Retreating for professional reflection
As soon as I finish typing this post, I am going on retreat for the weekend. I’ve checked into a hotel that has a nice view, a good desk, 24-hour room service, and oodles of peace and quiet. The high-speed ‘net connection is working here — unlike at my office — and I am preparing […]
“Law practice the way it should be.”
David Maister recently profiled Christopher Marston, a 29-year old Boston attorney who founded a 9-person law firm known as Exemplar Law Partners immediately after he graduated from law school. The firm bills exclusively on a fixed price model, offering more budget-friendly services to its clients and a good work environment for its lawyers. The firm touts its […]
Passing up good for great
There’s a key skill for balancing work and life, and it’s one that doesn’t come naturally to many of us. Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time For Your Life and Stand Up For Your Life (among others) calls it “passing up good for great.” As children, we’re taught the old saw that a bird in the […]
Controlling anger
As attorneys, we’re often faced with statements, actions, arguments, behavior, etc. that is galling in the extreme. It’s a common practice in litigation among some to make an effort to find their opponents’ hot buttons; push the button and out pops an ugly, crazy person — not someone a jury would respect or believe. (Same […]
6 Tips to turn your commute into valuable time
Very few people have truly short commutes these days. I know of only one woman who lives within 15 minutes of her office, regardless of the time of day she makes the trip — and that’s because she’s only a 15-minute walk away. The rest of us put up with anywhere from 30 minutes to a […]
Shape up your communication skills. Now.
The true impact of yesterday’s security changes to prevent terrorist attacks on airlines likely won’t be revealed for some time. We’re now in the initial period of confusion and revelation, rebellion and adaptation. That will pass, I assume, and we’ll likely settle down to a new style of air travel, one that will probably be even […]
Internal client development
Generally speaking, law firms use the phrase “client development” to refer to the process of signing clients that the firm will represent in litigation, transactions, etc. This blog has previously discussed client development for associates. But today, I’d like to consider another type of client development associates must consider: internal client development. As an associate, […]