Tag: articlingstudents

Categories
Law Firm Management

Running and Throwing

Quarterback running with the football.
Photo by Yura Forrat at Pexels

I have been reading about Deshaun Watson’s return to the NFL after serving a suspension as a result of allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Normally I do not like to rush to judgment when a person has been accused but not convicted of a criminal offence, since I believe in the presumption of innocence and all of that. But however you may feel about the allegations against Mr. Watson, he definitely has some ‘splaining to do.

What struck me in the account that I was reading was a statement from one of his alleged victims who said, “he can run and throw and that’s enough.” In other words, when someone has the ability to generate serious money, our culture will forgive pretty much anything.

read more about the free pass for productive lawyers “Running and Throwing”
Categories
Firm Culture

A New Year’s Resolution For Grape Popsicles

Young woman smiling and eating a grape popsicle.
Photo by Nick Oz at Pexels.

I like orange popsicles. The cherry flavoured ones are also okay. The grape flavour is terrible. This is one of the few topics upon which everyone in my household agrees.

It is really hard to find a box of only orange popsicles. Trust me, I have looked. So, we always end up buying a box which contains all three flavours. Eventually our freezer becomes full of grape popsicles that nobody wants and we throw them away to make room. It is a waste of money and not that great for the environment.

read more about being a grape popsicle “A New Year’s Resolution For Grape Popsicles”
Categories
The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Who Really Built The Pyramids?

Space ship with little green alien in it.
Photo by Michaël Meyer at Pexels.

I have heard it said that “an expert is someone from out of town with Power Point.”  This expression has some old roots. When I originally heard it, it was “someone from out of town with overhead slides.”

Apparently nowadays you do not even have to travel to become an expert. A young lawyer contacted me recently to ask me my views on the legal profession because he had been told by the Managing Partner of his firm that I was an expert on the profession, a status that I appear to have achieved by ranting on social media.

read more to find out about the root problem of the legal profession “Who Really Built The Pyramids?”
Categories
Law Firm Management

The Evolution of a Question

Rocket with space shuttle blasting off.
Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

When I first attended partners meetings, “what are other law firms doing?” was a question that I heard over and over. Whether the topic was a billable hour requirement, parental leave policy, marketing initiative, or just about anything else, the question of what other law firms were doing always seemed to be relevant.

read more about expanding our horizons in law firm management “The Evolution of a Question”
Categories
Client Development

Stupid Talk

Instructor presenting to an audience.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk at Pexels.

Lawyers (other than litigators, I suppose) don’t like public speaking much more than other people do, and most people rank public speaking as their greatest fear, just before death.

As best as I can tell, there are two potential audiences for lawyers to speak to. The first group is comprised of potential clients. The reason for speaking to them is obvious.

read more about speaking to drum up business and to other lawyers “Stupid Talk”
Categories
Mental Health and Work/Life Balance

Living Well in the Legal Profession

Young man skiing wearing a shirt and shorts.
Photo by Andie Venzl at Pexels.

Doug was an Associate at my first law firm. Martin was our boss.

Just after lunch on my first Friday at the office, Doug said to me, “Any minute now Martin is going to come into my office with a file that absolutely, positively, has to be completed by Monday morning. He does this every Friday to be certain that I have to work on the weekend. He must tell the clients to hold off on giving us files until Friday morning.”

read more about finding happiness in the legal profession “Living Well in the Legal Profession”
Categories
Mental Health and Work/Life Balance

Mental Health:  Marketing or Operations?

Womanmeditating.
Photo by Natalie at Pexels

I like to bake bread. In my opinion, and in the opinion of a family member named Aidan, the crust is the best part of my bread.  When he was younger, Aidan would sometimes help himself to both end pieces. I did not like that.

Once, Aidan asked if it was okay for him to take a slice of my freshly baked bread as it was cooling on the counter. I told him to take just one slice.  The next thing I knew he had sliced the entire top of the bread off and was happily munching way.

When I confronted him, Aidan was not particularly remorseful. He said, “you said that I could have a slice. You didn’t say anything about how I had to slice it.”

read more about law firms and mental health initiatives “Mental Health:  Marketing or Operations?”
Categories
Murray The Wannabe Feminist

Ode To Dan and Mara

Young girl and boy jumping on a bed.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko at Pexels.

This is a story about a boy named Dan who never cleaned his room. Dan’s mom tried the three ways that she knew to get Dan to clean his room. She threatened him. She bribed him. She tried child psychology. Nothing worked. Finally, she ordered Dan’s little sister Trish to clean Dan’s room.

Trish was unhappy and accused her mother of gender bias, but being socialized to be somewhat more compliant than Dan, she did what she was told. Trish’s friend Mara had a similar experience and also ended up doing her brother’s chores.

read more about Who does the non-billable stuff in law firms “Ode To Dan and Mara”
Categories
Law Students and Young Lawyers

The View From the Bottom of the Pyramid

Ancient Pyramids
Photo by David McEachan at Pexels.

Throughout my years as a partner, managing partner, practice group leader and supervising lawyer, I used to speak to young lawyers who told me what they thought that I wanted to hear. Things like how much they loved their jobs, how supportive the firm was, and how they loved working evenings and weekends. They were quite right. That is exactly what I wanted to hear.

read more about what young lawyers don’t know “The View From the Bottom of the Pyramid”
Categories
The Practice of Law

The Difference Between a Rut and A Grave

Old grave stones.
Photo by Mike B at Pexels.

When asked about my complaints about the legal profession, I am forced to admit that back before I escaped the profession and became happy, I did in fact have some good days.  Three of them. (Okay, I am kidding about that last bit. There were more good days than that.)

read more about being in a rut in the legal profession “The Difference Between a Rut and A Grave”