Posts Tagged: "Advice for Attorneys"

How Law Firm Partners Can Gain Associates’ Commitment and Respect

In their supervisory role, partners typically set the tone for, and dictate the parameters of, their interactions with associates. A first partner may approach the partner-associate relationship as one of mutuality. A second similarly situated partner may premise the relationship substantially on advancing his or her own self-interest. Not surprisingly, associates tend to prefer working for the first partner if given the choice.

13 Tools to Make Your Client Communications Stronger

We must communicate effectively to be helpful. If the client isn’t listening because our delivery is ineffective or off-putting, it doesn’t matter that our legal opinion was brilliant because they will not be listening. Every interaction counts. Here are 13 tips to improve client communications.

Emotional Intelligence: Are You Too Smart?

When I give talks on emotional intelligence, I usually get the following question: “I have an employee who is brilliant, but I just can’t promote her.” When I ask why, I get a response that goes something like this: “She offends either management or her colleagues by blurting out the answer or stating the answer in a way that others in the room feel put down. The universal concern is that the employee or associate is not aware of this behavior and how it affects others. She often has been promoted in the past because of her intelligence. Yet, that intelligence alone is not enough to go higher up the corporate ladder or make partner.

7 Ways Unconscious Bias Inhibits Legal Diversity & Inclusion

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 the existence and minimize the effects of unconscious bias.   This requires acknowledging that it exists and then developing procedures to help minimize its effect.   The result is not only a more diverse and inclusive workforce, but one that is more productive and innovative.

Seven New Year’s Resolutions for IP Strategists

Every year around this time, many pause to reflect on the past and present and chart a course for self-improvement. For aspiring or accomplished intellectual property (IP) strategists, the new year offers us a clean slate to bid farewell to bad IP habits and adopt sounder approaches to benefit the enterprises we represent, the teams in which we work, and our own careers. To that end, consider these seven resolutions.