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 […]
There Is Enough Work For Everybody
Photo by Tiana at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | June 23, 2024 Someone once told me that if your family is poor when you are 12 years old, then no matter how much financial success you have, you will always be fearful that you might lose it all. On the other hand, the theory goes that […]