Author: Murray Gottheil

Living in Different Worlds

Post author By Murray Gottheil
Post date January 3, 2024
2 Comments on Living in Different Worlds

The Milky Way. — Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

I believe that lawyers should not compete based on price. I tell this to my mentees, and sometimes the response is, “that is easy for you to say from a cruise ship in the Pacific. I’m struggling to get files in the door and pay my rent.”

I also think that new lawyers should avoid practicing in areas that have become commodities and are particularly fee sensitive, such as residential real estate. My young friends tell me that they have to get cash in the door and that doing some real estate files is the best way to do it.

Tags articlingstudents, attorneys, lawfirms, lawstudents, lawyers

Work/Life Balance

Money, Money, Money

Currency from several countries including U.S. Dollar and Euros. — Photo by Karolina Grabowska at Pexels.

“I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too.”
Steve Martin

I like money as much as the next guy. Actually, I like money much more than I like the next guy.

My WFH (or WTF) Journey

Woman sitting on bed, drinking from mug, and looking at her computer. — Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels.

They say that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

When I started practicing law in 1981, I went to the office six days a week. Sometimes six and a half. I never used my computer at the office, mainly because I did not have one. Nor did anyone else.

Tags attorneys, lawfirms, lawyers, legaltech

The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Ordering Off Menu

Couple looking at menus. — Photo by Cottonbro Studio at Pexels.

I like eating out, but I don’t always like what is on the menu. I have been known to explain to the server that I consider a menu to be merely an indication of which ingredients the Chef has in the kitchen, together with samples of some of the ways that they can be assembled. With that information, I often request that they be assembled differently. Lose the beets from the beet salad; lose the feta cheese and replace it with goat cheese; add the spicy pecans from another salad, and so on.

I like to eat a bespoke lunch, and I expect that it may cost me a bespoke price.

Tags clients, customers, lawfirms, lawyers

The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Shutting Down The News

Sale Boat moored in beautiful bay on calm water. — Photo by Roman Jaquez at Pexels.

I stopped reading the news this week. It has been affecting my mental health. No more scrolling from CNN to Associated Press to Apple News to Google News to National Post, to Jerusalem Post. I am even trying to scroll past posts on Facebook and LinkedIn which address hate around the world.

Tags lawfirms, lawyers, mentalhealth, serenity

People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Eight: The Chief Marketing Officer

Post author By Murray Gottheil
Post date December 12, 2023
No Comments on Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Eight: The Chief Marketing Officer

People mingling at a bar. — Photo by Helena Lopes at Pixels.

Those of you who have been following this series know that I said that Part Seven was the final article in the series. It turns out that I lied.

The purpose of the series is to set out the questions which Articling Students and new Associates should figure out about their firms when deciding whether to stay there over the long-term.

This time it is about the Chief Marketing Officer (“CMO”).

Tags articlingstudents, attorneys, lawfirmmanagement, lawfirms, lawyers, marketing, mentoring

Murray The Wannabe Feminist

Feminists – Honesty Is Not Always The Best Policy

Post author By Murray Gottheil
Post date December 7, 2023
No Comments on Feminists – Honesty Is Not Always The Best Policy

Sign on wall that says "Fight Sexism." — Photo by Markus Spiske at Pexels.

I was speaking to a newbie lawyer the other day. I am going to call her Sue, which is definitely not her real name.

Sue is an intelligent young woman, but like many of us when we are starting out, is perhaps just a tiny bit naïve.

Sue told me that she was applying to a firm in a community where she lives in eastern Canada. To prepare for the interview, she checked out the firm’s website. She was delighted to learn that the firm prides itself on recognizing the importance of work life balance.

Tags attorneys, feminism, lawfirms, lawyers

Work/Life Balance

Figures Don’t Lie…

Feedback is spelled out in scrabble tiles. — Photo by Markus Winkler at Pexels.

The following recent headline in Law360 caught my attention: “Law360 Canada Pulse survey shows strong satisfaction among lawyers with their jobs.”

Although I love Law360 and think very highly of their writers, the headline took me aback because it does not ring true with my lived experience or what I am hearing from the trenches.