Category: Firm Culture

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Firm Culture

Biased Much?

A group of people of different racial backgrounds walking together and dressed professionally.
Photo by August De Richelieu at Pexels.

I recently went for a ‘preventative health examination,’ which is code for ‘private healthcare,’ which is something that is in fact available in Canada – to those who are willing and able to pay for it.

I was given a stress test which involved having me walk on a treadmill while hooked-up to a computer. Being me, I quipped to the technician that I was counting on her to make sure that I did not have a heart attack during the test. She reassured me that if I did, I would be in good hands, because ‘back home’ she was a cardiologist.

It is not a very well-kept secret that in Canada we make it difficult for immigrants to qualify to practice their professions.

So let’s talk about lawyers.

read more about bias towards internationally trained lawyers “Biased Much?”
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Firm Culture

Timebombs in the Garden

Atomic bomb mushroom cloud.
Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

By now everyone on LinkedIn has heard about Jon, a Cleveland lawyer who wrote a rather nasty email to a recently departed colleague who, having returned from her maternity leave, gave notice that she was leaving for another firm. The backlash was furious. Jon lost his job rather quickly.

From the flood of comments on social media, the idea surfaced that it is likely that Jon’s behaviour was not an aberration, which got me thinking about some of the people who I ran across while practicing law.

read more about bad behaviour in law firms “Timebombs in the Garden”
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Firm Culture

Lawyers Without Borders

Courthouse in Cuenca, Ecuador.

As an Anglo born and raised in Montreal and living in Ontario for many years, I consider myself to be a political refugee from Quebec. (Some would say that I overstate my immigrant credentials somewhat.)

I moved from Montreal to Toronto in 1979 at twenty-four years of age with my brand-new law degree in hand to article for a mid-sized Toronto firm.  It was my third trip to Toronto. I had been in the city for a weekend when I was eight years old and again for a few days for articling interviews.

read more about internationally trained lawyers “Lawyers Without Borders”
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Firm Culture

A New Year’s Resolution For Grape Popsicles

Young woman smiling and eating a grape popsicle.
Photo by Nick Oz at Pexels.

I like orange popsicles. The cherry flavoured ones are also okay. The grape flavour is terrible. This is one of the few topics upon which everyone in my household agrees.

It is really hard to find a box of only orange popsicles. Trust me, I have looked. So, we always end up buying a box which contains all three flavours. Eventually our freezer becomes full of grape popsicles that nobody wants and we throw them away to make room. It is a waste of money and not that great for the environment.

read more about being a grape popsicle “A New Year’s Resolution For Grape Popsicles”
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Firm Culture

Time To Go

A young girl holding a clock.
Photo by Renata Kelly Untaler at Pexels.

“There is a time for departure even when there’s no certain place to go.”

Tennessee Williams

On the day that the love of my life and I first told each other that we loved each other, we were, unfortunately, both married to other people. It was a pretty rough journey from then to now (together seventeen years, married for twelve.) Along the way a number of people were hurt, only a few of whom deserved it.  I love the result but would not wish the journey on anyone, and deeply regret the hurt caused to the innocent parties.

read more about law firm culture “Time To Go”
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Firm Culture

Building a Team of Partners and Losers

Baseball player sliding into third base and about to be tagged out.
Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

We live in a hierarchical world. In a law firm, the levels are pretty clear. From top to bottom it goes something like this: Managing Partner, Other Partners (ranked in order of billings and client originating credits), Senior Associates, Professional Managers, Junior Associates, Law Clerks, Legal Assistants, Clerical Staff, Articling Students, and Cleaners.

Everyone in a law firm has a pretty good notion about what the hierarchy is, although Articling Students have sometimes found out to their shock and horror that they do in fact rank under the Law Clerks, Legal Assistants, and Clerical Staff.

read more about partners and losers “Building a Team of Partners and Losers”
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Firm Culture

The Lunatic Fringe

Two rams butting heads.
Photo by Pixabay at Pexels.

Back in the day, there was a law firm in which the partners were – how do I say it sort of nicely – not ‘culturally aligned.’

Sam was the Managing Partner. He was charming and charismatic, and nice to everybody, at least most of the time.  Aligned with him were enough partners to vote with him on everything that mattered, sometimes more out of personal loyalty or ignorance than conviction.

Gordon was the other high billing partner with a huge client base, which qualified him to lead a group of dissidents. He and Sam tended to be competitive about things such as compensation.

read more about law firm culture “The Lunatic Fringe”
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Firm Culture

Skiing While Submerged

Water skier out of control.
Photo by Alexandr Nikulin at Pexels.

When I was a teenager, my buddy Bill took me waterskiing. For those of you who do not water ski, you learn to ski on two skis which is easy, then to ‘drop a ski’ which is harder, and finally to start on one ski. That was what I was trying to do.  

Bill said that I was the only person who he ever saw who was still holding onto the rope ten feet under water. An exaggeration perhaps, but sometimes I really do not know when to give up.    

read more about getting out when you don’t fit in the firm culture “Skiing While Submerged”
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Firm Culture

Culture Murders, Decimates and Destroys Strategy

A fire-breathing dragon on a dome.

You may be familiar with the expression, “Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast,” a quote from Peter Drucker. As the title of this post implies, I not only agree with that sentiment, but I believe that it is drastically understated.

read more about culture dooming strategy “Culture Murders, Decimates and Destroys Strategy”
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Firm Culture

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Patio cafe in a garden at night under a bright light.
Photo by Meruyert Gonullu at Pexels.

There is nothing funny about child abuse, so I hesitate to tell this story. But there is a point to it, so please bear with me.

Back in the day when parents did not see anything wrong with occasionally giving their kids a smack, there was a very young boy who believed that if he shut his eyes tightly, no one could see him. When his father was angry, the boy would close his eyes and feel safe. When he got hit anyway, he was initially shocked. But eventually he learned that hiding did not make him safe.

read more about partners who hide in law firms “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”