Law Students
  • The Internet is just another part of life for the current generation of law students. Students use the Web for actual work and to keep in touch, as well as for recreational purposes. But law students may not even consider establishing a Web presence for career purposes or blogging on law-specific topics. Students without prior work experience may not think about business or marketing at all, or may not see a need to maintain a website or blog while still in school. After all, law school schedules tend to keep them busy enough already. But establishing an online presence can be invaluable for students looking for an edge in their future careers. The legal job market is currently experiencing a sharp downturn, as the economy in general is struggling. Large firms have curtailed their summer internships and their hiring, and...

    Smart Students Establish Their Web Presence While Still in Law School

    Posted on February 24, 2011 | No Comments
    The Internet is just another part of life for the current generation of law students. Students use the Web for actual work and to keep in touch, as well as for recreational purposes. But law students may not even consider establishing a Web presence for career purposes or blogging on law-specific topics. Students without prior work experience may not think about business or marketing at all, or may not see a need to maintain a website or blog while still in school. After all, law school schedules tend to keep them busy enough already. But establishing an online presence can be invaluable for students looking for an edge in their future careers. The legal job market is currently experiencing a sharp downturn, as the economy in general is struggling. Large firms have curtailed their summer internships and their hiring, and... Continue Reading >>
  • It’s said that the skills students learn in law school have very little to do with those needed to be a good attorney. That goes double for law students who are planning to go solo or join small firms right out of school. Law school may teaches you how to write briefs, but it doesn’t typically teach you how to handle problem clients or run an office. Nor does it necessarily allow you to create the personal connections you’ll need to develop new business — or understand judges’ and juries’ personalities. To fill this educational gap, bar associations and law schools are increasingly offering mentoring programs. Legal mentoring offers a chance to network, valuable real-world experience and a chance to make sure you’ve chosen the right career path. And in the current economic downturn, it’s especially valuable as training for...

    Legal Mentoring Benefits Law Students Who May Go It Alone

    Posted on February 24, 2011 | No Comments
    It’s said that the skills students learn in law school have very little to do with those needed to be a good attorney. That goes double for law students who are planning to go solo or join small firms right out of school. Law school may teaches you how to write briefs, but it doesn’t typically teach you how to handle problem clients or run an office. Nor does it necessarily allow you to create the personal connections you’ll need to develop new business — or understand judges’ and juries’ personalities. To fill this educational gap, bar associations and law schools are increasingly offering mentoring programs. Legal mentoring offers a chance to network, valuable real-world experience and a chance to make sure you’ve chosen the right career path. And in the current economic downturn, it’s especially valuable as training for... Continue Reading >>
Newly-Admitted
  • Running your own law office without running yourself into the ground If you’re starting your own law office, you’ve probably realized that office space is going to be a major financial consideration. Real estate isn’t cheap, especially if you’re aiming for the same kind of high-end office your old firm may have used to impress clients. While you’re building your practice, this may seem like an extravagance — but in certain practices, it’s required to communicate professionalism and seriousness to clients. Without endless capital at your fingertips, what can you do? This article runs down the different options for lawyers who are starting a full-time solo or small law practice — or doing the work part-time as they make a career change. One size does not fit all when it comes to law offices. You may be eager to rent...

    Keeping Office Costs Down

    Posted on March 12, 2012 | No Comments
    Running your own law office without running yourself into the ground If you’re starting your own law office, you’ve probably realized that office space is going to be a major financial consideration. Real estate isn’t cheap, especially if you’re aiming for the same kind of high-end office your old firm may have used to impress clients. While you’re building your practice, this may seem like an extravagance — but in certain practices, it’s required to communicate professionalism and seriousness to clients. Without endless capital at your fingertips, what can you do? This article runs down the different options for lawyers who are starting a full-time solo or small law practice — or doing the work part-time as they make a career change. One size does not fit all when it comes to law offices. You may be eager to rent... Continue Reading >>
  • It’s a disturbing era to be a young associate at a large law firm. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, many firms have dramatically cut back on their hiring and partner promotions. As work has dried up, firms began relying more heavily on contract attorneys and outsourcing overseas, giving those contractors work that would once have been given to junior associates. Those associates who remain behind may be concerned about their own careers. Even if they do good work and put in the demanding hours expected of them, they may no longer be able to rely on a smooth, unbroken path to partnership. Fortunately, some of the ways to become partner haven’t changed. In good times and especially in bad, law firms value attorneys who can bring in new business. Many associates don’t see the need to start...

    Business Development Skills Can Help Associates at Large Law Firms Stand Out

    Posted on April 18, 2011 | No Comments
    It’s a disturbing era to be a young associate at a large law firm. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, many firms have dramatically cut back on their hiring and partner promotions. As work has dried up, firms began relying more heavily on contract attorneys and outsourcing overseas, giving those contractors work that would once have been given to junior associates. Those associates who remain behind may be concerned about their own careers. Even if they do good work and put in the demanding hours expected of them, they may no longer be able to rely on a smooth, unbroken path to partnership. Fortunately, some of the ways to become partner haven’t changed. In good times and especially in bad, law firms value attorneys who can bring in new business. Many associates don’t see the need to start... Continue Reading >>
Seasoned Attorneys
  • In a study that became famous in the legal profession, Johns Hopkins University researchers gathered statistics in 1980 on depression in 28 professional fields. Of those studied, lawyers had the highest probability of depression, with a rate 3.6 times the average. The researchers found that the amount and complexity of legal work puts attorneys at high risk for stress disorders. In the decades since then, more research has confirmed those findings, and many legal organizations have launched lawyer assistance programs to help attorneys deal with the negative side effects of stress — clinical depression, substance abuse, marital and family problems. The burnout that’s all too common in the legal community comes from some of the most basic features of being an attorney, including high workloads, competition for clients, dealing with difficult people and a tendency toward perfectionism. In fact, today’s...

    Career Burnout: Preventive Skills for Attorneys

    Posted on December 3, 2011 | No Comments
    In a study that became famous in the legal profession, Johns Hopkins University researchers gathered statistics in 1980 on depression in 28 professional fields. Of those studied, lawyers had the highest probability of depression, with a rate 3.6 times the average. The researchers found that the amount and complexity of legal work puts attorneys at high risk for stress disorders. In the decades since then, more research has confirmed those findings, and many legal organizations have launched lawyer assistance programs to help attorneys deal with the negative side effects of stress — clinical depression, substance abuse, marital and family problems. The burnout that’s all too common in the legal community comes from some of the most basic features of being an attorney, including high workloads, competition for clients, dealing with difficult people and a tendency toward perfectionism. In fact, today’s... Continue Reading >>
  • Many attorneys originally joined large law firms because it was a safe choice. With a well-established name and a large infrastructure of business support staff, larger firms offer lawyers a chance to focus on the practice of law while someone else handles the many other tasks that go into running a successful business. But while the biggest law firms are good at many things, they don’t necessarily have a department for every legal need their clients have. At the high end, their huge size can raise their prices too high for some corporate clients. This can also cause a lack of flexibility that scares off clients and makes attorneys’ jobs harder. The biggest firms can get so big that they have to turn down perfectly good work for conflict of interests reasons. And of course, the culture, lockstep promotion policies...

    Seasoned Attorneys: Start Your Own Boutique Firm

    Posted on February 24, 2011 | No Comments
    Many attorneys originally joined large law firms because it was a safe choice. With a well-established name and a large infrastructure of business support staff, larger firms offer lawyers a chance to focus on the practice of law while someone else handles the many other tasks that go into running a successful business. But while the biggest law firms are good at many things, they don’t necessarily have a department for every legal need their clients have. At the high end, their huge size can raise their prices too high for some corporate clients. This can also cause a lack of flexibility that scares off clients and makes attorneys’ jobs harder. The biggest firms can get so big that they have to turn down perfectly good work for conflict of interests reasons. And of course, the culture, lockstep promotion policies... Continue Reading >>
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