Legal Commentary

Study: Social Media Increasingly Used by Business Executives

Posted on November 19, 2009
An interesting new study documents that increasingly, CEO's and other business professionals are using social networks to help them in their decision making. Sounds like another good reason to join in the dialogue.

I'm Guest Blogging on the MassLOMAP Blog

Posted on November 19, 2009
This organization is providing some great resources to solo and small firm attorneys. I'm happy to add my two cents once in a while but I also look forward to continuing to read their very insightful commentary.

Social Media--On the One Hand, But On the Other Hand

Posted on November 12, 2009
A partner at Nixon Peabody lays out the risks and opportunities. Sounds like a lawyer grappling with the tension between what he knows is reality and what he fears could go wrong.

Nothing New About Legal Outsourcing

Posted on November 10, 2009
Firms have always sent some work outside the company (even offshore). Altman Weil jumps into the fray.

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The Power of the Social Media Echo Chamber

Posted on November 06, 2009
Yesterday, Law.com published an article with the headline, Experts: Lower Associate Pay is Here to Stay. It was a provocative headline and one that I continued to see cited throughout the day in the Twitosphere. By the end of the day, I was convinced that lower associate pay was a "done deal"...

Creating a Memorable Blog to Market Your Law Practice

Posted on November 05, 2009
My next free webinar on November 18th.

Cut Hours,Cut Salaries and Increase Profits?

Posted on October 29, 2009
Increase your profitability while increasing work/life balance at your firm--that according to a study published in the ACC Docket.

Do You Send Thank You Notes to Your Referral Sources?

Posted on October 27, 2009
What about gifts? How would you feel if you kept referring work to another professional and never received a thank you?I know what I would do (and what I have done!) I'd stop referring work to that individual.

Blawg Review #235

Posted on October 25, 2009
On this 80th Anniversary of the Stock Market Crash of 1929, I am pleased to host Blawg Review and dedicate Blawg Review #235 to The Great Recession.How has our current crisis changed the practice of law and affected our careers as attorneys? Fortunately for me, there was no shortage of reading material on the subject this past week...

Don't Hunker Down, Team Up

Posted on October 22, 2009
It has been a while since I've had guest bloggers on CounseltoCounsel; but I was contacted by Jim Rhyner, Worldwide Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance Product Manager for Chubb Insurance, and he expressed an interest in presenting some malpractice avoidance tips to my readers...

Lawyers, Process Management and the Billable Hour's Demise

Posted on October 22, 2009
There is a good piece today in Law.com about how law firms are looking more seriously at process management in order to reign in legal costs. It's all tied into the backlash against the billable hour, a trend that has been growing since the start of the Great Recession...

5 Marketing Rules for a Web 2.0 World--Recording Now Available

Posted on October 22, 2009
For those who were unable to attend my live webinar, 5 Marketing Rules for a Web 2.0 World, the presentation is available under the Media tab at www.seckler.com .

Seeking Blog Posts Re: Impact of Great Recession on Practice of Law

Posted on October 16, 2009
I have signed up to host BlawgReview on October 26th. BlawgReview is a summary of law related blog posts from a given week (in my case, posts from October 19-26).I have chosen the theme The Great Recession. I am interested in reviewing posts that address the issue of how the Great Recession has impacted the practice of law (for better or worse)...

Is Biglaw Creating an Army of Competition?

Posted on October 16, 2009
I was reading the latest layoff announcement (this time Foley and Lardner) and a thought suddenly occurred to me. Given the enormous downward pressure on legal fees and the predictions that corporate counsel will reduce outside legal spending in 2010, maybe these layoffs are only going to accelerate the decline of Biglaw...

Legal Marketing in a Web 2.0 World

Posted on October 14, 2009
My latest article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (written with my co-author Vanessa DiMauro of Leader Networks).

A True Electronic Future for the Practice of Law

Posted on October 14, 2009
I've bought real estate, sold real estate and refinanced many times. Each time I complete a transaction, I think to myself, there has got to be a better way to do this. So much energy is wasted on producing paper documents and going through a huge stack of them and signing them one at a time...

21 Tips for Legal Marketing in a Web 2.0 World

Posted on October 13, 2009
I published an article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (October 5, 2009) on social networking. The electronic reprint will be available in another week or so and I will link to it then. In the meantime, here is the start of the article:Twitter, LinkedIn and other forms of social networking are getting a lot of attention these days...

Finding the "Right" Motivation to Make Change

Posted on October 09, 2009
Knowing that you want to make a change in your life (professional or personal) is a good first step in making the change you want; but it is only a first step. Change requires us to get out of our comfort zone, build new habits and leave behind the old...

5 Marketing Rules for a Web 2.0 World

Posted on October 03, 2009
Free Webinar on October 21st from 1:00-1:45 p.m. EST.

Does Talking on the Phone While Driving Really Increase Our Productivity?

Posted on October 01, 2009
I'm growing more and more convinced that talking on the cell phone while driving is not only a dangerous behavior, but it is dubious that it increases our overall productivity. I submit that the best practice is to answer your calls while in the car (if you really think it might be an important call--i...

Networks for Counsel Study and Miscellaneous Marketing Tidbits

Posted on September 30, 2009
The latest Networks for Counsel Study was completed over the summer and the results demonstrate a number of important things for lawyers who are trying to build a practice. For starters, the study shows that networking remains a critical component of generating work for most lawyers (the study found that the top 3 most important methods of generating work involve some form of networking)...

My Prescription For Hard Times

Posted on September 29, 2009
A self-published piece on my website.

Beyond Internet Marketing

Posted on September 25, 2009
Good marketing can certainly help to build a professional services practice; but good marketing can only succeed when it supports business development. Put another way, marketing is a one way conversation; but selling professional services requires a two way conversation...

50 Best Firms for Women (Out of 105)

Posted on September 17, 2009
The American Lawyer raises some interesting criticism of the Working Mother magazine's "50 Best Law Firms for Women." I still applaud the magazine and Flex-time Lawyers for continuing to do the survey (it does keep the issue alive and force firms to at least think about the issue); but clearly this "study" does little to prove that things have improved for female attorneys (i...

Webinars as a Marketing Tool

Posted on September 09, 2009
While it may be a little premature to endorse GoToWebinar (my first webinar using GoToWebinar is still 2 weeks away--i.e. Strategies for Commercializing Patent Assets in a Down Economy--a free webinar I am organizing and facilitating for my client IPEngine), my preliminary assessment is that this is a great tool for legal marketing...

Extreme Job Hunting Has Ancillary Benefits

Posted on September 04, 2009
Even in a good economy, if you stick with traditional job hunting techniques (responding to advertisements, contacting head hunters, sending out resumes cold), you are handicapping your job search. Many jobs are not advertised and most career experts will advise you that networking should be an important part of your process (for more on networking, see Tools for a Job Search on my website...

Is Specialization Good For Your Career or Your Firm?

Posted on August 29, 2009
Only up to a point.

Legal Rebels Website Launched by ABA Journal

Posted on August 29, 2009
Looks like a good place to find inspiration for making change in your own legal career. Here is a description in an e-mail I received about the launch: Over the course of the next three months, we'll be profiling 50 of the profession's leading innovators at http://www...

Some Good Tips for Managing Your E-mail

Posted on August 26, 2009
From the blog Law Department Management. My own thoughts on the subject here.

Spotting Liars? Try Listening

Posted on August 23, 2009
While this story is related to law enforcement, this has implications for job interviewers (i.e. you can learn a lot more about a candidate by engaging in a friendly conversation than by interrogating the individual.)

Be Strategic About Use of Social Media

Posted on August 22, 2009
It's easy to take a tactical approach to the use of social media. Each tool has a learning curve associated with it and given all the buzz surrounding Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging, it is easy to jump into the fray without thinking strategically.For the most part, each of these tools are free to use...

40% of Twitter is Mindless Babble. So What?

Posted on August 17, 2009
That's the title of a post by legal marketing consultant Kevin O'Keefe. The basic point he makes is that the mindless babble you read on Twitter is actually a way to help you build you relationships and relationships are the key to generating work.Finding out that someone just downloaded the latest Bruce Springsteen album may seem like a useless fact...

How Do You Change Careers Without Taking a Pay Cut?

Posted on August 11, 2009
Answer: You can't. At least according to the Brazen Careerist.This does not mean that you will never earn as much as you earned as a lawyer; but don't expect to immediately replace a high six figure salary with another six figure salary (i.e. if you decide that something besides law is your calling...

Hard Times Call for True Grit

Posted on August 04, 2009
There was an interesting article on success in the Boston Globe this past Sunday. The author discusses the role of grit in achievement (i.e. that grit is just as important as raw intelligence and innate ability.) In the article, he references Thomas Edison's thoughts on grit and points out that grit is more than simply "hard work"...

Changing E-mail Etiquette, Marketing and Client Communication

Posted on July 24, 2009
There is an interesting discussion about e-mail etiquette on the Legal Talk Network. The hosts ask whether the rapid growth of on-line communities like Twitter and LinkedIn have changed any of the rules.I coauthored an article on the subject just as Web 2...

Keeping Your On-line Profiles Fresh and Up-to-Date

Posted on July 22, 2009
Vanessa DiMauro of Leader Networks writes about the importance of keeping your on-line profiles up-to-date. She cites a number of important factors. For example, on many social networking sites, the date of your last profile update is listed.Similarly Vanessa recommends that you periodically give updates about "what you are doing" so that you come across as engaged.

Free Webinar on Legal Process Outsourcing

Posted on July 20, 2009
I've written in the past about the importance of learning about legal process outsourcing. Lawyers need to understand the changing dynamics of delivering legal services in a world economy.I just learned about a free webinar on the the subject. For more info, click here.

Which Social Networking Sites to Use?

Posted on July 20, 2009
Doug Cornelius has an excellent overview of the strengths and weaknesses of some of the on-line communities that are available to to attorneys. Read the comments that follow as well. There is an interesting debate about whether communities should be open (thus leading to the risk that the conversation will be diluted) or closed (leading to a stifling of good discussion).

Using Outsourcing to Market Your practice

Posted on July 16, 2009
My latest post on The Middle Office.

Don't Be a Stranger

Posted on July 15, 2009
My wife and I have lived in the same house for 15 years. During that time, we have hired someone to paint on four separate occasions and each time we have been very happy with both the price and with the results. On an interpersonal level, we liked each painter and as best as I can recall, we really didn?t have any complaints...

Think Like a Lawyer-Bill Like a Contractor

Posted on July 09, 2009
My latest post on alternative billing and how lawyers can overcome their aversion to ditching the billable hour.

A Blessing in Disguise?

Posted on July 03, 2009
That's one way to think about being laid off from your large firm job.For most of the lawyers I've worked with over the years, leaving large firm practice was an improvement in their lives. That's not to say that the transition is easy or without ups and downs...

The Power of Digital Media

Posted on June 26, 2009

Why Relying on Spell Checker is Dangerous

Posted on June 19, 2009
Those of us that blog, tweet and make general use of social media are often in a hurry to publish our posts. Some of us use spell checker to avoid egregious spelling error. But an e-mail I received this morning is a good reminder of why relying on spell checker alone can get you into trouble...

Overcoming Adversity

Posted on June 16, 2009
That's the key to real career success. Success is not a straight path to the top. That in today's Career Journal.

How is the Downturn Effecting More Senior Lawyers

Posted on June 12, 2009
Hear yours truly interviewed on the Legal Talk Network.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Partners

Posted on June 10, 2009
Actually it's 8; but doing excellent work is presumed and not counted on the list by this author.I'm sure many equity partners fall far short in following these tips. These are all aspects of managing and building a business and obviously each lawyer brings a different strength to the table (aside from his or her practice expertise); but if you consider them aspirational, it's a good road map for success (i...

Acing the Phone Interview

Posted on June 03, 2009
Phone interviews used to be a perfunctory way to throw softball questions at prospective candidates before bringing them in for a "real" interview. But according to the WSJ, increasingly, phone interviews are becoming much more rigorous as companies seek to cut down on travel costs...

Think Like a Lawyer-Bill Like a Consultant

Posted on June 02, 2009
How can lawyers get themselves away from the dreaded billable hour? By adopting billing methods that have long been standard in the consulting industry. See my post on the Middle Office.

Advice for Summer Associates

Posted on June 01, 2009
My latest article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

A Plug...for Me

Posted on May 29, 2009
In general, I don't think it is a good idea to use a blog to sell your services (at least not overtly). If you blog regularly and provide good content, readers will see that you are knowledgeable about your subject area and that you are ready, willing and able to share your wisdom...

Time to Get Serious About Marketing

Posted on May 27, 2009
A marketing consultant says that in these times, lawyers should spend at least 3 hours a week on marketing activities. But what if you can't figure out how to spend those three hours most effectively? Hire a coach. That's what Jim Hassett suggests...

Thinking of Switching to Law Firm Management?

Posted on May 22, 2009
Lawyers who are thinking of switching to a management role at a firm have some advantages over non-lawyers. Presumably, they understand how lawyers think, how work gets done and how to best serve clients. But management requires a set of skills that is very different than the skills required to be a good lawyer...

More Law Firms Shifting Marketing Dollars to Coaching

Posted on May 20, 2009
That in today's WSJ (subscription req.).Many lawyers can benefit from individual coaching. Firms are starting to see the value of training lawyers on how to build business relationships more effectively. Some firms are waking up to this reality by shifting dollars away from marketing and towards one on one support for individual attorneys...

Thinking Creatively About The Practice of Law

Posted on May 17, 2009
Why would any law firm client be willing to pay more than the agreed upon billing rate? Why would any law firm agree up front to discount its rates for clients who are unhappy with the service they received? Well at least one law firm is banking on being on the winning side of this billing strategy...

Want to Be Successful? Keep an Open Mind

Posted on May 15, 2009
That from an interview with the inventor of Star Trek's Klingon language. This has a lot of relevance to lawyers and today's economy. If you think creatively about your options, you are more likely to find success in these challenging times. This may not be easy for many lawyers; but thinking outside the box is a skill we can all cultivate (even risk averse lawyers who spend their days advising clients how to avoid risk).

Solos Have Unique Advantages During Harsh Econonmic Times

Posted on May 14, 2009
In The Complete Lawyer. Solos can be more nimble, adapting more quickly to changing market conditions. Of course it is harder to serve business clients as a solo; but there are many specialists out there who form relationships with small firms and other solos in order to keep a steady pipeline of work coming from more sophisticated clients.

Advice for Keeping Your Law Firm Job

Posted on May 13, 2009
Make sure to keep up your billable hours (free subscription required). Seems like old fashioned advice since hourly billing is under attack right now.But until the law firm model truly changes, your survival in a downturn depends on your ability to show that you are generating sufficient revenues for your firm...

The Era of Delayed Gratification

Posted on May 13, 2009
Interesting discussion on WBUR's On Point. Did easy credit play off of one of our foibles as human beings (the difficulty we have in avoiding pain in the future when pleasure is here right now).While I'm hardly an ascetic, I do think that one silver lining of the Big Recession is that we will all learn to plan a little more for our futures and do more investing before we reap the rewards of our hard work...

Are You Fit for Solo Practice?

Posted on May 08, 2009
Here is a good list of ten qualities of an entrepreneur. The list has relevance if you are contemplating striking out on your own (or starting a new firm with partners). Item #4 is probably the hardest one to translate to the law (Do you have a unique service or product?) It's hard to come up with a new practice area that the marketplace needs...

Checklist for Starting a Solo Practice

Posted on May 06, 2009
A good overview if you are thinking of going out on your own.

Freelance Lawyers

Posted on May 05, 2009
I've never seen the term "freelance lawyer" but it's a great way to differentiate "contract" lawyers who do large document review projects from "contract" lawyers who really act as associates for hire. While the words could be used interchangeably, there is clearly a difference between the lawyer who decides to do higher level work on a contract basis and a lawyer who joins a contract agency and gets send out with a small army of other contract attorneys to sift through business records...

Free Download on Selling Legal Services

Posted on May 05, 2009
Providing free content to prospects is a great way to market yourself. The Wellesley Hills Group has done just that by serving up a free e-book called Mastering Rainmaking Conversations.It's a quick read and of course no single book can turn you into a rainmaker...

Twitter, LinkedIn and the Tower of "Babble"--Part II

Posted on May 03, 2009
Several days ago, I posted some general thoughts about how to make sense of Web 2.0. It's the wild west right now so what lawyers really should be doing is experimenting. In some ways, this advice is not all that helpful. After all, it's fine to say go ahead and experiment...

Avoiding Phone Tag

Posted on April 29, 2009
The telephone is still a critical business tool. While electronic communication is great for scheduling, creating a record and exchanging documents, it is hard to have a highly nuanced conversation in writing. So for the foreseeable future, the telephone is still a real player...

Better Learn to Oursource

Posted on April 29, 2009
If you want to succeed in the practice of law, you better learn how to outsource certain functions. Clients are not going to pay full freight for tasks that can easily be completed off shore at a much lower price point but at the same level of quality...

Saving Money--Reader's Tips in NYTimes

Posted on April 27, 2009
Some good ideas for riding out the recession (free subscription required).

Twitter, LinkedIn and the Tower of "Babble"

Posted on April 24, 2009
If you are confused about how to use social media to market your law practice, you are in good company. Although twitter is getting tremendous media attention at the moment (and in all likelihood, you've been receiving connect requests through LinkedIn for months), these are very new media...

On the Commoditization of Legal Services

Posted on April 21, 2009
A great overview of the subject.

Getting With the Program

Posted on April 19, 2009
I've been advising my coaching clients for years that exercise and outside interests are an important part of marketing and career advancement. While I've tried to emphasize the importance of making time for doing something that you enjoy (i.e. that this could be, but doesn't have to be exercise) as I get older, I become more convinced that there is no substitute for exercise...

The Middle Office is Live

Posted on April 16, 2009
CounseltoCounsel has spawned offspring: The Middle Office . The Middle Office is a blog that explores the relationship between law firms, in-house counsel and the services provided by LPOs (legal process outsourcing companies). The focus of the Middle Office is on IP in particular...

Successful Law Firms Are All Alike

Posted on April 15, 2009
They have these 10 qualities.

Upping the Partner Ante

Posted on April 10, 2009
For partners with portable business, this may be a good time to shop your practice. There are many hungry buyers out there; but be aware that the bar is being raised at most firms. A legal recruiter asserts that firms which wanted 500K now want 750K in portable business and firms that wanted a million now want 1...

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Coach

Posted on April 07, 2009
5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Career Coach. For more on coaching (including business development coaching, click here).

What's Hot, What's Not (in DC)

Posted on April 07, 2009
Tips from recruiters in DC (free subscription required). Part of a Special Report on Associates in this week's Legal Times (premium subscription required for some content).

59% of Lawyers are On a Social Network

Posted on April 06, 2009
Here's another quick overview of how to get involved with some good tips to help you generate business.

Free Overview of Social Networking for Lawyers

Posted on April 06, 2009
Feel like you are missing the boat wrt Web 2.0? In some ways, we all do. But if you are just starting out and want to read a good overview of how these tools can help you in marketing your practice, take a look at Carolyn Elefant's free e-book on the topic.

Leverage Model in Firms Will Change, Not Disappear

Posted on April 06, 2009
Aric Press, Editorial Director of Incisive Media (formerly American Lawyer Media), discusses the changes that are coming to the traditional law firm model (free subscription required). The pressure on law firms to control fees continues to mount and law firms are being forced to rethink leverage...

My Formal Announcement--sent to my e-mailing list

Posted on April 01, 2009
Dear Colleague:In order to be more responsive to the changing needs of the legal profession, I have returned full time to my consulting business, Seckler Legal Consulting. My new contact info is below. For the foreseeable future, I will be dividing my time between three activities...

Jobs in India for US Lawyers?

Posted on March 29, 2009
The growth of LPO in India may provide one source of jobs for American lawyers who are looking for adventure!

Large Firms Beginning to See Value in LPO?

Posted on March 28, 2009
When legal work began to be outsourced to India, it was presumed that corporate counsel would be the most willing to employ the strategy to control legal expenses. Small firms were presumed to also be interested because LPO provides a ready and scalable workforce that is not on the regular payroll (i...

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Posted on March 21, 2009
It may be harder than ever to leave a job that you don't like. How can you drop off into the abyss when times are so bad? Well maybe the thing to do is to think about the worst case scenario (i.e. what is the worst that can happen if you do quit). If you can live with those consequences, then maybe you should pull the plug...

I'm Now a Twit

Posted on March 19, 2009
Actually, the correct term is tweet. You can follow me at counsel2counsel .

A Hint About My Next Moves

Posted on March 18, 2009
My most recent article in MLW gives a preview of what I will be doing next. More to follow.

Go With Grace

Posted on March 17, 2009
To my readers, I will be in transition until the beginning of April. I am not sure how much I will be posting until then. I have left my position at BCG Attorney Search in order to pursue some exciting new directions. More in this space in the coming weeks...

Great Days Ahead for SmallLaw?

Posted on March 13, 2009
Sometimes you're the windshieldSometimes you're the bug...Dire StraitsWhat a difference five years can make in the legal profession. Beginning in the 1990's, many pundits were predicting the demise of mid-sized law firms (too small to really serve international clients, yet too big to maintain the efficient and cost effective delivery of legal services)...

Voice Mail Messages: Yes or No?

Posted on March 09, 2009
If you are trying to do more networking these days, you are in good company. The ranks of unemployed lawyers keep growing and networking is a good way to uncover jobs and project work that may go unadvertised. But what happens when you are diligently making your networking phone calls and you keep getting voice mail...

Will Small, Mid-Sized and Regional Firms Benefit From the Recession?

Posted on February 25, 2009
Their lower billing rates are certainly looking a lot more attractive these days.

Will the ABA Rule Change Fuel Lateral Movement?

Posted on February 17, 2009
The ABA has adopted a new rule which seems to create more opportunities for partners to move laterally. In lowering the ethics hurdle with respect to conflicts of interest, is the ABA encouraging lateral movement or simply acknowledging what is already happening in the legal profession?

Doing Well in a Bad Economy

Posted on February 14, 2009
The key to success in a downturn is to be flexible. You may be a great technician in your particular practice area; but if the marketplace does not need your services, then you better be ready to adapt.

Are You Addicted to Success?

Posted on February 13, 2009
That's a diagnosis offered in today's WSJ (subscription req.) Maybe our culture puts too much emphasis on professional achievement.While there is nothing wrong in striving for high levels of achievement, the problem arises when achievement becomes your principal source of self esteem...

Tough Times for Biglaw Partners?

Posted on February 12, 2009
Are partners at large firms now at risk of being deequitized or terminated? So far, most of the reports of layoffs at firms have focused on staff and associates. But the legal profession is still in a recession and at least one pundit believes that trimming the partnership ranks is next...

Thinking of Switching Practice Areas?

Posted on February 10, 2009
A partner at Jones Day who serves on the firm's training committee has some good advice.

Just Say No to RFP's

Posted on February 10, 2009
In these challenging times, should a law firm respond to every RFP? Not necessarily suggests an Altman Weil consultant. It can cost between $35,000 and $65,000 in partner time to put together a proposal. Furthermore, the chances of winning the work are not necessarily that great...

Off the Beaten Track at a Trade Show

Posted on February 08, 2009
LegalTech New York is history. As I have already indicated, the show was a nice antidote to our economic malaise. It was a reminder for me that getting out of the office to learn something new is a good way to recharge. It was also fun to talk with professionals who are trying to figure out ways that legal services can be delivered faster, better and cheaper...

Beware of Your Cash Cow

Posted on February 07, 2009
When you earn your living by providing legal services to businesses, it is great to have a client that sends you a lot of work. In fact cultivating a strong relationship with a client that has diverse legal needs is an important way to ensure that your practice remains vibrant...

Belated Thoughts on LegalTech New York

Posted on February 07, 2009
I attended LegalTech in New York this past week and despite my best intentions, I am now just getting around to posting about the show (other than posting my interview with IncisiveMedia). I was invited by Law.com to attend as a blogger who is part of the law...

Cost Cutting at Law Firms

Posted on February 06, 2009
The National Law Journal cites some interesting statistics about law firm expenses. Here are a few:A firm cuts costs by an average of $250,000 for each attorney let go. For each legal assistant or other staffer laid off, a law firm saves about $100,000For most big law firms, about 85% of their budget goes to rent and personnel costsPaying severance can be costly...

Becoming an Instant Expert

Posted on February 05, 2009
I just returned from the LegalTech show in New York where I was invited by Incisive Media to attend as a blogger. I have a lot to share about the show (not necessarily about technology), but that will have to wait a day or so as I catch up. In the meantime, here is me branding myself as an expert on Legal Process Outsourcing! And all I did was attend a couple of workshops on the subject...

The End of Biglaw as We Know It?

Posted on February 01, 2009
Dire predictions for Biglaw from a marketing guru.

Balanomics?

Posted on January 30, 2009
In the last recession (i.e. way back in the early "aughts"), work/life balance took a back seat at law firms. During that time frame, I sat on the Boston Bar Association's Standing Committee on Work/Life Balance and heard many discussions about how large law firms are unwilling to focus on the issue at a time of economic stress...

ABA Rule Change May Ease Partner Movement

Posted on January 29, 2009
The ABA will be considering a change in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct when it meets in mid-February. The change would make it easier for partners to move laterally. In essence, the new rule allows firms to avoid conflicts of interest by screening a lateral partner from matters at the new firm...

LinkedIn Mistakes

Posted on January 21, 2009
I'm still keeping an open mind about LinkedIn. I continue to accept invitations from people who contact me (including many complete strangers); but I'm not really crazy about the user interface. LinkedIn certainly has a lot of potential and I've already used it to connect with professionals I would never have met (e...

Podcast on Traps to Avoid in Selling Professional Services

Posted on January 21, 2009
Nothing revolutionary, but here is a very good summary of how to stop pitching and how to start selling.

Balancing Self Promotion and Modesty

Posted on January 16, 2009
While it is okay to tell your superiors about the greatness you bring to your firm, make sure to back up your statements with examples of specific accomplishments. And in these difficult economic times, self promotion should be tempered with a little bit of modesty...

Diversity and Work/Life Balance Are Interconnected

Posted on January 15, 2009
The Progam on Attorney Retention has teamed up with corporate counsel to look at the interconnection between increasing diversity and offering flexible schedules to women and minorities (as reported in the National Law Journal).

Hanging Your Shingle

Posted on January 14, 2009
As more associates and law school graduates are finding themselves jobless, starting a law practice is becoming a more attractive option. The ABA Law Practice Management Section publishes some good resources on the subject (click here). If you are in the Boston area and want some help in doing a business plan, a former colleague of mine is organizing a seminar on the topic at Suffolk Law School (click here for more info)...

Using Pro Bono to Help Find Employment

Posted on January 13, 2009
Pro bono can help you build your skills while you provide legal help to an underserved population. But it may also be a path to paying work.

Staying Focused in Hard Times

Posted on January 12, 2009
This morning, I took my dog Chutney to our local doggy park. It's been snowing here in Boston and unfortunately for Chutney, her owners have been feeling a lot less motivated to take her out lately. While she doesn't have quite the behavioral problems that are afflicting the yellow lab in the movie Marely and Me, it is very obvious that she is much better behaved when she gets attention...

Going Solo in a Down Market

Posted on January 07, 2009
Why would anyone want to start a business in a down economy? As it turns out, there are some very good reasons to do so. Some are articulated here by a career coach (competitors weaken, clients get restless and are looking for bargains, biglaw cuts back)...

New Year's Gratitude List

Posted on January 07, 2009
Instead of creating a list of New Year's resolutions, how about creating a New Year's Gratitude List. The concept here is that resolutions are easy to break (most of us don't get past the first day of the year). If we instead focus on being grateful, our marketing success will follow...

10 Resolutions for Job-Seeking Success

Posted on January 06, 2009
The Assistant Dean for Law Career Strategy and Advancement at Northwestern University School of Law has 10 great tips for approaching a job search in this miserable economic climate. I might reverse the order and put number ten first (i.e. take care of yourself)...

Setting Goals in the New Year

Posted on January 05, 2009
The holidays are behind us and thankfully, 2008 is over. If you are returning to your office after a nice break, it is time to set some new career and personal goals. If you are trying to decide what some of your goals should be, a senior associate at Jenner & Block, Kathryn Newman, has some very good suggestions (note: her advice is also very relevant for senior associates and partners)...

P/T Legal Work Still Largely for Women

Posted on December 31, 2008
No surprises in a recent NALP report.

A Little Holiday Cheer

Posted on December 29, 2008
From sock puppets!

Don't Repress Your Feelings

Posted on December 19, 2008
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Overseas Slowdown?

Posted on December 10, 2008
Practicing in the Far East or Middle East may not be as easy as I previously reported.

These Are a Few of My (Least) Favorite Things

Posted on December 09, 2008
Business pitches on the golf course, surprise $35,000 bills for legal memos and lawyers who discuss cases with the company's executives without keeping in-house counsel in the loop are just a few of general counsel's least favorite things. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Be Successful at Something

Posted on December 05, 2008
I am pleased to report that CounseltoCounsel has been selected again for the ABA's Blawg 100 (the top 100 websites by lawyers, for lawyers as determined by the editors of the ABA Journal). If you would like to vote for CounseltoCounsel for best in the Careers category, please click here and scroll down...

The Walking Wounded

Posted on December 04, 2008
The phone calls and office visits are increasing. Like recruiters all over the country, I am spending an increasing amount of my time counseling associates who have been "let go". The effects are visceral. I can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices...

Terror in Mumbai

Posted on December 02, 2008
It is ironic that that just as I was blogging about the coming wave of legal process outsourcing in India, Mumbai was hit with a horrible wave of terror. These attacks are a painful reminder that wherever opportunity exists, it is accompanied by risk...

A Passage to India

Posted on November 26, 2008
If the frequency of media reports is any indication, then outsourcing legal work to India is starting to reach a tipping point. The latest article appeared in today's Wall Street Journal. Last week, I did a post on the growth of patent outsourcing.The ABA just addressed the issue this past summer with an ethics opinion that seems to open the door for an increase in work being sent to India (and other less expensive jurisdictions)...

Keep Asking Questions

Posted on November 25, 2008
In my latest article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (In Making a Lateral Move, Look Before You Leap ), I have addressed some of the important questions that you should be asking yourself before contemplating a lateral move.As it turns out, asking a lot of questions (at least about firm finances), is not something that most partners have done in the past; but that seems to be changing as more firms are failing.

Lawyers Wanted: Abroad

Posted on November 23, 2008
While the market for corporate associates may be very weak right now in the United States, demand for top corporate talent remains strong in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. That according to the New York Times (free subscription required).

Patent Services Outsourcing to India Hits $46 Million

Posted on November 21, 2008
This is only the latest in a long series of articles that I have seen in the NLJ over the past several years. Clearly this presents a threat to U.S. law firms and patent lawyers. But it also represents a tremendous opportunity.

Non-equity Partners Asked to Pony Up

Posted on November 20, 2008
The National Law Journal reports today that DLA Piper may be asking non-equity partners to make a capital contribution to the firm. In return says Frank Burch, DLA Joint Chief Executive Officer, they will get a limited stake in the firm's profits.Traditionally, non-equity partners are paid a salary and don't get to share in the profits...

How Are You Surviving the Legal Recession?

Posted on November 18, 2008
The ABA wants to know. Click here to participate in a survey being conducted by the ABA Journal.

A Renewed Push for Fixed-Fee Billing Arrangements?

Posted on November 11, 2008
Alternative billing arrangements are hardly a new concept. In many ways, fixed-fee billing is actually a retro concept. Fifty years ago, lawyers were not slaves to the billable hour.Fixed-fee arrangements have been trying to make a comeback for over a decade...

The Morning After for Campaign Junkies

Posted on November 05, 2008
One of the best ways to enhance your law practice is to find an interest that connects you with a lot of other people (particularly individuals who are potential clients and referral sources). But what if your passion was the Presidential campaign of 2008?For the past two years, I have been pouring over polling data, reading political blogs, sharing political humor with friends and colleagues (at least the ones who share my political beliefs) and generally engaging in a lot of political discussions...

Using Stories to Sell Yourself

Posted on October 31, 2008
BCG's CEO talks about the importance of using stories to sell yourself in a job interview. He explains how the technique is used effectively in selling rugs in Turkey.

Finding Opportunity in Times of Trouble

Posted on October 29, 2008
Lawyers have a tendency to see a glass that is half full. It is a useful trait if you want to be a good manager of risk. But it can be crippling at a time when change is in the air. If you are finding yourself focusing too much on bad economic news and simply waiting for "the inevitable", here are some suggestions from a sales trainer on how to get out of a mindset of negativity...

Getting the Cold Shoulder

Posted on October 23, 2008
That and other tell-tale signs that you may want to start fine tuning your resume.

Mastering the Art of Small Talk

Posted on October 18, 2008
A down economy is a good time to build your network and reconnect with old colleagues, classmates etc. If you avoid this kind of activity because small talk does not come easily to you, here are some good tips for keeping the conversation going over lunch or coffee.

Adding Value

Posted on October 15, 2008
Worried that prospective clients will think you charge too much? Try focusing on the value that you bring as a legal professional. How? By identifying problems that the business has not yet recognized and by offering solutions.

Success in Scary Times

Posted on October 10, 2008
My colleague Dan Binstock in BCG's DC office just forwarded this to me. It contains some very good tips for getting through these "scary times".

Firms Offer Comfort to Associates

Posted on October 08, 2008
Will I have a job in six months? That is the question that many associates are asking themselves these days. Some large firms are trying to comfort the troops with "hang-in-there, your-jobs-are-safe-memos." While it is certainly a good HR practice to keep employees informed, particularly during a time of crisis, these memos should not be an excuse to stick your head in the sand...

Clarification on Palin

Posted on October 05, 2008
I just reread my Friday post about Sarah Palin and realized that some clarification is in order. I did not mean to suggest that Sarah Palin is an impressive debater or that she "beat" Joe Biden. If you look closely at her "answers", she spoke largely in talking points and and in many instances, she simply did not answer the question that was posed by Gwen Ifill...

Getting Back in the Saddle

Posted on October 03, 2008
First let me say that I don't like Sarah Palin's politics and I do not believe that she is qualified to be either Vice President or President of the United States. But inspiration can come from strange places and politicians teach us so much about how to advance our own careers...

My Latest Career Column

Posted on October 01, 2008
The Legal Times asked me to write an article providing career advice to lawyers for surviving these turbulent times. Click here to read it.

In Turbulent Times, Pay Someone a Compliment

Posted on September 26, 2008
For the past few weeks, I have been trying to come up with relevant career advice for these turbulent times. Admittedly, it is hard to give advice in the middle of a storm. As I write this, no one knows whether Congress will succeed in rescuing the economy...

Weathering the Financial Storm

Posted on September 25, 2008
It is very unclear how the failure of major financial institutions and the federal bailout of some of these institutions will effect the legal profession. But like most of you, I?ve been doing my best to make sense of all this uncertainty. On the one hand, law firms are likely to see a large uptick in litigation, particularly in high stakes litigation...

Should You Write a Book?

Posted on September 15, 2008
Penelope Trunk, who writes the career blog the Brazen Careerist, argues that book publishing is an outmoded way of distinguishing yourself. Her arguments have some merit. We live in a fast paced digital world where blogging is a much quicker way to get your ideas published...

Best Firms for Women--Round II

Posted on September 10, 2008
I noted a month ago that Working Women magazine has come out with it's second annual list of best law firms for women. Yale has now come out with it's own third annual list. For my Boston readers, WilmerHale and Mintz Levin have made the cut.While I think these lists are instructive as to which large firms are most focused on creating better work/life programs (and implementing them as well), don't miss the big picture...

Great Networking Opportunities This Fall

Posted on September 05, 2008
There are 60 days left in what promises to be a very exciting (and probably a very close) presidential race. Unless you live in a state where your candidate is expected to win by a landslide, the Democrats or Republicans need you more than ever. Working on a political campaign can be a lot of fun; but it is also a good way to increase your network of contacts...

Beware of "Chicken Little" Pundits

Posted on August 22, 2008
It's easy to read a well crafted article and conclude that 2008 will be a terrible year for most law firms. Maybe it will. But the problem with articles like this is that they are widely circulated in the legal press and you end up with the equivalent of the CNN effect (i...

Best Firms for Women

Posted on August 12, 2008
The results are in. Working Mother Magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers have released their second annual report on the top 50 best law firms for women. As I've written in the past, I do believe that rankings should be kept in perspective. Large law firms are complex institutions that offer many different realities to individual attorneys (i...

Don't Ask "Why"

Posted on August 07, 2008
On the eve of the Beijing Olympics, my local public radio station interviewed a sports psychologist, JoAnn Dahlkoetter, on the subject of achievement. Dahlkoetter, who won the San Francisco marathon in 1980, had numerous interesting things to say about achievement...

The Opportunity Maker

Posted on July 18, 2008
There's a simple principal in saving for retirement: start early. If you begin making small and regular investments when you are in your 20's, you will be well off by the time you reach 65. It turns out that the same principle can be applied to building a law practice...

In a Down Economy, Time is of the Essence

Posted on July 16, 2008
My colleague Deborah Acker has written a good post about job hunting in hard times. She argues that in a down economy, it is important to act quickly when job opportunities present themselves. She writes "see the opportunity, jump on it, and address it square on"--kind of like playing Whac-a-Mole at an arcade.

Keep it in Your Pocket

Posted on July 14, 2008
Never look at your blackberry during a job interview. It's rude! That's the advice in this week's Advice for the Lawlorn (free subscription required.)

Is Taking a Detour a Good Idea?

Posted on July 08, 2008
A litigation associate at a mid-sized firm wants to know if taking a non-legal writing position at a well know financial services firm will enhance his career prospects at a large law firm. The answer is a definitive NO! (free subscription required.)

Get Out of Your Zone

Posted on July 02, 2008
Your comfort zone that is.

Playing Politics

Posted on June 27, 2008
Unless you work for yourself, you will always be surrounded by people you like and people you would rather not spend time with. This is particularly true in a law firm environment where there are a large percentage of very smart and analytical people who are not equipped with the best social skills...

How You Play the Game

Posted on June 20, 2008
My colleague Lisa Pavia has a nice post on BCG's new blog, The Lateral Attorney Report. She holds up Tim Russert as an example of someone who achieved success while playing nicely in the sandbox.

Reading Mixed Messages

Posted on June 17, 2008
Large law firms are very good at delivering mixed messages to associates. "Make sure to participate in firm functions, outings, sporting events, etc." But understand that work always takes precedence. This and other advice to summer associates courtesy of the "Snark" in Atlanta.

How Do Law Firms Suceed?

Posted on June 12, 2008
A consultant offers the Ten Habits of Highly Successful Law Firms. My favorite is #5 (Emphasizing that Clients Belong to the Firm and NOT the Lawyers.) But given the power that large rainmakers yield at large firms, I think many firms are unfortunately headed in the opposite direction.

IQ vs. EQ

Posted on June 12, 2008
IQ (or intelligence) will help you land your first job out of law school. But as you become more senior, EQ (emotional intelligence) becomes increasingly important to your success. That is why feedback from partners is so important. Without feedback, it is much harder to develop your emotional intelligence/interpersonal skills...

New Blog on the Block

Posted on June 03, 2008
My colleagues at BCG Attorney Search have banded together to launch a new blog entitled the Lateral Attorney Report. While the content will overlap with what I have been posting on Counsel to Counsel, I am excited to welcome another blog aimed at helping associates and partners sort through difficult career issues...

Blogging is Good For Your Health

Posted on May 30, 2008
I always wondered why I derive so much pleasure from spending time working on CounseltoCounsel. It turns out that blogging is actually good for your health!

Language Skills and Practicing in Asia

Posted on May 23, 2008
Above the Law has an interesting post for anyone thinking about working in the Far East. While it may seem obvious that fluency in Chinese is a good thing if you are planning to work in China, there may actually be some down sides to fluency. Of course it depends on where you want to be and what country interests you (in Japan, fluency is a big plus...

Should You Reapply to a Firm that Rejected You?

Posted on May 19, 2008
That's the question answered in this week's career column by a New York recruiter [free subscription required.] In a nutshell, the advice is: why not? But the advice is tempered with reality. If the firm rejected you initially because you lacked experience, then why not try again once you have the experience...

Multi-tasking is a Myth

Posted on May 13, 2008
The human brain is not actually capable of doing two things at exactly the same time. Of course if you get proficient at something, you can get very good at switching quickly between two activities (to create the illusion that you are multi-tasking)...

How NOT to Recruit Laterals

Posted on May 12, 2008
Law firms are not always known for having the most advanced management practices. As a recruiter, I've seen many firms miss the chance of hiring great talent simply because they did not pay enough attention to the candidate. A recruiter in Texas has some good anecdotes about this...

Keeping it All in Perspective

Posted on May 08, 2008
We have so much to be thankful for in this country. Having a bad day at work? Think about the people of Myanmar.

Depression and the Legal Profession

Posted on May 07, 2008
Robert Ambrogi writes about the issue of depression in the legal profession. Does practicing law cause more people to be depressed than other professions or are individuals who choose to practice law more susceptible to depression?I don't personally have the answer but I can offer these thoughts: lawyers spend their days thinking about what can go wrong (in a corporate transaction, in a courtroom, etc...

If You Feed Them, They Will Come

Posted on May 01, 2008
I was reminded yesterday that food is the universal marketing tool. If you want to gather a crowd, good food is the key. Are you thinking of planning an event for clients or prospective clients? Make sure the publicity clearly states that food and drinks will be served...

The Rich Get Richer

Posted on May 01, 2008
Biglaw profits continue to outpace the rest of the legal profession. That's my take on the just released AmLaw100.

Survey on Job Interviewing Etiquette

Posted on April 23, 2008
Vault has some interesting findings. Sounds like everyone should send thank you notes by e-mail.

Legal and Accounting Malpractice--Growth Areas?

Posted on April 23, 2008
According to the NLJ, lawyers and accountants are increasingly being sued by bankruptcy trustees for malpractice (in connection with misrepresenting a bankrupt company's true financial position.) In Boston, we are still waiting for a wave of bankruptcy and litigation to replace the heavy deal flow that was fueling law firm profits for the past several years...

Risky Business for In-House Counsel?

Posted on April 21, 2008
I've written in the past about the pro's and con's of leaving private practice for a corporate job. Overall, GC's seem to have a high level of career satisfaction. Here is more evidence of that. But GC jobs can be less secure than law firm jobs because partners have a more diversified portfolio of clients...

Dress for Success

Posted on April 21, 2008
A partner at Womble Carlyle believes that lawyers should dress like lawyers. Personally, I rarely find myself wearing a tie or sport coat. It has been over 10 years since I worked in a job where I was expected to put on a suit every day and frankly, I don't find them that comfortable; but I think this partner is on to something...

Which Way is Your Elevator Moving?

Posted on April 19, 2008
Assuming you are reasonably intelligent, success in law school is largely determined by effort. If you do the work, the grades will follow. In the real world, effort matters too; but once you are in practice, there are many other variables that affect your overall success...

Measuring Success

Posted on April 07, 2008
Success is much more than the money in your bank account. While it?s nice to be well compensated for your work, there are many other important variables in measuring your success as a professional. Is the work you do challenging? Do you find it engaging and do you get good results? Do you like your clients? Are you respected by your colleagues and lawyers in the legal community at large? Are your personal and professional lives in balance? As a recruiter, I actually score pretty high with respect to these intangibles...

A Bizarre Take on the Spitzer Story

Posted on March 27, 2008
Several days ago, I suggested some career lessons we can learn from Eliot Spitzer so I couldn't resist linking to this latest post by career "guru" Penelepe Trunk (I put the "guru" in quotations because she evokes both strong praise and equally strong criticism from her readers...

Returning to Law Firm Practice--Another View

Posted on March 27, 2008
In my post yesterday, I linked to my colleague Gloria Cannon's article about in-house careers. In the article, she made the case that it is difficult to go from a law department back to a firm (unless you can bring a significant amount of work from your corporate employer...

What Women (and Men) Can Learn From Hillary

Posted on March 25, 2008
We can learn a lot by watching politicians stumble (to wit, Eliot Spitzer.) But we can also learn positive lessons for our own careers from public figures. Hillary Clinton is a politician who offers us both (i.e. guidance on how women in particular can advance and examples of how men and women can damage their careers...

Going In-house: Potential Risks and Rewards

Posted on March 25, 2008
My colleague Gloria Cannon has written a nice piece about the pro's and con's of going in-house. She suggests that a ticket out of a law firm is likely to be a one way ticket--so think long and hard before you attempt the move. Gloria, who works out of the Pasadena office of BCG Attorney Search, has good personal insights because she practiced at a large firm and worked in-house for an investment management company (i...

Listening is More Powerful than Talking

Posted on March 19, 2008
A reader weighs in on my latest article on telling the truth in an interview. He suggests that the problem for many lawyers is that they are too concerned with their own technical qualifications when they are in an interview situation. He suggests that the key to success in any business interaction (job interview, meeting prospective clients or referral sources, etc...

Do You Have Friends in the Right Places?

Posted on March 18, 2008
I learn so much by watching politicians stumble. Sometimes I feel a sense of schadenfreude (i.e. rejoicing in the misery of others.) But I actually feel sorry for Eliot Spitzer (and especially his wife--who looks like she has aged years in the last month...

A View from the Interviewer's Seat

Posted on March 11, 2008
In response to yesterday's post, a reader writes:Good article, and I literally "LOL" at the "institutionalized" comment. I think the premise is right. I think the reality is that good interviewees just know how to spin it. Also, interviewers (except for a few sociopaths) like it spun...

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Posted on March 10, 2008
Some advice about telling the truth at a job interview (my latest article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.) Hint: you don't have to tell the "whole" truth.

Don't Cover Up Your Mistakes

Posted on March 06, 2008
That's today's advice from the Snark. And what if you are criticized for your shortcomings? I wrote a piece about this several years ago.

Reading Past the Headlines--Part II

Posted on March 03, 2008
In November, I commented on the first signs of layoffs in the legal profession. While we are seeing a continuing trickle of similar headlines including today's news about Dechert, it is still important to read the article before drawing any broad negative inferences...

Blocking the Exits?

Posted on February 29, 2008
Do law firms need to block the exit doors to stop associate attrition? Should they keep raising associate salaries so that other options become uncompetitive? In the long run, I'm not sure that higher salaries will keep unhappy associates from seeking alternatives to the large firms; though in my experience, these increases certainly make other options look less attractive...

Exceptional Client Service

Posted on February 27, 2008
I just had a really interesting experience I wanted to share with all you lawyers out there.I was at a doctor appointment (first time meeting this doctor), and this is somebody about whom everybody raves. Always awarded ?Top Doctor?, best bedside manner, etc...

Distinguishing Yourself from the Rest of the Herd

Posted on February 20, 2008
If you made it to a large law firm, chances are you did a good job of distinguishing yourself in college and in law school. Now that you are working at a premier firm, however, it is not so easy to set yourself apart. But finding ways to distinguish yourself are key to your long term survival at at big firm...

Does Multi-tasking Increase Productivity?

Posted on February 16, 2008
Electronic tools have made multi-tasking more possible than ever. If you wear a headset while you speak on the phone, you can rearrange files and even edit a document while you listen in on a conference call. You can drive safely to your court appearance and continue to catch up with clients who have left messages...

What We Can All Learn From Mitt

Posted on February 07, 2008
It's official. One of the leading "flip floppers" is out of the presidential race. For a while, it seemed like charisma would propel Mitt Romney towards the Republican nomination (along with a personal fortune that he was willing to spend.) But I'm happy to report that money alone still doesn't buy you the presidency...

What to Do If We Enter a Recession?

Posted on February 06, 2008
The media has an uncanny way of playing on our collective psyches. All the doom and gloom about the economy and the dreaded "R" word is enough to make anyone expect a pink slip. But the reality is far more complex. Even in a recession, there are winners and losers...

Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Intch?

Posted on February 04, 2008
Are you eager to give up your high paying law firm job for the chance to earn a salary that is based 100% on commissions? Would you like the chance to have your income depend on highly irrational decision making over which you have very limited control? If so, then a career in legal recruiting may be just what the doctor ordered...

How Cogs Can Distinguish Themselves

Posted on January 31, 2008
The "Snark" effectively uses his sarcasm to articulate how large firm associates can move from being a "cog" to becoming a partner. The key is to try and distinguish yourself from the pack. Doing great work and billing a lot of hours will not set you apart from any of the other associates who are doing the same thing...

What's Up For 2008?

Posted on January 29, 2008
Consulting firm Hildebrandt International has teamed up with Citi Private Bank to provide interesting predictions about the legal profession in 2008. You can download the report for free by clicking here. Basically, the message is that the legal profession continues to be very profitable; but 2008 may be a slower year of growth...

Positive Work/Life Signs in Today's NY Times

Posted on January 24, 2008
Work/life balance is not all doom and gloom in the practice of law. The New York Times documents some of the positive developments.

In Uncertain Times, Think Like Mac

Posted on January 22, 2008
I'm a political junkie. While I confess I am growing tired of the current presidential race (can't someone figure out how to move us out of the perpetual election campaign that now begins the day after the president is inaugurated), I find a lot of good life lessons by watching politicians...

Misinterpreting Silence

Posted on January 17, 2008
One of the biggest mistakes I have made in my professional and personal life is misinterpreting silence. While I have gotten better in dealing with silence in my personal relationships , it is something that I continue to struggle with as a recruiter...

More on Accomplishing Your Goals

Posted on January 15, 2008
David Maister has a new book out on the subject of strategy. His basic premise is that most of the money that companies spend on consultants is wasted. That's because coming up with a strategy is not the problem for most companies. Sticking with the strategy is what really counts and it is where most companies fall down...

New Year's Resolutions for Cynics

Posted on January 14, 2008
Maybe I'm being a fuddy duddy, but I really don't understand what the Snark hopes to accomplish by writing a column like this. Okay, maybe finding time for yourself (or for your loved ones) is a major challenge if you work at a large firm. Perhaps it is unrealistic to undergo major life change if you are billing in excess of 2200 hours a year...

Taking the Silver (and Running With It)

Posted on January 09, 2008
Mitt Romney and I now have something in common. We both took the silver. But I have a hunch that I am a lot happier with my silver than he is with his. In total, 694 individuals voted CounseltoCounsel best in the Lawyer's Toolkit category in the ABA Journal Blawg100 competition...

It's All Relative

Posted on January 07, 2008
We all need a certain amount of money to be happy. Without income, we cannot provide ourselves and our families with food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, etc. But how much is enough? For most of us, it is all relative. If we feel like we are being treated like our peers, then we are content...

Just Pick Up the Phone

Posted on January 03, 2008
There are many paths to building your own practice. Some lawyers like public speaking or professional writing. Some like to get involved in bar association activities or become active in trade associations. Others enjoy leisure activities that put them in frequent contact with potential clients and referral sources (e...

A Radio Interview With Yours Truly

Posted on January 02, 2008
Well, I'm back. In case you were wondering why this blog has been inactive since mid-December, I have been busy following my own advice (i.e. taking a 2 week vacation and NOT checking in.) Although I am severely jet lagged today, and somewhat depressed to leave behind a tropical paradise in exchange for the crappy weather that comes in January in Boston, I can honestly say that I am completely converted! Two weeks away in the sun in a different time zone is a very healthy way to end the year...

Surviving the Holiday Season--Joyfully

Posted on December 16, 2007
I always find this time of year to be very stressful, though not for the reasons you might think. Being Jewish, I don't have a large x-mas shopping list. In fact if anything, this is the time of year when I am happiest not to be a Christian (too much shopping pressure...

A New Model of Flexibility

Posted on December 13, 2007
While I would echo the sentiments of Suzanne's post (i.e. that on a practical level, it remains difficult for women to find alternative path's to success in a law firm) there are some very good ideas floating around out there. For example, Deborah Epstein Henry of Flex-time Lawyers, has proposed an interesting model called F...

One partner's thoughts on balancing motherhood with law firm life

Posted on December 13, 2007
I first stumbled across Kathleen J. Wu's article in the Texas Lawyer almost two months ago. In the article, Wu, a partner with large law firm Andrews & Kurth, was curious as to the effect that now larger law firm salaries would have on practicing attorney mothers in Texas...

Tell the World About Your Successes

Posted on December 10, 2007
Like many lawyers, I grew up in a family where it was considered bad form to brag. I remember hearing my father (a math professor) speak disparagingly about businessmen and politicians. In his words, they were "operators". He valued achievement and in particular, academic achievement...

Holiday Parties and Relationship Building

Posted on December 05, 2007
December is a good month to focus on business relationships. There are many opportunities to attend parties and socialize. During this time of year, there are more chances to meet potential clients and find out their legal needs. And if you are a good listener and ask good questions, you will land your next client, right? Wrong! Good business development does require good listening skills...

Hobbies are Good For Your Career

Posted on December 04, 2007
If the demands of work and family leave little time for personal pursuits, should you squeeze in time for a hobby anyway? "Yes" writes a career columnist in the New York Times. Even if you only have a few minutes a day, there are strong arguments in favor of taking a break in order to pursue an interest...

Reading the Tea Leaves

Posted on November 30, 2007
It's that time of year again when law firms will be making decisions about who has a future. Given the way the message is often delivered (i.e. indirectly and in a manner intended not to offend the associate), not everyone understands when all signs point to the door...

We've Been Nominated By the ABA!

Posted on November 29, 2007
The ABA Journal has named CounseltoCounsel to the ABA Journal Blawg 100 (100 best blogs for lawyers by lawyers.) The editors are now voting for the best in each category. Our category is "Lawyer's Toolkit". We need your vote! If you like Counsel to Counsel, please vote for us by clicking here .

Don't Accept a Counter Offer (but if you do...)

Posted on November 27, 2007
There is a good article in CareerJournal.com today on accepting a counter offer. But anyone contemplating this strategy (i.e. using an offer from another firm in order to get what you want from a current employer) should beware. My BCG colleagues have written about the perils here and here...

Rating the Rankings

Posted on November 20, 2007
The American Lawyer has published it?s Annual Summer Associates Survey . Although I?m a firm believer that these rankings are of dubious value, I must admit that I always read them. (I also read tabloids in the checkout line at the supermarket.) It is hard not to at pay attention when rankings are published, even if you dislike/distrust them...

Beware of the Pigeon Hole

Posted on November 15, 2007
No one wants to say "no" to a partner who needs help. But working on a project can turn you into the "go to" person in a relatively short period of time. And that reputation can be hard to shake.Lawyers who work under a "free market" system (where associates get to seek out work and keep themselves busy), are probably least at risk for getting pigeon holed in an area that is not of interest...

Why Associates Bail Out

Posted on November 14, 2007
The fact that 80 percent of associates leave their big firm job within 5 years has been well documented by NALP. There are many theories about why most associates leave and even some controversy about whether large firms actually rely on associate attrition to ensure that partner profits are not diluted...

What's Your Elevator Pitch?

Posted on November 07, 2007
Can you tell someone what you do in the time it takes to ride 10 floors in an elevator? If you can, then you've got what is sometimes referred to as "an elevator pitch". No one wins legal business by simply delivering an elevator pitch to a stranger...

Make Sure to Read Past the Headlines

Posted on November 06, 2007
Thirty years ago, long before the internet had arrived, I remember seeing a tip sheet on how to read a newspaper if you are short on time. One of the tips was that you can learn a lot just by skimming the headlines. To this day, I rely on this technique to decide which articles I will actually read...

State of the Legal Market

Posted on November 01, 2007
The BCG Fall 2007 Newsletter is out. It contains market reports about the state of lateral legal hiring around the country (and international markets as well.) My BCG colleagues around the United States have put together information based mainly on first hand conversations with lateral recruiting coordinators at major firms in their respective markets...

In-house Counsel Want More

Posted on October 31, 2007
In-house counsel are using fewer law firms and investing more time in managing their relationships with outside counsel. In addition, more than half of in-house counsel have terminated at least one relationship with outside counsel in the past year. These are some of the findings of a recent survey conducted by the Association of Corporate Counsel...

Baseball as a Metaphor for Life

Posted on October 30, 2007
As my children have moved through grade school, I've rediscovered one of my own childhood interests, baseball. And being a resident of Massachusetts, it's hard not to love the Boston Red Sox, especially today, as we celebrate our second World Series victory in four years...

Money Won't Buy You Happiness

Posted on October 25, 2007
Stated more eloquently in today's Career Journal.

Ten Things I Hate About You

Posted on October 23, 2007
Looking for resources on marketing your law practice? Here is a nice book of articles that just came to my in-box. On a quick read, it looks like a good primer on how to build positive relationships which can lead to referral business. It is also a good reminder that publishing is an excellent way to let others know about your expertise...