Tag: worklifebalance

Categories
The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers

Desperately Seeking More (Billable Hours) – Abridged Version

A fully clothed skeleton sitting at a desk and typing at a computer.
Photo by Oussama Bergaou at Pexels.

One of the values that drove me for a good long time was the importance of working hard and generating many billable hours.

I have concluded that there are three reasons that many lawyers work long hours. Some do it to serve their clients well.  Others do it because they are workaholics. And finally, there are those who work all of the time because they are ambitious and they want to earn a lot of money. What all of these lawyers have in common is that they all believe that working hard will make them happy. It does not seem to work for many of them.

read more about why lawyers work so hard “Desperately Seeking More (Billable Hours) – Abridged Version”
Categories
Work/Life Balance

The Simple Yet Unacceptable Answer to the Mental Health Crisis in the Legal Profession

Various currency, including U.S. Dollars and Euros.

By the time that I figured out that I could no longer cope with the pressures of the legal profession and that something had to give, I had been practicing business law for thirty-three years. What can I say… I am a slow learner. It took me almost another seven years to get out. I escaped with my health intact, but just barely.

read more about the simple solution to the mental health problem in the legal profession “The Simple Yet Unacceptable Answer to the Mental Health Crisis in the Legal Profession”
Categories
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.  

read more about money “Money, Money, Money”
Categories
Work/Life Balance

They Care… in Their Spare Time

Woman looking pensive in the back seat of a car.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

The other day my wife, Maureen, told me about a friend who was complaining that his busy adult children do not call him very often.  Her friend asked Maureen, “Don’t they care about their dad?”  To which Maureen replied, “they care… in their spare time.”

Maureen had it exactly right. Busy people tend to focus on the issues in their life that require their immediate attention. They put the things that they can take for granted aside to worry about when they can find the time.

read more about creating a law firm that is about more than money “They Care… in Their Spare Time”
Categories
Work/Life Balance

There is More to Life than Hard Work

Man holding box marked "Aid" and wearing a tee shirt which says "Volunteer."
Photo by Rdne Stock Project at Pexels.

I was a socialist at age twenty. I went to law school because I wanted to help the poor and the oppressed. By the time that I was thirty I was a business lawyer. Stuff like that happens to people.

read more about doing more “There is More to Life than Hard Work”
Categories
The Practice of Law

There Seems to be Some Confusion – I Loved Practicing Law!

Older man smiling and giving thumbs up sign.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels.

This morning someone remarked that much of my writing about the legal profession  is a tad negative. She said, “you practiced law for a long time; you were good at what you did; you made enough money to retire and travel the world. Surely you must have liked something about being a lawyer, didn’t you?”

read more about the good and the bad about practicing law “There Seems to be Some Confusion – I Loved Practicing Law!”
Categories
Work/Life Balance

Of Boomers and Beemers

Hood of a BMW.
Photo by megapixelstock at Pexels.

“It just doesn’t matter.” 

Bill Murray in Meatballs

I am a Boomer who never owned a Beemer. The best that I ever did was a Honda Accord and I had to make my way through a Chevy Citation, Dodge Aries, and a couple of Pontiacs to get that far.

I had a few partners who owned Beemers.  They all said that they bought them because they liked how they drove, but we all knew the truth.  What they really liked was how they looked in them.  Successful and well-off.

read more about why lawyers really drive beemers “Of Boomers and Beemers”
Categories
Legal Tech

Musings of a Medium-Tech Lawyer about Cruise ships, Technology, and Mental Health

Musings of a Medium-Tech Lawyer about Cruise ships, Technology, and Mental Health
Categories
Work/Life Balance

Act Your Wage

Soldier sitting on tank outside of McDonald's, using cell phone.

Veronica is my Gen Z stepdaughter. She knows a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff and is not shy to educate me on just about everything.

Most recently Veronica taught me the expression ‘Act Your Wage’ and then explained to me what it means.

read more about acting your wage “Act Your Wage”
Categories
Work/Life Balance

That Don’t Impress Me Much!

Doctor sitting at her desk writing notes.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko:

I know a young doctor who I will call Stephanie, whose approach to her career impresses me quite a bit. She graduated at the top of her class, became a specialist, and had many choices open to her. 

read more about what impresses me about STephanie’s Career Choices “That Don’t Impress Me Much!”