Book Review: The Happy Lawyer

This is a picture of where my “office” was yesterday: I’m on retreat, spending lots of time outside reading, writing, and thinking about my business. Here’s a link to a post I wrote last year describing how you might engage in your own retreat, to review and evaulate how your practice is running and [...]

Communications trouble? Maybe it’s you!

I’m pleased to share an article written by Annetta Wilson, one of the communications experts who will be leading the upcoming teleseminar Cut Through Communications Chaos. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with a colleague or client only to discover that you’re talking at cross-purposes, with no middle ground you can [...]

Inspiration for those considering a new career; can practice be easier?

One of the curious things about my coaching experience is that the topics that arise (with current and potential clients) seem to move in cycles. Right now, the top two issues on which I’m coaching are (1) making partner (long-term strategy as well as short-term “beefing up” in preparation for the decision and (2) [...]

Leaving the law: how to start the next chapter

I recently had an opportunity to offer some suggestions to a lawyer who’s ready to leave the practice but uncertain where to start in creating the next chapter of her career. Since that’s hardly an unusual state of affairs, I thought I’d post my comments here in hopes of helping others in a similar [...]

Is someone you work with driving you nuts?

Yesterday, I offered some examples of the “communication chaos” that often runs rampant in law firms and gave a sneak peek on a teleseminar that I’m offering along with two colleagues to teach participants how to avoid chaos and communicate most effectively. Here’s more about the teleseminar and what you’ll learn by participating, along [...]

Are you suffering from communications chaos?

Lawyers rely on good communications skills. Whether it’s in writing or in person, how well a lawyer communicates will have a significant impact on her career success. We spend a lot of time learning how to make effective, persuasive oral presentations in the context of practice, but what about day-to-day communications? These [...]

Saying “NO.”

Almost all of my coaching clients have said at one time or another, “I just don’t know how to say no.” Whether it’s an associate or partner who’s so overburdened that she’s having trouble meeting her deadlines and/or producing an acceptable work product, a lawyer who’s bemoaning a difficult client and wrestling with how [...]

Conscious disregard of value: women vs. the legal profession

One of the things I most enjoy about the blogosphere is the free exchange of ideas and thoughts. Recently, Stephanie West Allen and I have been discussing a trend reported by Canada’s leading newspaper The Globe and Mail in an article entitled “Office Stress Ruining Women Lawyers’ Lives.” (With thanks to Gerry Riskin [...]

Top firms for women or leaving the law: it’s all about perceived satisfaction

As announced in a flurry of law firm press releases yesterday, Working Mother Magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC have announced the top 50 firms for women, as measured through “groundbreaking programs to help women strike a better work/life balance and climb to the top” and “implementing penalty-free flex schedules and mentoring, networking and leadership programs.” [...]

Back to the real world: how do you return from vacation?

By the time this posts, I will likely have landed back at the Atlanta airport, home from vacation and from the ABA annual meeting. First, I’d like to thank Peter Vajda publicly for his posts. Relationship is always an interesting topic, and I believe that in many ways our relationships shape and promote [...]