Legal Ease Blog

Raising the Bar - Dress the Part

I came across these presentation tips this week on the BusinessWeek site, reminding us that, whether we like it or not, others will judge us by the way we dress. The tips include looking better than everyone else, ensuring you have the right fit, paying attention to your footwear, and dressing appropriately for the event or culture.

Last night was the season premiere for the second season of TNT's drama series, "Raising the Bar." I only caught one or two episodes of last year's season, so when I was asked to review this season premiere, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. As it turns out, it dovetailed nicely with the above tips.

Raising the Bar revolves around the cases and lives of young lawyers who work in the public defender's office and the district attorney's office, and the courts and judges before whom these lawyers practice. The stars of the show include Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who plays idealist Jerry Kellerman, a public defender known in part for his long hair and unconventional methods. In fact, this season's premier episode opens with a montage of comments by lawyers on both sides of the aisle wishing Jerry a Happy Birthday -- and commenting on his hair.

Jerry soon finds out that the other lawyers aren't the only ones taking notice of his hair. During voir dire, as Jerry is questioning jurors about what kinds of people they trust, one juror indicates that he trusts 'the other lawyer' but doesn't think he'd trust Jerry because of his appearance - including his rumpled clothing and his long hair. As luck would have it, Jerry's attempt to have the juror knocked off of the jury for cause is blocked by the judge, and he's out of peremtory challenges - which means he's stuck with this juror.

To the shock and suprise of all involved, Jerry arrives for court the following morning with a new haircut. (As it happens, his client owns a barbershop). And when Jerry's client throws him a curveball during the trial by failing to testify as planned in an attempt to show support for his nephew, Jerry uses it to his advantage by harkening back to the theme of trust from jury selection. He exhorts the jury to decide based upon whether they found his client to be trustworthy.

Did Jerry's new haircut have an impact on the jurors' decision? It probably didn't hurt. Even unconventional Jerry may have realized that, despite his personal preferences and personal style, being in a leadership role - particularly one in which your job is to persuade others - sometimes requires you to dress the part (i.e. dress appropriately for the situation and the culture). 

Raising the Bar is produced by Steven Bochco, producer of many a well-known TV series. I'm interested to see how the rest of this season develops, particularly with the cast Bochco has put together. In addition to Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben (formerly of ER) plays Kellerman's boss, 'Roz' Whitman, who announced last night that, due to heavy caseloads, she'll be stepping in to try more cases, and Jane Kaczmarek, who plays Judge Trudy Kessler.   

Last night's episode also featured Roz's first foray back into the courtroom, in which she respresented a hockey mom involved in an altercation with another parent at her son's hockey game. Roz's client's financial situation precludes her from posting bail, in contrast to the other mom involved, whose husband is a well-known and financially well-off business person, raising questions about what the client's best course of action will be, since she is a single parent with a child in need of care.

Interested? Watch Raising the Bar every Monday night at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on TNT.

Click here for more tips on public speaking and dress code. (Hat tip to Kevin O'Keefe)

It's more important than ever for lawyers to "Get a Life"

As many of you already know, I was in Chicago last week for the first annual Total Practice Management Association "Get a Life" (TM) conference. This month's Lawyer Meltdown Newsletter included a recap of some tips from the conference speakers, and I'll be posting more of them on the blog in the next week or so.

The purpose of the conference, as well as the Total Practice Management Association's new magazine, Total Balance, (which you can get for free) was to teach lawyers ways to achieve greater work/life balance. If you look at the roster of speakers and programs from the event and the conference recap, you'll realize that work/life balance doesn't mean not working hard or not taking the business of law seriously - in fact, it's just the opposite.

I firmly believe that in order to be intellectually challenged, to come to work with your best foot forward and to provide your clients with the excellent service they deserve, you've got to have balance in your life.

But work/life balance doesn't just have one meaning that's universal to everyone. For some, it can be working long hours doing something they're passionate about. For others, balance comes by defining your priorities and focusing on what you love and what you do best, outsourcing the rest. For others, balance is achieved through flexible work schedules, and technological advances. Still others achieve balance by focusing their marketing and their practice only on the highest value clients. And of course, work/life balance also means determining your personal priorities and incorporating those into your life - whether through your practice or outside of your practice.

Yesterday, I came across an article in Law.com entitled, "Are Today's Lawyers Stretched Too Far?" by Susan Beck of The American Lawyer. The article begins by talking about tough times faced by big law firms, and the depression and even suicides that have resulted from recent layoffs and firm restructuring. Beck notes that the current law firm model is not sustainable, either financially or practically. She says, "Expecting lawyers to devote every ounce of their energy to their firm and its clients is not sustainable."

So what is the alternative? I've heard some lawyers from large firms commenting that one 'bright spot' in the economic downturn is that the lawyers who still have jobs won't be 'whining about work/life balance any more; they'll just be glad to be working.' I couldn't disagree more.

Work/life balance is even more important now, when financial pressures are mounting, client expectations are increasing, budgets are being scrutinized, and some workloads have increased due to under-staffing. And again - clients are better served by lawyers who are committed and focused, which necessarily means that those lawyers are taking care of themselves, too.

Beck suggests that it's time to, "knock [lawyers] out of the daily grind, to get [them]to stop, look around and think." Hopefully, focus on these issues - including conferences like "Get a Life" will help lawyers to do that. 

If you'd like to see the conference recap from my newsletter, you can get it here. While you're there, subscribe to the newsletter - next month's issue will include some lessons learned from all of the conferences I've attended over the past year.

Need help defining your priorities or structuring your firm for better balance? Contact me to see how I can help.

Summer Reading for Lawyers

While the weather outside on Long Island isn't exactly balmy yet (at least not consistently), my calendar tells me that summer is approaching, and for many, that means it's time to find some great books to read, whether you prefer the paper and ink kind or reading on your Kindle or other electronic device.

Last week, I attended the Amercian Bar Association combined Spring Meeting for the Law Practice Management Section and the Young Lawyers Division, and the theme from one of our business meetings was books. That, coupled with several recent conversations with lawyers about books prompted me to write this post. The following is a list of book suggestions compiled from my own lists, last week's meeting, and those multiple conversations.

While some of the books on this list are books you'd expect to see on a reading list for lawyers, others are rather unconventional suggestions. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope you find at least one book that you hadn't considered before.

My recommendations:

The End of Lawyers? Rethinking the Nature of Legal Services, by Richard Susskind There's been a lot of 'buzz' in the legal world about this book, which is a bit more optimistic than its title implies. Susskind opines that the nature of legal services, and the delivery of those services, will change dramatically over the next several years. I recommend the book to every lawyer, regardless of practice area or stage of your career. If you want a bit of a preview about the concepts in the book, you can hear Susskind's keynote speech that was given at this year's American Bar Association Techshow earlier this year at the ABA Techshow home page. 

Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, by Peggy Klaus
Some may say that lawyers brag too much and focus too much on themselves, but do they sell themselves well? Whether you're a lawyer looking for a job, trying to impress the partners in your firm with your accomplishments or seeking ways to differentiate yourself and get your message out to clients, this book can help. Learn creative ways to talk about your skills and accomplishments to showcase what is unique about you without sounding like you're a pompous jerk.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini
As a lawyer, much of what you do involves persuasion, from persuading a jury to find in favor of your client, to persuading a potential client that you're the lawyer they should work with to persuading counsel to adopt your version of the contract provision or persuading an employee to take on a new project or responsibility. This book will provide insight into how people make decisions and identifies the most effective methods you can use to convince others.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Another book about how people make decisions, Gladwell's Blink focuses on split-second decisionmaking and how you can train yourself to focus on the most important information, and make faster - and possibly more valuable - decisions. This is an especially interesting read for lawyers, who are prone to 'analysis paralysis' and often have difficulty identifying when to stop researching or planning and make a decision.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, by Malcolm Gladwell
Are you a "Connector" a "Maven" a "Salesman," or none of the above - and what does that mean for your practice? What methods can be employed to affect real change?

What Clients Love: A Field Guide to Growing Your Business, by Harry Beckwith
Beckwith's books are easy to read, and the chapters are short, making them ideal reads for waiting in court or for a 15 minute break during the day. This book puts the focus back where it belongs - on the client. If you want to attract and keep clients, this volume will give you practical, strategic and humorous tips to do just that.

Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, by Harry Beckwith
I already wrote about this book in December in my post, "Good is Better than Best When it Comes to Planning," but the book has much more to offer than I wrote about in that post. Law is a service profession, which, by definition means that it's a relationship profession. In this book, Beckwith demonstrates how best to market a service business. This book demonstrates one of the core principles I discuss with clients on a daily basis - marketing is inextricably intertwined with the way you run your practice - your marketing will fall flat if you don't deliver the client experience.

The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron
Whether you consider yourself an 'artist' or not, the fact of the matter is that as a lawyer, you're in a creative profession. And the more creative and innovative you can be, the better the client experience you can deliver. But it's easly to lose that creative edge when you're mired in the day to day business of law. Cameron's program can help you unblock that creativity, and it includes one of the exercises clients have found universally helpful - the daily writing habit. 

The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life, by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
Another 'non-traditional' recommendation for lawyers, but one that's sure to provide inspiration and a new way of looking at your practice, motivating your employees and creating the results you want in your practice. It includes some techniques and practices that you may have seen before, but with a bit of a twist. In a time of economic downturn, it's especially useful for learning to look for possibilities and opportunities rather than seeing the world through a scarcity mindset.

(For more of my recommendations, see my recommended reading list in the sidebar of this blog)

Recommendations from others (that I look forward to reading):

Leading Change, by John P. Kotter

Aligning the Stars: How To Succeed When Professionals Drive Results, by Jay William Lorsch and Thomas J. Tierney

The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge Into Action, by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton

Spin Selling, by Neil Rackham

Small is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants and Remarkable Business Ideas, by Seth Godin

World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers that Get Millions of People to Spread Your Ideas and Share Your Stories, by David Meerman Scott

10-10-10: A Life Transorming Idea, by Suzy Welch

And I got a great tip at the meeting from Tom Grella, partner and chair of the Management Committeer at McGuire, Wood & Bissette, P.A.: You can find books at great prices at www.alibris.com.

Special thanks to Jennifer Ator and John Remsen for their suggestions as well!

Please share your book suggestions by leaving a comment!

Do Something! Get a Life

The inaugural Get a Life.™ Conference is fast approaching - only a little more than a week away, the conference, hosted by the Total Practice Management Association is being held on May 27-28 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. 

Whether you are a firm associate looking for a job, a small firm owner or a law school student interested in a solo career, you will benefit from hands-on training and valuable resources you can use to find better work-life balance, and arm you with the business knowledge and operational insight you need to succeed at solo and small firm ownership.

I am looking forward to my participation in the conference. I'll be speaking on Thursday, May 28 at 9:30 a.m., and my topic is, "Billing 101: Fees, Finance and the Bottom Line." Other speakers will lead interactive sessions focusing on client relations, marketing, staff support, outsourcing, technology, office infrastructure and expansion, among other topics. 

Make sure to check out the GAL website for a complete list of top tier speakers, events, a full agenda and current pricing.

If you're interested in attending the conference, you may even be able to forget about pricing --

I have been extended 10 Free Seats for regular attendance. To take advantage of this offer, please visit www.TotalPMA.org and register for the ‘Complimentary’ attendance. When asked, enter in my code ‘SHIELDSVIP’. Additional events may be purchased separately.

*Even if you don't get one of the 10 free seats, you may be eligible for Total PMA’s GAL scholarship program which provides full conference tuition to unemployed but actively looking law firm associates.  As an added plus, all GAL registrants receive free one-year Total PMA membership. Candidates can read the eligibility requirements and download the application at http://www.totalpma.org/events/get-a-life-2009/scholarship-application.pdf. Total PMA will accept applications now through May 22nd at 5:00pm CST and announce the recipients via email and on its Get a Life. ™ Conference website by May 25th, 2009 at 5:00pm CST.

BlackBerry Behavior: Is it hurting your reputation?

Earlier this week I attended a networking breakfast and was struck by the poor etiquette displayed by some of the other attendees, particularly related to the use of their BlackBerrys. All of those present at the event were professionals at the top of their businesses, and yet they seemed unaware of the poor professional image their behavior conveyed.

Attendees on either side of me were more focused on their BlackBerrys than on what was being said by the presenters and other participants. On one side, a lawyer kept her BlackBerry on the table, and it vibrated almost constantly, making noise and disturbing the others at the table. Of course, every time it vibrated, the attorney couldn't resist looking at it and occasionally replying to emails/texts immediately. And she wasn't alone.

Of course, the same rules apply whether you have a BlackBerry, Treo, iPhone or other smart phone (or even a regular cell phone). While these tools can be a tremendous advantage for productivity and client responsiveness, if not used wisely they can become distractions that impact you in negative ways - not the least of which is presenting the impression that you are rude or don't care about the event you're attending or that the people you are with are unimportant.

I've compiled a short list of tips to consider, and I invite you to add to the list and continue the conversation:

1. If you are attending an event, meal, meeting or presentation, turn off your electronic devices. If you MUST keep them on, turn them to silent or vibrate, do not place them on the table so that the vibration disturbs those around you;

2. If you are awaiting an important call or email, consider not attending the event so that you can attend to your important business;

3. If it is imperative that you attend the event, be sure that you keep your focus or attention on the event. Advise your companions at the outset that you are waiting for an urgent call, and sit near the door. Leave the room or the table discreetly if you absolutely MUST check your email or voice mail or return a call or email;

4. Remember that those around you are forming an impression of you AT ALL TIMES; if you are with a client and are checking your BlackBerry, reading emails, surfing the web, the client is going to think that you don't care about them and that they are not important to you;

5. Be aware that if you are replying to important emails while at dinner, a networking event or another meeting, you are not presenting your best self either at the event or in the email. Not only are you unable to devote your complete attention to the event and the people you are with, but you are also unable to devote your full attention to the email message. You may be making a poor impression on two groups of people at the same time.

6. Even if your device is under the table or you think you are being discreet others in the room are well aware of what you are doing. Regardless of what you think, you are NOT getting away with it!

7. The smaller the meeting, the more noticeable your behavior. But even in large meetings, be mindful of those around you, since they will certainly be aware of your behavior, so if your boss or an important client or colleague is sitting near you, refrain from checking your BlackBerry. And if the presenter, meeting facilitator or your boss is standing, seated on a dais or is behind you, they will be aware of your behavior even in a large room.

8. Reconsider your definition of what is an 'urgent' matter and what can wait. Think about your priorities, not just in the short term (answering this email immediately as opposed to 10 minutes from now), but also in the long term (if the client thinks I'm rude, I may lose the account).

9. Bluetooth is a great technology, but it isn't a fashion statement. Remove your headset when in the presence of others.

10. Just because you engage in an activity by yourself doesn't mean that you are alone. Be considerate of others in public places. Even if you are dining alone, other restaurant patrons, train riders, and people who work out at your gym don't want to be bothered with or interrupted by your telephone conversations. Not only do you run the risk of exposing confidential client information by making business calls in public, but the person riding next to you on the train or in line behind you at the supermarket could be your next great client - if they don't think you're rude, arrogant, annoying or insensitive.

11. To my fellow Twitterers: "live-tweeting" from an event may be great for your Twitter followers, but before you do it, make sure you're not hurting your reputation with others in the room. This behavior may be acceptable in a large conference or meeting which includes technologically savvy attendees, but it may be considered rude in other settings. Consider the impact of your tweets on those you're with, as well as those who follow you. (Will your client appreciate that you're tweeting from court rather than talking to him while you wait for the judge?)

Common sense? You bet - and yet it seems to be all too uncommon these days!

Will Twitter replace Google?

I started to write this post as a 'live post' from the ABA Techshow in Chicago last week, sitting in the first panel of the day discussing Twitter as a tool for lawyers. But I soon discovered that "live Tweeting" a presentation was far easier than "live blogging" was - at least for me.

One panelist suggested that Twitter, and specifically Twitter's search tool, may replace Google for live searching. Twitter provides real-time information, commentary and discussion all of the time, on almost any subject. The sessions at Techshow were full of lawyers banging away on laptop keyboards, iPhones and Blackberries, and a chorus of tweets arose agreeing that Twitter's search feature outstrips any other search tool, including Google, especially for real-time news.

Will Twitter replace Google? I doubt it. But Techshow did provide me with a unique opportunity to be part of conversations relating to Techshow as they were taking place, and to obtain feedback from others attending both the sessions I attended and the ones I missed - while they were still happening. That's something that would be difficult for Google, at least in its current form, to compete with.

Because Twitter is by nature interactive, rather than static, rather than merely conducting a traditional search, a Twitter user can engage any number of other Twitter users in conversation to obtain the results they seek almost instantaneously. As Dan Thornton put it on his post comparing Google and Twitter on TheWayoftheWeb, "Google provides signposts for where you want to go. Twitter provides you with a guided tour by your friends." I would add that Twitter might even provide a guided tour by experts that you might never have connected with otherwise.

For those who want to be the first to learn about or convey up to the minute news, Twitter is a valuable tool, in part because of its 140 character limitation. Twitter forces its users to distill their thoughts into small, easily digestible packages that often contain links to larger stories. By doing a search or following specific industry experts, Twitter users can get up to the minute information about what is happening and who is talking about it. I can certainly imagine lawyers using Twitter as a way to find and broadcast up to the minute legal news to their network and obtain on the spot feedback from experts and others about how that news will affect their clients and other professional connections.

Want to know more about what other lawyers and legal-types think about Twitter? Read David Bilinsky's post, "Something to Twitter About," describing how Twitter affected his Techshow experience.

Richard Susskind's Keynote Speech at ABA Techshow is a Huge Hit

As many of you know, I recently read Richard Susskind's book "The End of Lawyers?" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Susskind delivered the keynote speech today at ABA Techshow in Chicago and the room was completely packed. Thankfully, I arrived early enough to get a seat, although others were not so lucky. I've commented on Susskind's book here and in the Lawyer Meltdown Newsletter, and heard many of the same themes repeated in today's keynote. But there was an added dimension to today's speech for me, as I tried to keep up with the speech and provide live updates on Twitter at the same time.

Here's a peek into what I 'tweeted' during the program:

• Lawyers: what do you REALLY sell? Susskind: "What's the hole in the wall of legal services?"

• Susskind: What's exciting about technology is not automating what you were doing before, but allowing you to do things you couldn't do before

• If clients want more for less, 2 strategies are possible: efficiency or collaboration

• Are lawyers ready to package their knowledge/ legal services to serve clients better?

• Susskind: "Bespoke" [customized] legal work dominates 'romantically' in minds of lawyers, but doesn't align with reality

• Clients: certainty & predictability as important - if not more - than overall cost of legal services (according to Susskind) 

• So lawyers..if clients want predictability and certainty in billing, should you continue billing hourly??

• Susskind: No reason to think legal world will be unaffected by changes, esp. accelerated technology changes

• Susskind talking about communication - IM, blogs, mass collaboration -- will he mention Twitter??

• Susskind: Social networking = next generation of email; great project management tool

• He did it! Susskind talking about Twitter... "cannot see why lawyers don't think Twitter applies to them"

• Susskind: If you can see ways your work can be undertaken differently & you don't do it, someone else will. How can lawyers innovate?

Although I certainly wouldn't do it for every presentation, posting tweets during the presentation, seeing which were "re-tweeted" immediately, reading others' live comments (and responding privately at times) provided a different level of excitement and engagement for me. It was amazing to see the real-time reactions of attendees and virtual attendees through Twitter. It showed what was resonating with people, what stirred up immediate controversy or commentary and provided an (unintended?) live demonstration of some of Susskind's points.

I encourage all lawyers to pick up Susskind's book and read it - especially since there seems to have been a lot of 'buzz' and conversation about the book among lawyers who have failed to read it.

Want to know more about what Susskind talked about in his keynote? Jim Calloway blogged his thoughts about Susskind's presentation after it was over. Dennis Kennedy 'live-blogged' his comments.

Intrigued? Follow me on Twitter.

 

Maximize your conference experience

I'll be leaving for the ABA Techshow today in Chicago. As always, I am looking forward to the conference, in large part because of the connections I make and the people I meet or reunite with. Some I see only once a year - at Techshow!

Matt Homann of the [non]billable hour has put together a fabulous post on what to do at a conference, entitled Ten Rules for Conference Attendees.

Among my favorites:

2.  Never attend a conference without at least three questions you want answered.  Never leave until they have been.

4.  The most important people at the conference are sitting next to you.  They are like you.  They can help you.  Ignore them at your peril.

8.  Don’t tell someone you’ll follow up unless you intend to.  Breaking the first promise you make to someone makes them believe you’ll break others, too.

Read Matt's post - and if you're attending Techshow in Chicago this weekend, be sure to introduce yourself (and see #10 on the list)!

Do Something! Request an introduction

If you're being strategic about your practice, you've probably identified potential clients, strategic alliances, referral sources or individuals that you'd love to meet. Maybe you don't know the name of an individual, but would like to gain entrance to an association, industry or business. What should you do?

Request an introduction!

1. Be very clear about who it is you want to meet, even if you don't have a name. Is your best connection the CEO or the COO? Do you want to meet the publication's editor or a reporter that covers a specific beat?

2. Identify your value proposition - what can you offer that is of value to your target? How would meeting you benefit them? Which concerns can you address? Which discussions can you contribute to?

3. Once you've found a connection within your network, request an introduction. Be specific about why you want the introduction and what you think you can offer that is of value. Focus on the value you can provide, rather than what you want to get out of the relationship.

4. Make it easy for others to make connections for you or introduce you by articulating what kind of introduction you would like - are you looking for a 'cyber-introduction' just to warm up your initial email or telephone call? Do you want to schedule a meeting? Would you like your connection to attend the meeting as well? Do you have a specific time frame in mind? How much information do you want the person making the introduction to provide?

5. Make the person who made the introduction look good - follow up and be sure to provide the value you promised; look for opportunities to compliment the person who made the introduction or to highlight their value

6. Thank your connections/referral sources regularly

For more about making connections on line, see Tips for Making Connections on Social Networking Sites

How do I know if I should be a lawyer?

I recently received an email from an undergraduate student seeking advice that might help him to determine whether a career in law was right for him. Here are some excerpts from his email request and my response. Please feel free to add to my comments and provide your own perspective - how would you have answered him?

Dear Ms. Shields:

I don't think you receive many e-mails of this type, but I'll try to keep this as brief and to the point.

I am an undergraduate student with an undeclared major. I have [done research] and I have taken assessments and think I am close to declaring a major. But when it comes to career path I am still really undecided. [The assessments I have taken seem to point to the law as a career path and I am trying to determine whether I would like it]. I have looked up all sorts of information about what it takes to be a great lawyer, and what the job atmosphere is like. I even visited once with my family's lawyer, but he is in private practice and I would also like other points of view.

I was looking through the internet and I ran into a link to your website [LawyerMeltdown.com]. I noticed that you help with lawyer meltdowns and I figured you may be able to give me some advice or a new outlook. I am not a lawyer having a meltdown by any means, but I am looking into law and if I do choose to become a lawyer, I don't think I will want to have a meltdown. So I wanted to ask you a few things:

• What are some common causes of meltdown that you have seen?

• What are some aspects of being a lawyer that you find people to have the most trouble dealing with?

• I have seen some articles about how it can be very overwhelming to be a lawyer because there is way too much work and they are always busy working overtime, [especially] when they are starting out in a big firm. Is this really the case? Is the amount of work so intense? I definitely see myself as a person who will be focused on placing my family first when I am older, and spending time with my kids, so I want to make sure I wouldn't be going into a profession where I don't get to spend much time with my family.

• Lastly, I have seen a lot of articles that say to be a good lawyer you have to be passionate about what you do. I have a little trouble grasping this because, if you look at it closely, it can be so broad. Passion in doing what exactly? Interacting, researching, presenting? I understand that they mean passion in your area, so that you will want to do all those things, but how would I ever know if I will be passionate about it unless I go into it?

I have simply been looking into the profession, and would like to know more about it from someone who's been there. I don't even really know what all the different areas exactly do(corporate, criminal, etc), but the whole field seems so broad that I don't know how I wouldn't find something I like doing.... I know what the general idea of a lawyer and what their job is, but I want to know more and I want something more specific. If you could help me out that would be great.

Sincerely,

E.A., Kansas State University

Dear E.A.:

Thank you for taking the time to write to me. Although I can give you my perspective, ultimately the decision about what path to choose for your future is one that only you can make. Since you are an undergraduate with an undeclared major, I am guessing that you are only a sophomore or a junior in college. While the deadline to declare a major may be fast approaching, there is certainly no reason to put undue pressure on yourself to determine the rest of your life right now. You have plenty of time to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. There is much you will want to learn and experience. Don’t lock yourself in to any one profession or career path ever – but especially while you are still so young. Although in years past, many people chose one career path (and indeed, often only one job), today, people change jobs and even careers much more frequently. In addition, if you do choose to pursue a career in law, there are many avenues that will be open to you as a result. A law degree can open many doors, even if you never actually practice law in any capacity.

All of that being said, I will try to respond to your individual questions:

1.    There are many factors which contribute to what I call “lawyer meltdown.” Law school, like any other form of higher education these days, is not cheap, and many lawyers are only able to complete law school by taking out rather large loans to finance their education. As a result, they graduate from law school with significant debt and financial pressure.

As I indicated above, a law degree can provide many opportunities, but the practice of law is a demanding profession. Lawyers have significant ethical and fiduciary responsibilities and their work often affects their clients in very profound ways. It can be difficult to disengage from work at the end of the day or week, and some lawyers internalize their clients’ problems and issues.

Many law firms demand long hours, particularly for new lawyers. Lawyers that start their own firms or seek to move up to partnership have additional business development pressures and requirements.

Lawyers tend to be perfectionists, and the system of legal education often teaches lawyers how to identify problems without necessarily equipping them with the skills or the means to solve those problems. Most law schools teach substantive legal issues but provide very little, if any, training about the business side of the practice or how to attract and satisfy clients. Many lawyers think that they’re alone in these difficulties and are brought up and/or educated to believe that they can do anything, and therefore they don’t recognize when they need help or don’t want to ask for it.

The good news is that a lot of these problems are preventable. There are great resources available for lawyers and for law students if they choose to avail themselves of them. In addition, some lawyers are better suited for pure legal work while others are more entrepreneurial and are better suited to be owners or managers. Some lawyer discontent arises not from the choice of the wrong profession, but from the wrong choice of job, practice area or business structure, or from a lack of systems or structure, poor delegating or time management skills or other problems that have nothing to do with the practice of law or the profession itself.

2.    The amount of work for a young lawyer can be VERY intense, as I mentioned above, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Many firms today have flex time or part time work arrangements. If work in a large firm isn’t for you and you are looking for a more 9 to 5 lifestyle, there are many other options for lawyers, including in-house legal work, government work, or work for firms with more flexible billable hour and time requirements.

Your law degree does not necessarily have to lead you into the practice of law itself – the options are almost limitless. In addition, technology is changing the practice of law, allowing lawyers to work from anywhere. Some lawyers have even started virtual firms.

Work/life balance has been getting increased attention in the legal world and lawyers are working to create work structures that allow them to spend time with family and still satisfy work and client obligations. Right now, many of the high paying legal jobs require long hours, but there are trade-offs as with anything else. It’s a matter of knowing your priorities and recognizing what sacrifices you’re willing to make to reach the goals you set for yourself. Sometimes the sacrifice is time, sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s freedom – and sometimes it’s a combination.

3.    I firmly believe that in order to reach your highest potential and to get the most pleasure out of what you do, you must feel passionate about it – whether it’s law or anything else. But no matter what career or job you choose, there will always be aspects of your work that you don’t like. That’s just reality.

Yes, ‘passion’ is very broad. You can be passionate about what you do, who you do it for, or how you do it – or some combination of those. Some lawyers are inspired to help a specific population – the elderly, the falsely accused, women going through a divorce. Some are passionate about what they do on a daily basis – they love the drama of the courtroom and the excitement of trials, or they enjoy the intellectual challenge of legal research or negotiating the best deal for their clients. But the best and most satisfied lawyers look forward to going to work every day.

Yet another perspective on the question of passion is this: some people work in order to make the money necessary for them to follow their passions in their spare time. Rather than seeking passion in their work, they seek work that will provide them with the time and financial stability to be passionate about their leisure activities, charity work, etc. Getting paid for your passion is, at least in my opinion, the ideal, but it isn’t necessarily the only path.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and enjoy the remainder of your college years – they will be some of the best of your life.

Allison C. Shields
Legal Ease Consulting, Inc.

If you have questions about "lawyer meltdown" or want more information to help you get more satisfaction out of your law practice, please visit my website, www.LawyerMeltdown.com. View my post about how even young lawyers can take charge of their own practices here.