Is practicing law fun?
I’ve been having some interesting conversations lately with lawyers who demand a career that’s intellectually demanding, satisfying, financially successful, and fun. Fun? Can something as serious as practicing law be fun? These lawyers won’t settle for less. I’ve discovered 5 common attitudes and habits among these lawyers — how many do you share? The lawyers I’ve […]
Tuesday Shorts: 2/12/08
I was particularly interested in Closed Networks & the Problem with Facebook by Steven Matthews. An excerpt: This month’s edition of Web Law Connected could be seen as a bit of a rant, but the honest intent here is to explore the underlying marketing value offered to lawyers by what has become the 800-pound gorilla of […]
How do lawyers learn to become rainmakers?
While I’m attending the Midyear meeting of the ABA (in sunny LA this year), I’m pleased to reprint a post originally published in September 2006. So often, people talk about “rainmakers” as if rainmakers are born, not made. Not true. I’ve never seen a survey of great rainmakers to see whether they believe they were […]
Tuesday Shorts: 2/5/08 (diverting from law school, alternative careers, leadership question)
Just a few shorts today… First, thanks to all who completed the 2007 Life at the Bar survey! I appreciate the feedback and your suggestions, and I look forward to bringing you more of what you’d like to see. Congratulations to the lawyer who won the drawing for an Amazon gift certificate; for privacy’s sake […]
Social networking… Yea or nay?
I was excited today to open the latest issue of Law Practice Management magazine, which features social networking. (Thanks to Stephanie West Allen for leeting me know when the link was posted!) Blogs and podcasts are old news to many people now. But there’s so much more! I get requests for connections via LinkedIn and […]
Tuesday Shorts 1/29/08 (for new partners, retention, recession)
Letter to a new partner: Blawg Review #142 featured letters to new lawyers. What about new partners? While some tasks and concerns certainly continue even after a lawyer makes partner, the elevation brings with it a host of new duties and issues. (In fact, new partners comprise one of the largest groups of lawyers who contact […]
Are law firms “cuddly”?
Or… Maybe it’s time for a change. There’s been much discussion for the past few years about the viability of the billable hour, the high numbers of lawyers (especially but not exclusively women and women of color) leaving the profession, and the high rate of lawyer depression. In case you missed it, Thursday’s New York Times carried an […]