Last month I completed a coaching engagement with a newly minted attorney. About a year ago he was recruited out of law school by a Big Law firm into their litigation department. It was not a good match. My client was not well suited to the big firm workstyle but, more importantly, the main source of his unhappiness was the practice area. Litigation is not for … [Read more...] about Young Lawyers, Beware of the Litigation Trap!
Career
Good Advice for Lawyers Considering Retirement
In yesterday's New York Times there was an article about retirement, a subject most relevant to the many "Baby Boomer" attorneys in the U.S.The article is an interview with Ken Dychtwald, who has been studying retirement for over 40 years. Here is a link to the article. He points out that "retirement" has changed, it is getting longer, and instead of winding down at 65 many … [Read more...] about Good Advice for Lawyers Considering Retirement
Taking Down the Shingle – 5 tips for Transitioning Out of Your Law Practice
You've had a great legal career. Chances are you have accomplished a lot in your law practice. But you are getting older, the children are launched, and you are beginning to realize that time is limited. What do you do? An upside and a downside of being a lawyer are that there is no mandatory retirement. This gives you a freedom that many of your non-lawyer contemporaries do … [Read more...] about Taking Down the Shingle – 5 tips for Transitioning Out of Your Law Practice
Breaking Up With the Law “it’s not about you, it’s about me”
How is your legal career working out? If you are like a number of lawyers, not as well as you intended. But that's OK; it's OK because you have the power to change your career. We lawyers went to law school for a variety of reasons: to change the world; to help people; to right wrongs; make a difference; for prestige; for money, of course; for status; as a springboard for … [Read more...] about Breaking Up With the Law “it’s not about you, it’s about me”
Plug the Leaks in Your Billable Hours
Love it or hate it, the billable hour is the primary way many attorneys bill for their time. To its credit, the billable hour is a proven and reliable method for charging for your legal services. However, as with any billing method, it has its downsides. Chief among them are the problems of accurately capturing the time spent on a file and avoiding spending excessive time on a … [Read more...] about Plug the Leaks in Your Billable Hours