Tips For Lawyers Podcast

Many young lawyers today go into the profession with no clear idea about what they can do to improve.  They rely entirely upon what I have decided to call the “hope” method. They Hope that: someone will assist them they’ll get better at their job over time their annual reviews will be positive and helpful […]

I just do not have the time.  Where do you find the time?  How could I do that? These and more like them come up pretty often once people learn that I have a young family, work full time, run 2.75 websites, have 2 youtube channels and a podcast. I also enjoy woodworking, gardening, reading […]

In the reality of legal practice, you will absolutely 100 percent guaranteed come to a period of extreme pressure. You know the times I mean. It is when the weight is bearing down on you from all directions.  You have a million things at work to do, a thousand priorities to juggle, your personal life […]

We have a lot of things to do as lawyers, but we are not always the best at managing what to do when. It takes a strategic approach to properly allocate our work, and sometimes that involves some tough decision making. In this podcast I explore the realities of time management for lawyers, and offer […]

Marketing and networking is absolutely essential for young lawyers who want to excel in their careers. However, it’s a bit of a large area – after all, what can you do as a young lawyer to expand your reach that doesn’t cost a fortune? Well, in this podcast I look at 5 absolutely essential strategies that […]

As part of my series on effective communication techniques. Keep your communications succinct Use the right mode of communication Strike the right tone Avoid repetition unless it’s helpful or necessary Know your client Resources related to this podcast on client communication techniques Client interviews and how to succeed with them Happy Lawering!As part of my series […]

There are some fundamentals that all lawyers need to embrace, and the starting point for all of them is a commitment to ongoing professional growth. That doesn’t mean you occasionally read a book on your holidays.  It doesn’t mean you bulk watch Suits on the weekend. It means that every day, you need to consistently […]

As lawyers, it is pretty much accepted that we are going to work long hours. But is that the only reality of legal practice? Is it necessary to work massive hours to get ahead in your legal career, or can you make a go of it while still making a conscious decision to avoid such […]

Patience is commonly extolled as a great virtue, and most of the time it is. However, as lawyers we are prone to deceiving ourselves – we say that we’re being patient, but in reality we are being something else. In this podcast I look at the question: when is patience not really a virtue? The […]

In the last two episodes I have looked at some fundamentals of persuasion, albeit perhaps in a way that’s different to what you might have thought. We have looked at how useful persuasion is in legal practice in episode 39, and then in episode 40 I considered some of the underlying issues that you need […]

In this second of my three part podcast series on persuasion for lawyers, I talk about the importance of the connection element when it comes to persuasion. Persuasion does not happen inside a vacuum.  Rather, it happens within the context of a relationship.  Whether or not you are aware of it, there is always an […]

Persuasion in the legal profession is unavoidable. You must be able to persuade someone of your point of view. But have you ever really delved into why you need to do that, and the opportunities to use persuasion within your legal practice? In the first episode on how to be persuasive I’ll be talking about […]

Integrity is an interesting discussion point for lawyers. Everyone, at some fundamental level, agrees with the concept that integrity is a necessary element for any lawyer in practice. But we seem to hone in on integrity as if it only exists within the “big” issues. Don’t steal from the client. Don’t break the law. Don’t […]

It’s a crucial question that all lawyers need to ask themselves, but many leave things a bit late – why is it that you do what you do? Is it money? Prestige? Power? Nerdishness? Desire to help? Problem solving? You’re not sure? Well let’s take a few minutes today to focus you on just that […]

Despite the increased tendency towards autonomy, many lawyers and law firms still rely heavily on support staff for leverage.  The result is that there is an entire team of individuals who perform crucial functions within a firm that the lawyers simply don’t get involve in. In particular, the relationship you have with your secretary/legal assistant/PA […]

Even as junior lawyers, the moment you have a single file under your control you start to concern yourself with one big issue – getting your bills paid. I have found that there are some people who manage to always get paid, and others who seem to have a constant problem with debtors. There are […]

The word “happy” can seem a little trite, but it can be a vital missing element to legal practice in the lives of many young lawyers. In a profession replete with stress and mental illness, having a few strategies on hand to keep you in a positive frame of mind can be extremely beneficial over […]

Today my message is this: there is no time like the present. Every day I see young lawyers putting off decisions, habits and lessons that they need to adopt earlier. I know this, because many of these I look back and wish that I had done years ago. Instead, I am now playing catch up. […]

There are many ways that young lawyers have been trained which are actually adverse to their overall chance for success. One way is their inability to embrace the possibilities that come with thinking like an entrepreneur. However, once you get over whatever stigma you have about the word, acting like a new business owner and […]

There is a natural tension in legal practice when you work for a law firm. When you develop relationships and build your brand, are you doing it for yourself? Or for your firm? Obviously your firm would like you to do it for them, but is that really the best way?  On the one hand, […]