Celebrate “Love Litigating Lawyers Day”, August 31, 2021.
Seriously? Why should litigators get their own day of love? First of all, more love - that’s a good thing, right? While litigators get [...]
How to Say You’re Sorry: An Important Tool in the Workplace and Beyond
Apologizing is an important tool and if you dismiss it as a sign of weakness, you haven’t experienced its power and are missing opportunities to build and strengthen relationships at work and in your personal life. [...]
Exposing and Easing Fear of Young Lawyers in the Profession
There’s a saying about law school—”the first year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death and the third year they bore you to death.” This saying implies that students overcome that first-year fear, but for many lawyers, it never completely goes away. I know because I was one of them. [...]
Why it Helps to Admit You’re Scared
I had a dream last night about coronavirus. A group of friends were leaving a restaurant (remember those?) and I looked back at the table where we had just been sitting and said “oh my God, we forgot to social distance.” The restaurant table was not spacious and, in the dream, I mentally calculated how far away I was from the person across from me, the person next to me. Well within 6 feet. Way too close. It was an intimate space and I began to panic that I had just contracted COVID-19. I woke up bemoaning my forgetfulness. [...]
Reset, Reinvent and Recover: Practical Ways to Adapt to a Changing World
In July 2008, I left my job as general counsel to a school district without having another one lined up. It was impossible to look for another job because I worked very long days and couldn’t simply disappear for a few hours in the highly visible role I had. But, I wasn’t worried. [...]
Being a Lawyer Can Be Lonely—But It Doesn’t Have to Be
When I was a young lawyer, I mentioned a hobby of mine in front of my boss, something I did in my free time. My boss, the managing partner of the firm, narrowed his eyes and said, "free time? You [...]
Pro Bono Work: Helping You Gain Skills While Doing the Right Thing
October is pro bono month and the Pennsylvania Bar Association will observe the National Celebration of Pro Bono Week from Oct. 21-27. The Rules of Professional Conduct encourage, but do not require, attorneys to offer pro bono representation or to [...]
From Piles to Files-How Getting Organized Can Transform Your Business
Recently, I was on the phone with a fellow coach who asked about my personality type from an assessment taken in the past. I didn't recall, so while still on the call, I quietly walked over to my filing cabinet [...]
Silence Is Your Secret Weapon: Use It to Gain Insight
If you want to get more information, better intelligence and clarity, consider allowing silence to play a supporting role in your communication style. It can be used to great effect. I will never forget a coaching conversation early in my [...]