I read the article from the Florida Bar's LOMAS team (linked at https://bassettlpm.homestead.com/Keys_to_Maintaining_a_Successful_Law_Practice.pdf) about running a successful law practice, and it highlighted a significant gap in legal education. Law schools excel at teaching case law, legal writing, etc., but they often need to prepare students for the practical aspects of running a law firm.
The article emphasizes that being a great lawyer extends far beyond legal brilliance. It requires skills in communication, delegation, and basic business management. These are crucial competencies that many attorneys lack, leading to stress and burnout.
One point that resonated with me was the concept of "paralysis by analysis." Lawyers are trained to spot every possible risk, which serves well in court but can hinder decision-making in a business context. Learning to balance caution with action is a vital skill for any practice.
The emphasis on client relations is also relevant. With online reviews and instant communication, word-of-mouth referrals are more crucial than ever. Yet many firms still treat client experience as an afterthought, potentially missing out on valuable repeat business.
While the article provides sound advice, some additional topics should be explored. For instance, there needs to be more discussion of the role of technology in law practices. While this was written well before the emergence of AI, examining how AI (perhaps for a future revision), or at least automation, is shaping the legal profession would be beneficial.
Additionally, the article touches on work-life balance but doesn't dive into the issue of mental health in the legal profession. Given the alarming rates of depression and substance abuse among lawyers, any discussion of "success" should address this concern.
Despite these omissions, the article is a valuable reality check. It reminds us that success in law isn't solely about billable hours or winning cases – it's about building a sustainable practice that doesn't compromise personal well-being.
While Stetson does a decent job at this, law schools should consider incorporating more practical business and management training into their curricula. This would better prepare new lawyers for the realities of practice and lead to more successful, satisfied legal professionals.
My old boss had a saying that is so simple but has stuck with me concerning "analysis paralysis" and that is this: "You don't have to be right, you just have to be sure". What he meant was that law is not binary and we deal in the land of the gray and at the end of the day you just need to be sure you can defend your position.
ReplyDeleteThe other phrase I got from my old paralegal mentor was this: "You made a mistake? Good, that means you're doing something." We often times get stuck for fear of making a mistake and certainly no one likes making mistakes but if you know you did all you could do to protect your client's interests and a mistake was made (1) own up to it (2) correct it and (3) learn from it. Fortunately and unfortunately some of the greatest lessons I've learned are from mistakes. The mistakes don't define you, it's what you do after you make the mistake that does and how you use that information for the future.
Another way to look at owning up to your mistakes is the old saying about "eating crow." The quote is "If you have to eat crow, eat it while it's young and tender" by Thomas Jefferson. The longer you wait to admit mistakes and take corrective action, the worse it will be for you.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a gap. There is very little to no discussion of actually BEING an attorney in law school. It is fantic that a class like this exists, but it is unfortunate that we are not taught about what it is like to work in specific fields along with our courses. I think students would be a lot more out of learning, for example, about personal injury law and insurance defense, or med mal, etc. in their torts class, rather than getting a job in the field, only to know exactly what type of law it entails.
ReplyDeleteAs for learning how to run your own practice, or even start it, there is none of that training available in the basic classes. It is an afterthought, unfortunately.
Jennifer, you are so right about the analysis paralysis. It's a great quote from your mentor. I am as guilty as anyone for sitting on my hands simply to avoid a mistake. Funny thing is, procrastination over perfectionism just results in more panic in the long-run!