We all need to communicate effectively to retain clients and grow our market share.   Knowing the law is not enough; we must be able to communicate clearly, empathetically, and appropriately.   I present below 13 tools to make your communications stronger. It’s All in the Delivery Clients need to know and understand the many…

Managers and partners time and again tell me about employees and associates who are super intelligent and yet, are not candidates for promotion.   What’s holding them back? In every case, it boils down to communication issues. These folks always know the right answer, but they don’t know how to properly communicate it in a…

Being a great manager of lawyers requires a lot more skill than legal knowledge and reasoning abilities.   Great leaders know how to motivate people to achieve goals over a sustained period.   This requires strong emotional intelligence skills as well as a keen understanding of each team member’s legal abilities and motivators.   I provide below some…

Unconscious bias prevents law firms, corporations and Government agencies from hiring the best talent and retaining that talent.  Bias against those that are not in the majority group generally is not intentional.  We are all biased no matter our race, gender, sexual orientation or other differentiators. Thoughtful legal managers develop a strategy to help recognize…

Being an effective law legal group leader whether in a corporation, a law firm, or the Government, requires specific skills.   Leading teams to accomplish goals under stressful circumstances requires these skills and a team commitment.  I provide below some of the essential traits that I learned from USPTO leaders and Directors. Is a legal…

Ethical conduct is required in all jobs and by all organizations.   It also applies to positions at all levels.   Anyone can disagree with a substantive business or legal decision, but make an ethical mistake and your company, firm or individual career could be in jeopardy.   This article discusses how you can use core values and…

Law school is expensive.   Depending on the school, the tuition costs alone can exceed $150,000, in addition to your debts from undergraduate studies.   High paying legal jobs are difficult to get right out of law school.   All of these factors caution against going to law school unless you have a good reason…

Giving a lawyer a critique of their work can be difficult.   Yet, you cannot improve lawyer performance or achieve quality work product goals without providing constructive feedback.   I provide below the 9 essential elements for giving constructive feedback. Give Positive and Negative Feedback Forget the old adage “no news is good news.”  …

Attorneys have stressful jobs and many turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication to relax.   Problem drinking is much higher for attorneys than the general public.   Attorneys with a drinking problem are more prone to malpractice complaints and ethical violations.   This article discusses why drinking by lawyers is a big concern…

Lawyers are constantly bombarded by challenges that naturally create fear and anxiety.   Many lawyers don’t recognize these fears and fail effectively to deal with them.  This causes lawyers to be unhappy and to provide poor quality service to their clients.  I identify many of these looming fears and present some practical tips for dealing…

Do you sometimes feel unsure of yourself when speaking to a client or making a presentation?   Anyone who answered no is not being honest.   We all feel insecure at certain times; that is human.   It is impossible to know everything or anticipate every possible question.  You can be more effective with clients and colleagues…

Do you feel fatigued by the long hours, demanding clients and little sleep?   At points in our careers, many lawyers feel like they don’t have a life and that their work defines them.   This is understandable given the demands of the job and the high fees clients pay for legal services.   Yet,…

Lawyers need emotional intelligence skills.   Emotional intelligence is the key differentiator between success and failure.    To obtain that critical advantage in securing new engagements or obtaining that corporate, association or government promotion, learn how to optimize your emotional intelligence skills. Do You Know Your Emotions and How They Affect Behavior and Relationships? Daniel…

In a coaching relationship, we work together to develop your core principles. That will help you become a more effective and centered decision-maker. One of the main benefits of Coaching is that it helps you align with your core values.

Lawyers often wonder how to enhance their marketability and in the process, generate more revenue. After all, success at a firm is about “revenue generation.” To be a successful lawyer, you need to have a brand.