If you Want to “Get” Legal Business, Try “Giving” First

Anyone who has spent any time around me lately knows that I am a very active member of Provisors.  I am a zealous “convert”.   I only joined Provisors in June, but since that time I have probably been to 30 meetings or “troikas”.  I am now on the Executive Committee of the Cambridge I Group (the Recruiting Chair) and I’m chairing the Recruiting Subcommittee of the Diversity Committee.

Provisors has really energized me and had a very positive impact on my business (for now the impact has been mostly indirect but I’m sure that will change over time.)   Simply put, Provisors is a great business networking group that is providing me with a terrific opportunity to grow my professional network quickly.  It’s like a cult (but in a good way!)

What I love most about the organization is that there is a heavy emphasis on helping other members and on thanking them for their efforts.  Being part of the organization really hammers home the message that in order to “get” you need to “give” first.

Read moreIf you Want to “Get” Legal Business, Try “Giving” First

From Biglaw to Boutique Law-How to Downsize Your Career and Increase your Career Satisfaction

Josh Rissmiller, is now a partner at a corporate boutique in Boston.  But he started his legal career at one of the top firms in New York and lateraled to an international firm in Boston.  What was it like to leave a large firm, what did he gain by starting out as an associate at a big New York firm and how is his life different (and better) at a boutique.

Read moreFrom Biglaw to Boutique Law-How to Downsize Your Career and Increase your Career Satisfaction

How Coaching Can Advance Your Career Success and Happiness

How can coaching help attorneys find more career success and happiness? Ask Beth J. Masterman of Masterman Executive Coaching! I interview Beth in the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast (find it wherever you listen to podcasts or visit the podcast homepage) Beth provides a great overview of what coaching is, how it works, what issues are suitable for coaching, how to find a coach, etc.  I recently reconnected with Beth at Provisors , a great business networking group I joined this past Spring and she has been very generous in helping me rethink my own coaching practice. No surprise that she was named Number One Executive Coach by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. legalcareers executivecoaching lawyers

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Thirty Years of Biglaw Wisdom from a Biglaw Expat

Anyone who has ever met John Hession knows that he is not your typical attorney.  He is someone who really tries to connect with everyone whether they are partners, associates, support staff or clients.  John is also someone who has tremendous wisdom about what it takes to succeed in a big law firm.

I’ve known John for over 25 years and recently sat down with him over breakfast to catch up.  We talked about practicing at a big firm and his transition into more of a professional

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Candidates are Looking for Flexibility and Technology

A few months ago, I had a conversation with my colleague Amy Levine about the things employers should be doing in order to compete for talent in a tight labor market.  She had some great recruiting tips are helpful to legal employers in any job market; but with unemployment at a 50 year low, they are particularly important now.   The Reader’s Digest version is simple. Treat people the way you would like to be treated and you’ll have a better shot of hiring the talent you want.

While Amy’s tips are important advice to any employer on how to manage the hiring process, she also has some great insights about what today’s workforce is looking for (i.e. beyond a good paycheck).

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Defining Your Target is the First Step in Effective Marketing

Marketing is more art then science but one thing is for sure, if you take the time to define your niche, you will have a lot more success in generating referrals.  I always tell my coaching clients to think of legal marketing as if you were aiming at a dart board.  The bullseye is your ideal client and the work you like to do for that client.

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What Does it Take to Generate Legal Work?

I had a “troika” the other day with Frank Rudewicz of the accounting firm Blum Shapiro and Steven Konowitz of the Law Firm Konowitz and Greenberg. Troikas, for the uninitiated, are a gathering of three Provisors members. They are set up in order to help members get to know each other and they serve as a nice complement to the monthly meetings you have with your Provisors home group (or affinity group– or group where you have served as a guest).

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From Litigation to Public Service to Government Affairs with Former U.S. Senator Mo Cowan

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, I welcome former U.S. Senator William “Mo” Cowan.  Mo currently serves as President, Global Government Affairs and Policy for General Electric.  In my interview, he talks about his journey from the practice of law to public service and into government affairs. 

Read moreFrom Litigation to Public Service to Government Affairs with Former U.S. Senator Mo Cowan

Mindlessness and the Practice of Law

For a long time, I have been thinking about bringing more mindfulness into my life.  For the past 6 months, I have actually been practicing mediation on a daily basis.  The benefits of mediation are well documented (reduced stress, increased focus, better overall health, and even better performance at work).

For attorneys who have stressful jobs (which defines many attorneys), mindfulness can be a particularly useful technique to calm the nerves and do better work for your clients.

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