The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun

It’s a gorgeous Friday here in Orlando, bright and sunny, warm but with a very pleasant cool breeze. A great day for spring fever.
So, in honor of spring, I declare today to be Fun Friday here at the Life at the Bar blog, and I share with you one of my favorite new fun [...]

Business Impact of Executive and Leadership Coaching

Since coaching is still a relatively new profession, having been around only since the 1990s, there isn’t much in the way of data to back up coaching’s claim to effectiveness. As a lawyer myself, particularly as a lawyer with some scientific training, that’s been troubling to me. I know coaching works because I’ve [...]

Lawyer’s LifePosts: Guideposts for Your Goals

As promised, today’s topic is the “best practices” that can help lawyers get their practices on a smooth track. Perhaps the short title should be “You Can Be a Happy Lawyer!”
Again, the great majority of lawyers aren’t headed for breakdowns, substance abuse, or suicide. But many of us have experienced periods of greyness, [...]

Studies show high rates of attorney depression, substance abuse, and suicide. What do practicing lawyers need to know?

I attended a seminar last week in Orlando entitled Practicing with Professionalism. Michael Cohen, Executive Director of Florida Lawyers Assistance, presented the first session, entitled “Chemical Dependency/Stress.” He opened with his own story of substance abuse and recovery — instant credibility, a spellbinding tale of breakdown and recovery. I suspect that most [...]

What do I want for lawyers? And how does coaching help with that?

I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday, and she asked why I’m coaching and what I want for lawyers. Ok, actually, she asked if I want lawyers to leave the profession and seek happiness in some other field! No, that isn’t what I want for lawers — unless, of course, that’s [...]

Emotion in practice

There’s an interesting article by Steven Keeva in the ABA Journal, available at http://www.abanet.org/journal/redesign/02kv.html. Entitled “What Tears May Tell: Sometimes It’s Beneficial to Show Emotions When Working With Clients,” the article’s thesis is that showing genuine emotion permits deep interpersonal connection and communication. The article focuses on two stories: one of a lawyer [...]

Perspective and options

It doesn’t hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started.

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what criterion defines whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.
“Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a
teaspoon, [...]