted about every decision, and others may too on too much, possibly compromising strategic decisions that should be […]
Wednesday Shorts 3/5/08
I almost titled this post “The Bad Blogger,” because that’s how I feel! I’ve been away from Atlanta (my primary home) for all but 3 scattered days since mid-January. I’m accustomed to travel, but doing this much of it all at once is truly a challenge. One thing I’ve learned is to be a little […]
What happens to work/life issues in a recession?
The economic forecasts seem to agree: we’re in a recession. Unlike past slowdowns, this recession seems poised to affect law firms as much as other businesses — not a pleasant thought for lawyers accustomed to growth and more growth. If you’re among those concerned (and if you aren’t, you probably should be), be sure to visit […]
Monday Shorts 2/25/08
Blawg Review #148 Hosted by Brett Trout of BlawgIT, Blawg Review #148 is devoted to Internet Memes, complete with the requisite YouTube videos. Who could resist this? While considering a theme for this week’s Blawg Review, it struck me that lawyers do not spend as much time aimlessly meandering the web as would, for instance, […]
The client perspective
A couple of years ago, I was a party to some litigation, and I had the mind-shifting opportunity to be a client. I learned a tremendous amount about what it means to be a client. Because these lessons would have served me very well when I was in practice, I share them with you today. 1. Communication […]