Lawyer Coach Dena Lefkowitz, Esq., PCC | 215-696-3079 | Dena@AchievementByDesign.com | FREE Consultation
Lawyer Coach Dena Lefkowitz, Esq., PCC
215-696-3079 | FREE Consultation
Dena@AchievementByDesign.com
The oldest law journal in the United States
(Originally published at The Legal Intelligencer) This is the time of year when law firms assess individual contributions and consider who delivered. Who stepped up. Who looks like they are invested for the long term. Whatever the timing is—at the [...]
Getting started is the hardest part of any endeavor, even those you love doing, which is paradoxical. [...]
If we recognize that external rewards signify something achieved, a benchmark attained, then why do so many people shrink from the idea of rewarding themselves? [...]
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. [...]
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. [...]
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. [...]
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. [...]
Every January, a group of lawyers I used work with went on a “diet.” It’s in quotes because, as one partner explained, the diet was an excuse to prove to themselves they weren’t alcoholics following the excesses of the holiday season. Recently I learned about “Dry January,” [...]
What do we mean when we talk about work-life balance? Usually a feeling that things are off-kilter between career and the other domains in life, particularly family time. Many of us face what the research calls a “time bind” caused by the simultaneous time and energy demands of family life and the workplace.
Back when I was practicing law, I had the privilege of arguing before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The court was six hours away, and my boss directed me to leave two days prior rather than just one. Instead of driving six [...]
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 [...]
In the early days of 2019, you may be asking yourself, with respect to the previous year, what just happened? What kind of year was it for me? How do I want this year to be different? What changes might [...]
I reconnected with an early mentor recently when an old piece of business brought us back together again. At the time we worked together, I appreciated his guidance—he showed me how to improve my writing, cross-examine an expert witness, pick [...]
In many ways, the gym is a microcosm of work, family and life. The way you interact while working out can have a big impact on your personal and professional life. Here are some things I’ve learned at the gym: [...]
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 [...]
Did you ever stop to think that our daily actions are a simply a collection of habits formed at various stages of our lives and rarely, if ever, re-examined to see if they are working for or against us? At [...]
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 [...]
Networking has been defined as "a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest." That doesn't sound so bad, does it? Support? Sharing? Interests in common? Why then, do so many professionals shudder [...]