As you know, I taught, mentored, and coached law firm associates in my own firm and when I left the firm to coach lawyers. Now that I am recruiting lawyers, I’ve placed only one associate and the firm which hired him only did so because he worked for the partner I placed.
Firms do not
When a young partner comes to me wanting to change law firms, among other things, I ask:
Years ago, a lawyer I was coaching was struggling with developing specific actions in his plan. He asked
As we are approaching 2016, is your law firm encouraging your associates to create a career plan with goals? I asked the question because when I was the partner responsible for career development in my old firm, our firm made if more difficult.
The message our associates received was that achieving billable hours was the
Here are five questions your senior lawyers should ask your junior lawyers or that your associates should ask themselves:
If you have read my blog posts this week, you know I have focused on the new lawyers who just started in law firms. Many start with great enthusiasm and also great fear. I know. I had both.
Over time your first year lawyers will either become artisans or virtuosos.
I thought of this idea
Our daughter Jill starts a new school year teaching today.
Years ago when Jill was in college we were taking a father-daughter trip to a Virginia Tech football game. While on the plane, Jill said:
Dad, there is something I have to tell you.
With fear of what it might be, (I don’t think
Two weeks ago, I coached 8 lawyers in a firm for the first time. The most common theme of our coaching sessions was time.
I have family with young children. How can a find, make, carve out time for career development and client development, do my billable work and spend quality time with my family?
I don’t run into many senior lawyers who understand. Do the senior lawyers in your firm realize it is way more challenging for a young lawyer to develop a book of business in 2013 than it was when the senior lawyers did it?
In mid-sized and larger firms today, income partners and senior associates go
Did you read a November, 2011 New York Times article: What They Don’t Teach Law Students: Lawyering? It referenced an American Lawyer survey finding that 47% of clients surveyed did not want first or second year associates working on their matters. It also identified what clients are saying to firms:
But the downturn in