attorney career satisfaction – Seckler Legal Recruiting and Coaching

How to Build a Life Sciences Practice in a New City [on the C2C podcast]

September 15, 2020August 30, 2020 by SeckAdmin

How do you move to a new city and build a law practice? Do what Dave Dykeman has done over the last 20 years. Dave is Co-Managing Partner of the Boston Office of Greenberg Traurig where he also Co-Chairs the firm’s Global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group. In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel Podcast, Dave and I talk about building a niche IP practice in medical devices and other technologies. He describes how his early marketing efforts yielded great results over time.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling on a Part-time Schedule

June 26, 2020April 28, 2020 by SeckAdmin

Just before the COVID crisis really heated up, I interviewed Lauren Resnick, who is the Chief Practice Partner for the national law firm BakerHostetler. Lauren is someone who not only broke through the glass ceiling at an AmLaw 100 firm, but she did it as a part-time attorney. I spoke with Lauren about her path from the public sector back into private practice, and what it was like being part-time. We also discussed some of the challenges of being in a

A time for Career Reflection? [an offer to be a sounding board]

June 26, 2020March 30, 2020 by SeckAdmin

The reality of COVID-19 is hitting all of us hard. Our lives and careers are being significantly disrupted. At a time when we most want to come together, we are being told to socially distance. While that seems like the new normal, we still have ways to connect virtually. In this vein, I am writing to offer you the chance to reflect on what you really want from your career. If you have more down time right now or if the coronavirus is just causing you to rethink your priorities, The Juris Doctor is In.

7 Career Management Tips-Special COVID Edition of the C2C Podcast

June 26, 2020March 19, 2020 by SeckAdmin

My tips for managing your career during the COVID-19 crisis. A special edition of the Counsel to Counsel Podcast. Click here or listen wherever you get your podcasts. If you are feeling isolated or if you just want a sounding board, I also invite you to set up a time for an informal consult by Zoom. I’m always happy to speak to lawyers about their marketing or their efforts to build a practice.

Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling

January 28, 2020 by SeckAdmin

Women have made significant gains in the legal profession. But even in 2020, women are woefully underrepresented in the partnership ranks of major law firms. In the coming months, I will be interviewing women who have broken through the glass ceiling and have been elevated to partnership.

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, I am joined by Hether Cahill, a partner at the Boston law firm Burns and Levinson.

The Key to Happiness in the Practice of Law

January 12, 2020 by SeckAdmin

My latest interview on the Counsel to Counsel Podcast. Larry Stybel of Stybel Peabody shares 40 years of wisdom on how lawyers can increase their career satisfaction.

Available here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Want to Make a Significant Career Shift in 2020? Find your Bridge

January 3, 2020January 2, 2020 by SeckAdmin

If 2020 is the year that you plan to make a significant career change, then figure out the bridge you need to take to get you where you want to go. Employers generally hire candidates who already have specific experience. Most firms and most corporations are not looking to train lateral hires.

That doesn’t mean you are eternally trapped doing the same kind of legal work you have been doing for the past five years. I’ve seen many lawyers make dramatic shifts

Thirty Years of Biglaw Wisdom from a Biglaw Expat

October 18, 2019 by SeckAdmin

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

Mindlessness and the Practice of Law

October 4, 2019September 12, 2019 by SeckAdmin

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.

Creating a Mission Driven Law Practice

September 10, 2019September 10, 2019 by Stephen Seckler

After a brief summer hiatus, Counsel to Counsel is back! In my latest episode, I speak with Jon Klavens of Klavens Law Group about how he has built a mission driven law practice. Jon is a fellow alum of Northeastern University School of Law. Like many NUSL students, Jon came to the school with a strong interest in the public interest. After a prestigious clerkship and a long stint at the Boston firm Goodwin Procter, Jon decided he wanted to have more impact on the world. He didn’t want to work for a non-profit so he found a way to serve the public good by representing companies involved in clean energy, clean technology, resource recovery, sustainable agriculture and food ventures, and social enterprise. You can hear the episode wherever you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for many other interesting interviews throughout the Fall.