Category: People I Met Practicing Law

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People I Met Practicing Law

Who Do You Want To Be in the Legal Profession?

Woman pulling a suitcase on a country road, seen from behind.
Photo by Ivan Aguilar at Pexels.

There was once a mid-sized law firm that wanted to develop a specialty in a niche area of litigation.

At the bottom level of that specialty, there were general commercial litigation lawyers who wrongly thought that they knew enough to be competent. One step above, there were lawyers with a decent reputation who gave good, creative, advice and achieved decent results most of the time. And then there were the Tier One superstars. Big reputations, high billings, and in demand for the most difficult assignments.

read more about who you want to be in the legal profession “Who Do You Want To Be in the Legal Profession?”
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People I Met Practicing Law

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”).

read more about the chief marketing officer “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Eight: The Chief Marketing Officer”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Seven: The Supervising Lawyer

A lawyer looking at a book while standing over another lawyer who is seated at his desk.
Photo by Sora Shimazak at Pexels.

This is the last in a series about 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, I will speak about supervising lawyers (“SL”).

read more about your supervisor – the key to whether you love or hate your job “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Seven: The Supervising Lawyer”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Six: The Law Clerks

Professional looking woman working on a laptop.
Photo by Anna Shvets at Pexels.

This is the sixth in a series about information that Articling Students and new Associates should have before deciding to stay at a firm for the long-term.

Today it is about some of my favourite people in law firms – the Law Clerks (“LC”) (aka Paralegals).

read more about law clerks (Paralegals) “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Six: The Law Clerks”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Five: The Chief Financial Officer

Man sitting at desk working with a laptop and a calculator.
Photo by RDNE Stock project at Pexels.

This is the fifth in a series about questions that Articling Students and new Associates should consider when trying to size up their new firm.

This time I will address the most senior person in charge of the money. In your firm, this person could be called any of the following:  Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), Controller, Accounting Manager, Accountant or Bookkeeper.

read more about the people watching the money in law firms “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Five: The Chief Financial Officer”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Four: The Chief Technology Officer

The computers used to launch the first manned space flights at Cape Canaveral

This is the fourth in a series about questions that Articling Students and new Associates should ponder while trying to determine whether they have landed in the right place.

This time I will address the Chief Technology Officer (the “CTO”).  Of course, being lawyers we need a definition, so let’s use this one from Alexander Gillis and others at techtarget.com:

read more about technology in Law Firms “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Four: The Chief Technology Officer”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Three: The Chief Operating Officer

A business woman in her office.
Photo by August de Richelieu at Pexels.

In Parts One and Two, I set out some questions that articling students and young lawyers should ask about their firm’s Managing Partner and Practice Group Leader.

Today I will tackle the much trickier issue of the Chief Operating Officer (the “COO”).

read more about whether your firm has a coo “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Three: The Chief Operating Officer”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Two: The Practice Group Leader

Woman wearing a pink jacket and looking confident and professional.
Photo by Edmond Dantès at Pexels.

In Part One, I set out some questions that articling students and young lawyers should ask about the Managing Partner. This time let’s talk about your Practice Group Leader (the “PGL”).

read more about how to figure out if you should love your practice group leader “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Two: The Practice Group Leader”
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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part One: The Managing Partner

A man holding a book in a library. Looks like a lawyer.
Photo by RDNE Stock project at Pexels.

When articling students or young lawyers enter a law firm of any size for the first time, they see the carefully cultivated image that the law firm promotes and are often thrilled to be part of a legal fantasy world where every lawyer is dynamic, brilliant, experienced, strategic, and practical. 

Over time they get to know the lawyers and other key players, and eventually figure out what is real and what is not.

read more about evaluating the managing partner “Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part One: The Managing Partner”
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People I Met Practicing Law Uncategorized

The Importance of Asking The Right Questions

Woman holding her ears sleeping next to man snoring.
Photo by Kampus Production at Pexels

This is a true story, even though it may not sound like one.

Chris was a law partner who joined a new firm.  Two of his new partners were named Angela and Martin.

Soon after Chris joined the firm, Angela cancelled out of a promotional ski trip, leaving a gap to be filled. So Martin invited Chris to the event and mentioned that he could use the hotel room that had been reserved for Angela.

read more about the importance of asking the right questions “The Importance of Asking The Right Questions”