The Day After a Partner Dies
Of course, every law firm should have some sort of succession plan in place, and a firm’s partnership agreement may well address it. But, as a practical matter, what happens the day after the name…
Working on a Tedious Project? Smile through the Slog
No matter how wonderful a client, or a supervisor, or a subject area, or whomever we are working for, or whatever we are working on, inevitably a project crosses our desks that devolves into a…
Time to Search the Legal Swamp
Early in my career, managers used to talk about how it’s time to drain the swamp if you’re up to your neck in alligators. The statement never entirely made sense to me, but had…
The Art of the Cold Call
Who knew how often lawyers and support staff would have to make cold calls? No one told me about any of this in law school, but before I was even out I was desperately dialing…
Where Will Your Job Be in Five Years? Two? Six Months?
Welcome to your layoff: The news that K&L Gates has dumped possibly hundreds of support staffers (as reported by Above the Law), or, in law firm parlance, made “adjustments for the good of the firm and its…
Don’t Diss Groupon
As much as it might be easy for any number of lawyers to dismiss sites like Groupon or other “deal of the day” opportunities as déclassé, these sites—and the offers they contain—pose some grand potential…
Funny or Off-Putting?
Career Tip from a Tee Shirt
Seen on a tee-shirt in Key West: A good lawyer knows the law, but a great lawyer knows the judge! The tee shirt is right, and that’s a point that wasn’t sufficiently conveyed to me…
Parking Temptation
So much about this sign just makes me want to park beyond it. Enjoying the view of the bay from Long Beach Island, N.J., I also can’t help but wonder about all sorts of legal…
Courthouse Art: Requiring Worship or Inspiring Liberty?
The last few years of civilian unrest against police makes me think about how the law is represented generally. Should a police presence be intimidating or reassuring? Should a hall of justice incite fear or…