The Renaissance Lawyer Society's monthly e-newsletter, The Cable, directed me to this FresnoBee article discussing a new, combined law/conflict resolution degree. I think this is a wonderful approach to understanding the interplay between these distinct but intertwined roads to understanding and handling real world legal issues.
The shifting of law firm demographics and in lawyers' definitions of success are among the topics discussed in this interesting article from the ABA's Law Practice Magazine. The piece considers how law firms can "bridge the generational divide" between associates and partners who have values and expectations that are "poles apart." Unlike "Traditionalist Lawyers" (born before 1946), the legions of "Generation Y (or Millennial) Lawyers" (born after 1980) now entering the extremely competitive legal workforce are laden with student loan debt, tech savvy, impatient to progress and define rewards "in terms of financial success, flexibility, freedom, autonomy and increase in opportunities." The article sets out a few pointers and recommendations on meeting the unique needs of this new breed of lawyer. It also cautions that firms failing to do so will "stay stuck in old-school, passé management modes and face problems with recruitment, retention and other issues."
This article from the Missouri Bar looks to the work of psychologist Carl Jung, who theorized that the human psyche is hardwired with predispositions (called archetypes) that are passed down from generation to generation, much like instincts in animals. Guiding us through an overview of four basic "archetypal energies" - the Sovereign (King or Queen), the Warrior or Amazon, the Magician or Hetaira and the Lover or Medial - the article proposes that knowing our individual "archetypal balance" is a key to becoming a more effective and powerful lawyer.
This article announces that, this fall, Reed Smith will partner with Wharton's executive education program to create Reed Smith University (RSU). While enrollment in RSU is not mandatory, the firm will strongly encourage its nearly 1,000 lawyers and additional non-lawyer staffers to participate. According to the piece, the program's main purpose is to "develop and support existing and emerging leaders across the firm" by offering a year-round curriculum in leadership, business development, technology, professional support and law. Each course will have its own focus. "The leadership program, for example, will emphasize developing and motivating leaders and future leaders; the business development course will provide instruction in managing and developing business relationships; the technology school will assist employees in gaining the full advantage of the firm's technology investment; the professional support school will enhance the quality of support staff; and the law course will focus on expanding the legal skills of attorneys." I think this is a fantastic idea that any law firm with the resources should implement. As a young associate, I really would have benefited from firm-sponsored classes on business development that addressed how to talk to clients and potential clients to discern their real needs and interests in seeking legal counsel/representation. It would have also been great to "matriculate" and bond with others from my firm as we all continued on our path as life-long students of law, business and human nature.
The human spirit shines in this piece about New Jersey lawyer Douglas Heir, who has won over 300 gold medals in paralympics events and was the first lawyer featured on a Wheaties cereal box. Doug has been confined to a wheelchair since age 18, when he injured his spinal cord while trying to rescue a drowning child. He now devotes his solo practice to representing others with spinal cord injuries.
Both My Shingle and Ernie the Attorney have commented on a post from Anonymous Lawyer that's ostensibly about the perils of mixing big firm and family life. Having worked in one of the country's biggest firms, at a boutique litigation practice, in a small partnership and as a solo, I can say that the dysfunction and screwed up priorities it depicts are not just byproducts of big firm life. You'll find people who place work over family and avoid spending time with their loved ones in every type of law firm across America. While the pull to survive and succeed can easily throw our priorities out of whack, it's up to us to own up to our responsibility for the imbalance and to do something about it - both on an individual and larger professional level.
From LawyerNews.Com comes this announcement that the Philadelphia Bar Association will be sponsoring a course for non-lawyers who want to learn "basic information about areas of the law most likely to impact on their daily lives." Course sessions will be held on September 21 & 28 and October 5, 12, 19 & 26. Each week, local private and public sector lawyers will speak on topics related to their area of practice, including: bankruptcy law, consumer fraud law, criminal law and procedure, defending yourself in a civil law suit, employment law, family law, immigration law, landlord/tenant law, personal injury/tort law, real estate law, wills and estate planning, and workers' compensation law. I think that educating non-lawyers about law as it plays out in everyday life is a terrific idea. Far from being a dangerous thing, a little bit of knowledge about the law helps people be more empowered and capable negotiators in their daily undertakings and makes them more savvy and participatory legal service consumers.
Steven Keeva has a thought-provoking piece today at ABAJournal.com on the evolving role of apology in the law. According to Keeva, several jurisdictions have enacted laws excluding a health care provider's apology from admissibility into evidence. These laws, and others like them, recognize that plaintiffs are often looking for something beyond monetary compensation in bringing a lawsuit. For real closure to result, there are "other things that must take place, such as being heard, finding out that someone truly does care and, in the appropriate case, a sincere and heartfelt apology." In addition to affecting the relationship between the parties, apology also impacts the legal process by influencing "whether compensation will be determined by a relatively cooperative and speedy settlement process or through more lengthy, costly and often unpredictable litigation."
This article encourages lawyers to use their face, and not just their words, to carry their message to clients, juries and other audiences. The piece advises: when "talking about something serious and somber, your face should 'sag' a bit and the whole head should come down some. When mentioning something positive and upbeat, make sure your face reflects that tone of voice. Smile, get that light in your eyes and lift your head up high." It also suggests that lawyers can master the art of giving good face by studying "skilled presenters and communicators" on television, in comedy clubs and on the big screen.
Enter keywords:
 |
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
fill out the contact/message fields below to learn more about arnie's seminars and professional services and to receive his free e-newsletter, the legal sanity moment
