That Whooshing Noise
By Murray Gottheil | October 10, 2024 Let’s talk about deadlines. Here are two quotes to get started: From Douglas Adams, we give you the light-hearted associate’s perspective: “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security, because the truth […]
Vacation Frustration
By Murray Gottheil | September 10, 2024 A junior associate at a law firm called me the other day to complain. There is nothing unusual about that. Associates complain a lot, often with good reason. Her complaint this time was that she had told H.R. that she needed to take a day off for personal reasonS and […]
Understanding Crazy
By Murray Gottheil | August 19, 2024 Photo by Cottonbro Studio at Pexels According to the fictional Professor Kingsfield in the movie The Paper Chase, law students “come in … (to law school) … with a skull full of mush and … leave thinking like a lawyer.” I have often wondered whether I would have been […]
When Mentoring Disappears
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels By Murray Gottheil | August 11, 2024 Many new lawyers start their own practices soon after graduation or join firms that offer little mentoring or training. I attribute this to a number of factors, including the law firm model falling into disfavour over issues of work/life balance and mental health, and prejudice […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Abusive firm leader disbarred for insulting juniors | Vancouver bar icon dies before facing laundering charges | Trending: return to office | UK Court of Appeal: ANNs not patentable | Arbitrator: Taking a diving course counts as “union business”
By Julius Melnitzer | July 24, 2024 TREAT JUNIOR COLLEAGUES WITH RESPECT – OR ELSE! Domenic Pisano, a lawyer with 23 years’ experience and a director of Domenic Levent Solicitors in London, has been disbarred by the UK’s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for “offensive, intimidating and insulting” behaviour towards junior colleagues. His sins included shouting at […]
The Business Development Question
Photo by Anna Shvets at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | July 23, 2024 I speak to a number of newly called lawyers looking to secure associate jobs. I tell these applicants that they should be ready to answer questions about business development. Here are my tips: And then there is the famous, “Do you have any questions […]
Being Brilliant is Over-Rated
Photo by Mart Production at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | Juily 22, 2024 Way back before the cell phone, we had a telephone in our reception area for clients to use. At the same time, my doctor had a sign in his reception area advising patients that the doctor’s phone was for his staff’s use and […]
Keep it Simple, Start With the Statute, Stupid
Photo by Caleb Owens at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | July 22, 2024 You may be familiar with the “KISS Principle” attributed to one Kelly Johnson, a renowned aeronautical engineer at Lockheed Martin. It turns out that “Keep It Simple, Stupid” applies whether you are designing aircraft or solving legal issues. There is nothing simpler than starting […]
You Need a Shrink
Photo by Cottonbro Studio at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | July 8, 2024 For years I delegated work to Mindy, who was very competent, productive, generous, and warm. But when I walked into Mindy’s office to ask her to do something, I never knew whether she would be her usual lovable self or would bite my […]
Aren’t Non-Equity Partners Really Just Glorified Associates?
By Murray Gottheil | July 6, 2024 With a nod to the danger of generalizing, I would have to say that as a group, I like non-equity partners (“NEPs”) just as much, if not better, than equity partners. They are often people who are primarily interested in practicing law and doing well by their clients, as […]