legal sanity

The March 2005 edition of the ABA’s Law Practice Today is devoted to helping lawyers as they start their careers. Although their aim is true, the articles are somewhat redundant. But, there are a few standouts. The always informative Dennis Kennedy offers a nice roundup of vital “lessons” for beginners. Among other things, he highlights the importance of understanding firm culture and hierarchy, finding a mentor and ensuring a proper lawyer-firm fit. Scheherazade Fowler shares some snapshots of her life as a fledging lawyer using the honest, engaging and amusing writing style that makes her blog one of my favorites. I particularly like her recollection of a conversation she had with a bankruptcy client who didn’t understand the difference between “real” and “personal” property. Showing compassion for her client and insight into a common communication pitfall, Fowler states that the use of such legal terminology is “just another way in which we lawyers make the regular people who want to use our services feel dumb when there's no reason they should.” In her article on navigating the “road to success,” Kathleen Brady reminds us that the career path is often “paved with detours, speed bumps and potholes.” Our ability to negotiate these obstacles, she advises, hinges on our willingness to be proactive and decide for ourselves what we value most. Then, it's up to us to go out and find a job that aligns with our core values. Brady also encourages us to look at career management as an ongoing process and suggests that we “make a lifelong commitment to actively manage [our] career/life and develop strategies to adapt to the inevitable transitions [we] are destined to encounter.” Backing up this advice, she outlines a methodology for meeting our “lifetime goals” by creating a “five-year plan” and then setting “annual goals.” Although conveyed in broad strokes, Brady’s goal-setting process helps re-focus us on a very “personal definition of success.”