Categories
Law Firm Management

Churn Through Your Associates if You Must, But At Least Do it Well

A line of people.
Photo by Krizjohn Rosales at Pexels.

“Prepare the clone army!” 

~ Dr. Evil

Back before today’s young lawyers were born, law firms and new lawyers had an unwritten social contract.

Firms were prepared not to make much money on newcomers. They made an investment to mentor, supervise, and train them. If the firm was lucky, it could cover its costs in the first year, and start making a profit in subsequent years. The new lawyers knew that they would have to put in some time before they could earn the big bucks, but if they hung in, a partnership would be offered within a reasonable time frame.

read more about churning through associates poorly “Churn Through Your Associates if You Must, But At Least Do it Well”
Categories
The Practice of Law

Might Means Right

Canadian Air Force Plane
Photo by GEo Teynor at Pexels.

By Maureen T. McKay and Murray Gottheil

Recent events in Venezuela have us thinking about the expression, “might means right,” and what it means for our legal systems.

read more about might means right in the legal system “Might Means Right”
Categories
Legal Tech

Chat GPT Promotes Murray Gottheil to Big Law Partner

Murray Gottheil

Career Announcement – Chat GPT is pleased to announce that Murray Gottheil has finally achieved his life-long ambition to be a partner in Big Law!

I was bored this morning so I entered the following prompt into Chat GPT: “Create a biography for Murray Gottheil Canadian lawyer.”

This is what it told me:

read more about nonsense from chat gpt “Chat GPT Promotes Murray Gottheil to Big Law Partner”
Categories
Law Firm Management

Legal Problem or Leadership Problem?

Woman holding finger to mouth indicating do not speak.

I am going to tell you a story that was told to me by a law firm partner who cannot risk telling it herself.

Somewhere in the world of Common Law, a rainmaker partner in a huge firm did dreadful things and was pushed out. A scandal ensued. The details were sketchy. Among those trying to figure out exactly what happened were hundreds of the partners of the now disgraced lawyer.

read more about keeping secrets from partners “Legal Problem or Leadership Problem?”
Categories
The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Things That Get Better With Age: Fine Wine, Cheese, and Lawyers

Happy child in walker.

One of my favourite mentees made the long drive to the country for lunch with Maureen and me the other day. I will call her Sara. We enjoyed the lunch, and Sara’s company was delightful, as always.

read more about casual ageism in the legal profession “Things That Get Better With Age: Fine Wine, Cheese, and Lawyers”
Categories
Family Business Succession

The problem with ‘fairness’ in family business succession

Members of a family.

“Being good is easy — What is difficult is being just.” ~ Victor Hugo

The worst business succession plans that I have ever seen were created by good people who were trying to treat their children equally.

Unfortunately, “equal” does not necessarily mean “fair.”

read more about “fair” vs. “Equal” “The problem with ‘fairness’ in family business succession”
Categories
Mental Health and Work/Life Balance

The Law 360 Canada Pulse Survey: Murray Says WHAAAAAT?

A woman looking at her phone and looking surprised.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels.


The good folks at Law 360 have produced their annual survey of what lawyers think about their profession.

Here is the part that I don’t get.

60% of Associates (and 44%) of partners say that they either feel stressed most of the time or all of the time.

At the same time, 63% report being satisfied, or very satisfied, with their jobs.

So, let me get this straight. Lawyers are generally happy with their jobs, while being stressed most or all of the time.

I am reminded of the famous quote from The Princess Bride: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Maybe I am an outlier, but I am usually happiest when I am not stressed about things like getting my work done on time, meeting billable hour requirements, or getting sued. But that’s just me.

Categories
The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Humans Practicing Law Inhumanely

An overhead shot of thousands of people.
Photo by San Fermin Pamplona at Pexels.

It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do. ~ Edmund Burke

Today I would like to weave together two disparate stories to make my point.

read more about lawyers who lose sight of their humanity “Humans Practicing Law Inhumanely”
Categories
Legal Ethics

Refresher on Legal Ethics For Unscrupulous Litigators – Part Two

A man in a shirt and tie looking stressed.
Photo by That Guy Graig at Pexels.

In Part One, I told the story from out west of a lawyer who I called Bill. Bill, apparently at the urging of his boss (who had bigger fish to fry), tried to dump a client by making a motion to get off the record a few days before the trial date, and returnable on the trial date. He showed up, having done no trial preparation, and put the client at risk of being ordered to proceed with the trial.

read more about litigators who have lost their way “Refresher on Legal Ethics For Unscrupulous Litigators – Part Two”
Categories
Legal Ethics

Refresher on Legal Ethics For Unscrupulous Litigators – Part One

The Word "Trust" spelled out in scrabble tiles.

I am going to tell you a true story from out west. The names and a few details have been changed to protect me.

Bill is fairly new to the profession. Bill works for Sue, who has been around quite a while, has a boutique practice, and has made a name for herself handling high profile cases.

read more about lawyers who have lost their way “Refresher on Legal Ethics For Unscrupulous Litigators – Part One”