Category: Firm Culture

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Firm Culture

I Heard it Through the Gripe Vine

Grapes on the vine.
Photo by Julia Volk: at Pexels.

Back a long time ago when I had a modicum of influence in a law firm, I used to include a sentence in every offer letter to associates to the effect that we expected our lawyers to be part of the solution to issues that they encountered at the firm, not part the problem. This was a contractual obligation to come forward to management to address issues that they might have, and to help us to resolve them. They were not supposed to just whine about whatever issues they encountered.

read more about whose fault it is that associates do not come forward with constructive criticism “I Heard it Through the Gripe Vine”
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Firm Culture

More Sinister than Just Hatred

Black and White Photo of a man looking sinister.
Photo by Cottonbro at Pexels.

I recently wrote an article titled “Hate Everything or Risk the Consequences,” in which I lamented that law firms restrict the social medial activity of their lawyers. But then I spoke to Tony Albrecht, who knows a lot about this stuff and I now realize that I understated the problem.

read more about firms controlling lawyers using social media “More Sinister than Just Hatred”
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Firm Culture

Hate Everything or Risk the Consequences

Phone Screen showing LinkedIn logo.
Photo by Bastian Riccard at Pexels.

I would have to guess that at the law firm where I toiled for 34 years, some people like what I write on LinkedIn, and some do not. The reason that I have to guess, is that with the very occasional exception of one Associate, none of them ever react or comment. Now you might think that the flaw in my logic is the underlying assumption that they are reading my stuff, but the LinkedIn analytics tell me that a good number of them do.

read more about law firms controlling the use of social media “Hate Everything or Risk the Consequences”
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Firm Culture

Is it Me, or is it Us?

Scrabble tiles spelling "Yes We Can".
Photo by Brett Jordan at Pexels.

My neighborhood was hit hard by the ice storm. We have been without power for eight days now and counting. Some of my neighbours have generators. Some don’t.  Some have heat and water. Some do not.

read more about “US” and “Me” “Is it Me, or is it Us?”
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Firm Culture

The Latest Law Firm Scam

Man and Woman standing in a field and embracing in the sunlight.
Photo by Jonathan Borba at Pexels.

There is an old story about a young  man who, after finally meeting the love of his life following years searching the globe for his one true soulmate, took his girlfriend’s hands in his own one starlit summer evening, stared deeply into her beautiful eyes, and whispered to her in a husky, excited voice: “since I met you, I can’t eat. I can’t drink. I can’t sleep… I’m completely broke.”

read more about firms with no billable hours target “The Latest Law Firm Scam”
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Firm Culture

Let the Games Begin

The Olympic Logo on a hilltop overlooking water.
Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

An important element of a law firm’s culture is the manner in which it designates ‘client lawyer’ status, or ‘client origination credits’ (“OCs”).

By way of background, there are three ways to earn money in a law firm.

read more about firm culture and originating credits “Let the Games Begin”
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Firm Culture

Be Careful What You Wish For

A wealthy looking man wearing a ceremonial turban.
Photo by Abhishek Shekhawat at Pexels.

Those of my era may remember the comic book character known as “Richie Rich.” Nice little kid, but being brought up by wealthy parents, he was not on the same wavelength as some of his friends.

My friend Stan had a law partner who was kind of like a wannabe Richie Rich. He wasn’t rich yet, but by God he planned to be!

read more about chasing the dollars “Be Careful What You Wish For”
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Firm Culture

Guarding Your Sanity

A knight in armour at a guard post.
Photo by Wdnet at Pexels.

I was pushing my wife’s buttons the other day when she shoved back and explained, “I am diligently guarding my own sanity.”  I replied, “you may be guarding it, but I think that it has escaped.” 

The rest of the argument did not go well for me.

Continue reading “Guarding Your Sanity”
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Firm Culture

A Matter of Trust

One woman comforting another woman.
Photo by Liza Summer at Pexels.

Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.

~ Stephen Covey

A Canadian grocery chain has just announced that it will launch a new brand to sell low-priced groceries in Canada. Their announcement is being greeted with great skepticism. The reason? Canadians do not trust them. It could be because we just do not buy it when their CEO says that their increased profits have nothing to do with their increased prices.

read more about Trust in the Legal Profession “A Matter of Trust”
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Firm Culture

Clowns To the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right

A view of the Brewster County Fair in Cape Cod, Mass.

Last week I was at the Barnstable County Fair in Cape Cod. At the midway, there was a game called “Dunk the Clown.” Let me describe it for you.

A clown sat on a ledge over a tank of water. People paid a few dollars and received three baseballs to throw at two large buttons on the walls adjacent to the clown. If a button were hit, the clown would fall into the water.

read more about mean clowns and law firms “Clowns To the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right”