Aba Journal: Asked And Answered

True etiquette is behaving in a way that makes people feel comfortable, it's not about stuffy rules. But as social norms change, some people have a hard time separating personal from professional behavior. Before your firm's holiday party, it may be time to check in on what is­—and is not—appropriate. In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams, director of professional development for Foley Lardner LLP, about common social faux pas lawyers make, and how best to avoid them.

Switching law firms doesn’t only cause partner anxiety, it’s hard on clients too. Lawyers need to really evaluate whether a move will best serve the people and businesses they represent. In this month’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Karen Kaplowitz, a former BigLaw rainmaker who now leads a business-development consulting firm. Much of her work centers on working with partners after a firm merger, and in this podcast, she shares tips about how they can best serve clients after a move or figure out ways to make a place for themselves at a new firm if their book of business is small. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Six-figure student loans can be a terrifying burden, and one of the top challenges for many law grads. But even if you’ve fallen in arrears, you still may have options to turn your financial situation around. In this month’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Adam Minsky, author of "Student Loan Debt 101." As an attorney with a practice devoted entirely to helping student loan borrowers, Minsky has had many clients who’ve felt hopeless about their financial futures. In this podcast, he shares tips and tricks for managing debt and regaining control of your personal finances.

The full scale of the damage from Hurricane Harvey may not be known for weeks or months. But even as the rain is still falling, lawyers in Texas and across the country are mobilizing to meet the legal needs of the people who have been impacted. In this special breaking-news edition of the ABA Journal’s Asked and Answered, Lee Rawles speaks with Saundra Brown of Lone Star Legal Aid, whose Houston office was destroyed Monday. Brown discusses what efforts are already underway, and what kind of legal issues people will be experiencing in the coming months. Rawles also speaks to Andrew VanSingel, the director of the Disaster Legal Services Program for the ABA Young Lawyers Division. VanSingel, who will be traveling to Houston in the next few days, shares the history of the disaster response program, and gives tips for lawyers who want to become involved in relief efforts. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Studies have shown that salary and compensation at firms can still be markedly higher for white males than attorneys with a different ethnicity or gender. But if you feel you aren't being paid commensurate with your colleagues and with the value you bring to your firm, how should you proceed? In this episode of Asked & Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward talks with Jeffrey Lowe of the legal talent management company Major, Lindsey & Africa. Lowe wrote the report on the agency's “2016 Partner Compensation Survey,” and offers insights gleaned from that survey's findings. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Diversity at law firms, especially at the higher levels of partnership continues to be a hot topic of discussion. But is that all that it is, a discussion item? To this day, fewer than 20 percent of equity partners are women and even fewer are lawyers of color. This has been the case for more than a decade even though there are now more women in law school than men. Molly McDonough, editor of the ABA Journal, spoke about this issue with Subha Barry, of Working Mother Media, Vivia Chen of the Careerist blog, Lynn Charytan and Jeff Smith of Comcast Cable, and law firm partner Hilary Preston of Vinson & Elkins. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Have you considered attending the 2017 ABA Annual Meeting in New York City this August? In this special episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles and Molly McDonough hear about what special events and venues await attendees from ABA President Linda Klein and the associate executive director of Meetings and Travel, Marty Balogh. From a CLE lecture given by IBM Watson to a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Lincoln Center, Klein and Balogh share how this year’s meeting will offer entirely new educational and networking opportunities.

In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Victor Li speaks with attorney and activist Paul Harris about his work stretching back to the 1960s. Harris, one of the radical “movement lawyers” featured in the cover story for the August issue of the ABA Journal, talks about his work defending high-profile clients like Huey Newton, Leonard McNeil and others. Harris also discusses the current political landscape and what today’s generation of aspiring movement lawyers can learn from their predecessors. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Even trained advocators don’t get everything they want at work. But what are some good strategies for knowing when to accept a manager’s decision, or continue to press for what you want? In this episode of the ABA Journal’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Dr. Artika Tyner, vice president for diversity and inclusion at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Tyner discusses how lawyers can advocate for themselves in the workplace, without getting in their own way. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Government entities at all levels often set aside a portion of work for minority and women-owned businesses, including law firms. But many people are unsure about how to land these contracts or receive certification. In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward gets tips for program participation from Emery Harlan. Harlan is a Milwaukee employment attorney and a cofounder of the National Association of Minority-Owned Law Firms. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

The 14th Amendment has been used to secure civil rights for a multitude of groups. But does it give children a constitutional right to literacy? Is it the government's responsibility to adequately fund schools, so students learn what they need to reach appropriate reading levels? In the Detroit public school system, it was recently found that only 7 percent of its 8th grade students were proficient in reading. So in 2016, a group of lawyers filed a federal civil rights claim against the city’s school system. In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward discusses the lawsuit with Carter Phillips, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

A handful of large law firms recently announced limited telecommuting plans for associates, which is a somewhat radical change for the profession.  Does this mean that for lawyers, office face-time may no longer be central to demonstrating you’re a valuable team member? In this month's episode of Asked and Answered, Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Sara Sutton Fell about lawyers working remotely. Fell is the CEO and founder of Remote, which helps companies hire, train and manage employees who work offsite, and Flexjobs, a career website focused on telecommuting, freelance work and part-time jobs. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

You want to expand your book of business with networking events, and think that planning one yourself might be the most rewarding. But how can you develop an event that lawyers will actually attend, doesn’t go way over budget and brings you some great new connections? In this month’s episode, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Alycia Sutor, managing director at the sales-effectiveness firm GrowthPlay, about hosting successful networking events for lawyers.

Many of us don’t think of ourselves as biased, and we don’t want to be prejudiced towards others. But we’re also reluctant to acknowledge the ways bias can creep in, according to academics who study implicit bias. In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Jeffrey Rachlinski, a Cornell Law School professor who has done various studies about implicit bias, including one that focused on trial judges. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

It's not terribly unusual for a law grad to need to take the bar exam more than once to pass. But the experience of failing the bar can be crushing to one's confidence–and concentration. After failing the bar exam, many students have a hard time studying for a retake. This is not necessarily because they can't do the work, but because anxiety and fear of failure get in the way, Jamie Kleppetsch of John Marshall Law School tells the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward in this month's Asked and Answered. Kleppetsch, who is president of the Association of Academic Support Educators as well as being an associate director of John Marshall's Academic Achievement Program, shares with listeners some tips for reapproaching the bar exam with a fresh mindset and more preparation. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

While negotiating for one’s client is second nature to most attorneys, many find it a lot harder to negotiate for themselves. How can you advocate for a better position without being seen as too aggressive or off-putting? In this month’s Asked and Answered podcast, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward talks to Kathleen Kelley Reardon about how attorneys can ask for what they want without jeopardizing good work relationships. Kathleen Kelley Reardon, a professor emerita at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, is the author of numerous books centered on workplace communications. Her work centers on persuasion, negotiation and women’s leadership. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

You landed someone you thought would be a great client, but now you’re finding out that the client isn’t great about paying the bill. What should you do?  In this month's Asked and Answered podcast, Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Bob Markoff, a Chicago lawyer who has done collections work for many years. Markoff, a past president of the National Creditors Bar Association, gives tips and advice on what you can do to recover the money you're owed. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Lawyers are in the suffering business, says bankruptcy lawyer and meditation instructor Jeena Cho. "Rarely do clients come to us with happy news." Taking on clients' tough problems can be source of a lot of stress for practitioners. Cho speaks with the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward about how practicing mindfulness--which at is heart, is about living in the present moment--can help lawyers quickly move on from daily stressors and setbacks. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Are you unhappy at work? Is it time to leave your job, or should you look for other options to improve your current work conditions? Trust your intuition, and don't beat yourself up with negative thoughts about workplace problems being all your fault, says Gayle Victor, a Chicago-area lawyer and social worker who counsels attorneys and their families. She spoke with the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward in this month's Asked and Answered podcast.  Gayle Victor is a lawyer who also has a master's degree in social work. She uses her unique perspective as a former attorney to provide counseling to attorneys and their families through CareForLawyers.com. Her practice is based in Chicago. Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney.

Business development doesn't come naturally to all lawyers. Some hesitate to take advantage of social opportunities out of fear of looking desperate or needy, but that's wrong-headed, says business development coach Larry Kohn. He speaks with the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward about ways that attorneys can promote themselves and their skills in ways that help both the lawyer and their potential clients.