Tips for Lawyers Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Hargreaves: Lawyer (attorney)
The Tips for Lawyers show is here to provide lawyers with the tools they need to thrive in legal practice.
It's to fill a gap in the training of law students, lawyers and attorneys: practical legal skills and training.
Lawyers and attorneys for a long time now have begun to ignore or avoid the skills and knowledge that are being utilised by businesses and entrepreneurs all over the world.
For some reason, we seem to think that we are special in legal practice, and avoid taking on board skills that could help us develop better relationships with clients, more valuable endeavours for our law firms, and better outcomes in terms of profit.
The Tips For Lawyers show will deal with topics that allow us to improve our communication skills, our marketing and business development (or rainmaking), our productivity as lawyers, time billing and recording, persuasion and advocacy, legal writing skills and drafting, and an abundance of other ways in which lawyers can be more personally productive, useful and beneficial to their firm and their client.
The show also deals with the struggles and issues that young lawyers face in getting through day to day practice.
Subscribe today - and see how you can genuinely love a legal career.
We all want to do the job properly and comprehensively, but at what point should you draw the line when it comes to chasing down the answer to every thought you have in a given task?
It's a common issue for young lawyers - it just seems like everything takes much longer than it "should". So how can we be working towards more efficiency in our practice?
In "legal writing" (whatever that means) should we be using contractions? Some seem to be firmly against, and others much more casual about it all.
Many young lawyers come out of law school with a lot of knowledge and
the ability to put together a sound legal opinion on a given topic.
But when it comes to communicating that to the client... it all goes to
hell in a handbasket.
During law school you developed some tactics, habits and strategies designed to work within the system and maximise your results. Some of them aren't going to translate well into legal practice. Listen to find out more!
Should you take advice from people who haven't themselves thrived in the legal profession?
I get it – bad things do happen in a legal career, and there are certainly some aspects that need “fixing”. But the truth is, even if we fix everything we can, a legal career is still going to be challenging at intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. So if you’re not up for that, or […]
And, more importantly, does it have to be that way? By applying a simple change in the way you perceive your decisions, you can start to ensure that you are working towards being a more valuable contributor to your firm every day. And, more importantly, does it have to be that way? By applying a […]
Audience, Purpose, Tone and Brevity – you’ve heard me say it before, and you probably will again. These are the key elements of excellent legal drafting. So how can we ensure that the purpose of our legal drafting is well defined, and that what we produce achieves that purpose? Let’s chat about that in this […]
Legal drafting isn’t just a way of throwing clever words on a page in a particular order. It’s about the right words, for the right situation, to achieve the desired purpose for the recipient. And a big part of that involves getting the right tone in your communication – if every piece of correspondence you […]
As lawyers we’re busy a lot, and some lawyers declare their busy-ness even when they’re not. But for young lawyers the first time they experience a period of relatively low workload can actually be a bit daunting. What should you be doing with that time if nobody has any work to give you? Do you […]
It’s 100% guaranteed to happen – you hit “that point” where you start wondering whether this is all that a legal career has to offer. The question is: what are you going to do with that feeling? It’s 100% guaranteed to happen – you hit “that point” where you start wondering whether this is all […]
Many young lawyers aspire to start their own firm. But beyond finances, business, marketing and legal knowledge there is one big question you need to tackle before you make the decision. Let’s talk about that. Many young lawyers aspire to start their own firm. But beyond finances, business, marketing and legal knowledge there is one […]
With all the advice, information and help available for young lawyers, it would be easy to try and suck up everything like an enormous sponge. I’m not totally convinced that’s a good idea. With all the advice, information and help available for young lawyers, it would be easy to try and suck up everything like […]
We need to be clear about something – we don’t work in a justice system, we work in a legal system. There are a few reasons I want to make that distinction… which you’ll find out in this episode.We need to be clear about something – we don’t work in a justice system, we work […]
Falling into a rut isn’t always a bad thing, unless you don’t know you’re in it. In this episode I talk about how you can decide if the rut is right for you, and some tips to help avoid a path leading to frustration and despair in your legal career.Falling into a rut isn’t always […]
With 30 days of legal skills in a row it would be easy to get overwhelmed by a massive “to do” list of things that you need to achieve instantly. But think back to where we started – that’s not how it works. In this last lesson for the series we talk about how to […]
Yes. Yes you can. But you probably want more details than that, right?Yes. Yes you can. But you probably want more details than that, right?
In this episode we’re going to have a chat about one of the things that clients hate the most – and yet, it’s one of the most common practises among lawyers. Mostly because we’re afraid of dealing with it.In this episode we’re going to have a chat about one of the things that clients hate […]
Much of what we do as lawyers involves managing expectations – both in terms of what assumptions are made, what’s communicated, and how we go about delivering on what’s been promised. And it’s not that easy. Much of what we do as lawyers involves managing expectations – both in terms of what assumptions are made, […]
While clients might be the point, we also need to ensure that the role of our clients stays in perspective. We serve, and we serve to the best of our abilities. But there are times when clients shouldn’t really be at the top of your list.While clients might be the point, we also need to […]
I don’t count people as “skills” but let’s face it – clients are really the whole point of this legal career you’ve chosen, right?I don’t count people as “skills” but let’s face it – clients are really the whole point of this legal career you’ve chosen, right?
It can be hard to think that you’ve had a good year, unless you actually take the time to jot down the ways you’ve improved and your successes over time. You might be surprised to see just how far you’ve come.It can be hard to think that you’ve had a good year, unless you actually […]
Even as a young lawyer there are some very simple strategies you can use to help the business along… and hopefully stand out as a real contributor in the meantime.Even as a young lawyer there are some very simple strategies you can use to help the business along… and hopefully stand out as a real […]
Once you know what the levers are, you need to know how they work together. Otherwise you end up spoiling your meal. Once you know what the levers are, you need to know how they work together. Otherwise you end up spoiling your meal.
We’ve already touched the surface of law firms making money, and now we’re going to look at the pieces. We’ve already touched the surface of law firms making money, and now we’re going to look at the pieces.
Even if you’re going to work a community services firm, you still need to understand the commercial impact of every decision you make. We’re going to skim the surface a bit of some core business concepts around how law firms actually make (or don’t) money. Even if you’re going to work a community services […]
This is where a lot of lawyers get confused. They feel like the only value they have to offer is with their legal skills, and they don’t want to use those outside the context of a client relationship. But there are a tonne of ways you can add value. You just need to turn your […]
We’ve gone to the trouble of figuring out who your clients are… and now we need to find them. No it’s not a trick – you literally need to hunt down the places where your clients hang out. Find out how in this episode.We’ve gone to the trouble of figuring out who your clients are… […]
Answer: probably anyway who will take you. But that’s not an ideal strategy to adopt when it comes to most forms of relationship building. So let’s take a moment and figure out who it is that we actually want to act for. Answer: probably anyway who will take you. But that’s not an ideal strategy […]
LinkedIn isn’t a marketing strategy. Nor is Twitter, nor are networking events. These things are tools that you use, but not strategies to achieve goals. Let’s talk about the difference between principles, strategies and and tools… and why you should care.LinkedIn isn’t a marketing strategy. Nor is Twitter, nor are networking events. These things are […]
If the word “marketing” sends shivers down your spine, then I understand. But perhaps it’s because you think of marketing as this big, bad thing that you have to do. Instead – what if you just changed your point of view about what it really means?If the word “marketing” sends shivers down your spine, then […]
There is a time for writing things, of course. But there’s a time when putting things in writing is inferior to just picking up the phone. Yes. Seriously. There is a time for writing things, of course. But there’s a time when putting things in writing is inferior to just picking up the phone. Yes. […]
If you want to write something, then consider this critical aspects is going to help you no matter what it is you’re trying to write.If you want to write something, then consider this critical aspects is going to help you no matter what it is you’re trying to write.
It would be easy to think that everything is about how we express ourselves. But sometimes the most powerful parts of communication are the aspects of listening.It would be easy to think that everything is about how we express ourselves. But sometimes the most powerful parts of communication are the aspects of listening.
Law school hasn’t done you any favours when it comes to writing properly. And while that might not be deliberate, it’s certainly tangible and it’s important to fix. Let’s get started on that right away.Law school hasn’t done you any favours when it comes to writing properly. And while that might not be deliberate, it’s […]
Of course, communication is communication – if you master it as a lawyer, then you’ll probably be good at it across the board. But because so much of our job hinges upon our ability to communicate well… it’s pretty important.Of course, communication is communication – if you master it as a lawyer, then you’ll probably […]
None of us like performance reviews very much. But at the very least we can hope to use them to best advantage.None of us like performance reviews very much. But at the very least we can hope to use them to best advantage.
These are some of the most important characteristics of a lawyer – productivity and focus. If you can’t get these nailed down, then many things will elude you. These are some of the most important characteristics of a lawyer – productivity and focus. If you can’t get these nailed down, then many things will elude […]
Then you need to embrace the fact that your awesomeness involves a series of little steps. Every. Single. Day. The ability to develop good habits can’t be underestimated – master it, and you master everything.Then you need to embrace the fact that your awesomeness involves a series of little steps. Every. Single. Day. The ability […]
There are three types of professional – losers, cruisers and dynamos… Which are you?There are three types of professional – losers, cruisers and dynamos… Which are you?
If we’re going to do a massive series on legal skills, then we can’t simply avoid the most basic skill: looking after yourself.If we’re going to do a massive series on legal skills, then we can’t simply avoid the most basic skill: looking after yourself.
You’ve gotta start somewhere, and this is the best place to do it – personal, professional, growth.You’ve gotta start somewhere, and this is the best place to do it – personal, professional, growth.
If pressed, I can lump pretty much anything into one of these four areas – and you can too! Focus on these basic foundations and you’ll be well placed moving into the future. If pressed, I can lump pretty much anything into one of these four areas – and you can too! Focus on these […]
If you’re going to commit to developing your legal skills, then you need to appreciate the best way to go about it. If you’re going to approach it like trying to deadlift 300Kg on your first attempt – you’re going to fail.If you’re going to commit to developing your legal skills, then you need to […]
It would be easy to convince ourselves that lawyers just need to know laws, statues and cases right? But it’s far from the truth. And, for most young lawyers, focusing on simply learning more law is probably a bad idea.It would be easy to convince ourselves that lawyers just need to know laws, statues and […]
If you’ve been around for long here, you know that it’s all about legal skills. Time to up the ante – we’re going for 30 skills in 30 days. Each day an actionable tip, hint or some homework to build your legal skills significantly across a month. Are you going to play along?If you’ve been […]
How do you view your opportunities for continuing legal education? As a necessary evil? Or as an amazing chance to do something better? Let’s chat about the attitude we have to learning, and how we might make the most of the chances we have.How do you view your opportunities for continuing legal education? As a […]
You’ve got a large job that’s made up of lots of different pieces. If you listened to the last episode then you know how to figure out what to do. The next question is: when do you do each thing? That’s what we’ll find out in this episode!You’ve got a large job that’s made up […]
If the task you’ve been given is more complicated than you’ve done before, or perhaps in a novel area, then it can get a bit overwhelming trying to come up with the right solution to the issue. However, much like building a house, larger tasks are almost always just made up of a series of […]
Yep, it’s happened again. I’ve written about it but nothing quite makes you feel as good as having a decent rant about a topic. So here’s the gist – the Prime Minister of Australia says that people shouldn’t study law unless they want to be a lawyer. The legal education institutions around the Country didn’t […]
No matter what you do, at some point in your legal career you’re likely going to have a boss. They might be fantastic. But they might not be. And if you’ve got a boss who has a few deficiencies (which, let’s be honest, all of us do) then the best thing you can do if […]
It wasn’t too long ago where someone wanting to learn would apprentice themselves to a master of the craft in question. But what about lawyers? How are you honing your craft, and have you considered how you will seek to attain mastery in your field? Let’s have a talk about the process of honing, a […]
You already know that law school hasn’t got you “practice ready”. But the next question you should be asking is: what do I need to focus on from day 1? In this episode we’re going to discuss the two biggest holes in law school education from a big picture perspective.You already know that law school […]
We keeping talking about it – and everyone just nods, smiles and says “yep – I want that some more”. GIVE ME MORE WORK/LIFE BALANCE! But what is it that you actually want? Tell me! (Yes – tell me what you want, what you really really want). Because work/life balance is a meaningless catch phrase. […]
Lawyers have a curious relationship with risk. On the one hand we are trained (and sometimes paid) to identify risk to our clients. But what’s the upshot of that advice? Should we be telling our clients which contracts to sign, what deals to do, or that the risk is unacceptable? And how does our approach […]
No productivity hacks today – just some solid advice on how to execute faster. If you want to get things done in record time you’ve got to have some kind of system that lets you do it. Not just random activity – but productive focus. Let’s get into it – and happy lawyering!No productivity hacks […]
Law school teaches you many useful things, but ultimately it takes place inside a fictitious vacuum. Specifically, it ignores the commercial aspects of legal practice and the human element of legal practice. If you’re going to thrive as a lawyer then you will need to understand, embrace and demonstrate that you hold people in high […]
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but lawyers have a bit of an obsession with sounding professional. We use words that other people don’t use. We develop arguments in a clinical and structured way. We have a form and style to our writing and speaking that other people simply don’t. The question of the day […]
You already know that focus is important, right? Me too. But so is flexibility if you’re going to manage to function in real life. How are you going to manage the tension between the two? Focus requires you to keep going on task A, but tasks B and C have started to become a problem […]
Talking about how artificial intelligence and robots are going to replace big parts of the legal profession is all the rage – so I thought I should have an opinion about it. In this podcast we’ll discuss: how technology is already replacing some lawyers; which lawyers need to worry most about robots disrupting their practice; […]
So many firms have failing mentoring programs for young lawyers. There’s a reason, and you can’t pin it entirely on the firms or the mentors – it’s often YOU who don’t know how to make the most of the mentoring relationship. Let’s stop that right now – and learn how to leverage this extremely valuable […]
Some people actually shouldn’t be lawyers. That’s not an indictment on them, nor on the profession – they just shouldn’t be here. The danger comes when people try to force themselves into something where they don’t belong. Don’t do it. Beyond that, we need to explore WHY people leave the profession – not just why […]
It’s not like your legal career is a static thing where you simply start, do stuff, then finish. It’s a vibrant living creature where your role from day to day is going to change, adjust and shift depending on how senior you are, your experience and your level of self-awareness. Let’s take a look today […]
If you’re not functioning as a person, then you’re not functioning as a lawyer either. In this episode we take a look at: why I don’t like the phrase “work/life balance” what we should be talking about instead the importance of self-awareness the categories of your life that need to matter how you can start […]
Ever wanted to know how you as a lawyer can develop a serious, effective, social media strategy to build your network and generate more work? Here’s how. In this episode, Mitch Jackson and I take you through a comprehensive look at the state of Social Media for lawyers, and how you as a lawyer can […]
How often do you plan out your day, only to find that within 5 minutes of arriving at work your “plan” has gone down the drain? If you’re like everyone else – it’s pretty common. But beyond that, you’ve also got to deal with the normal distractions that occur through the day, like: “could you […]
So many self-help books, articles, ideas and courses focus entirely on you. YOUR focus. YOUR productivity. YOUR outcomes. But that’s not how the real world works. Sure – you need to be productive. But ultimate productivity for lawyers comes from the team – the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. And that […]
If you are on the hunt for a job as a lawyer and are struggling, then I want to encourage you to do something: stop it. Stop looking for a legal job. And start doing something else instead. Find out why in this podcast. Happy Lawyering!If you are on the hunt for a job as […]
Most people understand that they want to get lots of connections and build their network – but they’re not really sure why. Take a look at your business card collection, or your pile of contacts, or your connection list on LinkedIn – do you really know what they are for? In this episode I outline: […]
Welcome to the world of legal practice! The fact is that you’re going to make a mistake. Maybe small, but probably over time it’s going to be big. What’s going to happen? What are you going to do? That’s the subject of this episode. Related Resources this podcast on video the article related to this […]
Letter writing is a critical component of legal practice, and a skill that you’re going to have to exercise every single day. But when the time comes to actually put pen to paper, a lot of lawyers find themselves struggling to produce a quality product in a reasonable time. These 5 strategies will help you […]
It’s a pretty obvious choice – are you spending time, or investing it? For many, the options don’t seem to exist. They think they have no time, no margin, no ability to make the choices that are going to change their lives. But they’re wrong. You just need to do two things. Other Versions of […]
Are you going all in on your legal career, or are you not invested? Here’s the truth – most lawyers don’t want to be in their jobs. That’s depressing and stupid. If you’re going to be a real lawyer with real passion – then you’ve got to stop playing, and go ALL IN. Other Version […]
If you listened to the last episode then you’ll know that things are changing – in particular, I’m adding in a video element to the podcast – which kind of makes it not a podcast anymore. Therefore – welcome to the Tips for Lawyers show! In this episode we’re going to explore why so many […]
If you’ve been paying attention then you might have noticed that HUGE things are happening in the life of me. That said – you’re probably not that interested in my life, but those changes are going to affect you – hopefully in a good way. In this episode I explore some of the things that […]
Today we explore the unspoken myth – that when firms talk about “work/life” balance in their advertising material, they don’t necessarily mean what you think they mean. In another extract from Moving Beyond Law School Theory, uncle Andrew has a few choice words to say about just what work/life balance really means, and what that […]
There’s an ongoing debate between universities, firms, training groups, lawyers and students. It’s connected with the virtues, or otherwise, of practical legal training. Are graduates as prepared as they should be for legal practice? Are law firms pulling their weight in the training department? Should articles of clerkship come back? This podcast episode will take […]
It can be a nerve wracking process, settling in to a new law firm as a brand new employee lawyer. However, there are a number of things you can do to help you settle in, get to know people, and ultimately solidify your position in the firm. In this episode we explore what you can […]
It’s one of the most common discussion points that comes up – are there simply too many law students, and not enough jobs? But in reality, that’s not the main issue. Most people don’t care how saturated the profession is as some fascinating intellectual discussion. Rather, they care about one question: how can they get […]
Real lawyers communicate. There’s no getting around it, you just have to be great. But it’s more than just speaking, writing, and getting your own opinions out there. Communication isn’t one way – it’s two-way. In reality you are a translator – you take information, consume it, and then put it out there for others […]
Some of the most obnoxious kinds of lawyers I know are those who simply refuse to acknowledge certain truths about themselves. But, far beyond just being annoying to others, a lack of self-awareness can be genuinely damaging to your legal career, your personal growth, and your ability to command a team of people. It impacts […]
It would be easy to suggest that lawyers have to be perfect in everything they do. After all, being perfect normally avoids you getting sued for negligence. But life is rarely as simplistic as that, and for many lawyers they are hamstrung in their endeavours by a pathological need to tinker with everything until it’s […]
In this first podcast of my new series “Real Lawyers” I take a look at integrity. It is number 1 on the list for a variety of reasons, but at its core it is because everything else flows from a sense of integrity. But what does integrity look like? Does it look like Hilary Clinton […]
It comes up quite a lot. Should young lawyers go beyond their Bachelor of Laws and expand into the heady world of a masters degree? Of course, there are (as always) a lot of factors to weigh up. So let’s take a look at this important question, before you go spending a bunch of time […]
Many young lawyers today go into the profession with no clear idea about what they can do to improve. They rely entirely upon what I have decided to call the “hope” method. They Hope that: someone will assist them they’ll get better at their job over time their annual reviews will be positive and helpful […]
I just do not have the time. Where do you find the time? How could I do that? These and more like them come up pretty often once people learn that I have a young family, work full time, run 2.75 websites, have 2 youtube channels and a podcast. I also enjoy woodworking, gardening, reading […]
In the reality of legal practice, you will absolutely 100 percent guaranteed come to a period of extreme pressure. You know the times I mean. It is when the weight is bearing down on you from all directions. You have a million things at work to do, a thousand priorities to juggle, your personal life […]
We have a lot of things to do as lawyers, but we are not always the best at managing what to do when. It takes a strategic approach to properly allocate our work, and sometimes that involves some tough decision making. In this podcast I explore the realities of time management for lawyers, and offer […]
Marketing and networking is absolutely essential for young lawyers who want to excel in their careers. However, it’s a bit of a large area – after all, what can you do as a young lawyer to expand your reach that doesn’t cost a fortune? Well, in this podcast I look at 5 absolutely essential strategies that […]
As part of my series on effective communication techniques. Keep your communications succinct Use the right mode of communication Strike the right tone Avoid repetition unless it’s helpful or necessary Know your client Resources related to this podcast on client communication techniques Client interviews and how to succeed with them Happy Lawering!As part of my series […]
There are some fundamentals that all lawyers need to embrace, and the starting point for all of them is a commitment to ongoing professional growth. That doesn’t mean you occasionally read a book on your holidays. It doesn’t mean you bulk watch Suits on the weekend. It means that every day, you need to consistently […]
As lawyers, it is pretty much accepted that we are going to work long hours. But is that the only reality of legal practice? Is it necessary to work massive hours to get ahead in your legal career, or can you make a go of it while still making a conscious decision to avoid such […]
Patience is commonly extolled as a great virtue, and most of the time it is. However, as lawyers we are prone to deceiving ourselves – we say that we’re being patient, but in reality we are being something else. In this podcast I look at the question: when is patience not really a virtue? The […]
In the last two episodes I have looked at some fundamentals of persuasion, albeit perhaps in a way that’s different to what you might have thought. We have looked at how useful persuasion is in legal practice in episode 39, and then in episode 40 I considered some of the underlying issues that you need […]
In this second of my three part podcast series on persuasion for lawyers, I talk about the importance of the connection element when it comes to persuasion. Persuasion does not happen inside a vacuum. Rather, it happens within the context of a relationship. Whether or not you are aware of it, there is always an […]
Persuasion in the legal profession is unavoidable. You must be able to persuade someone of your point of view. But have you ever really delved into why you need to do that, and the opportunities to use persuasion within your legal practice? In the first episode on how to be persuasive I’ll be talking about […]
Integrity is an interesting discussion point for lawyers. Everyone, at some fundamental level, agrees with the concept that integrity is a necessary element for any lawyer in practice. But we seem to hone in on integrity as if it only exists within the “big” issues. Don’t steal from the client. Don’t break the law. Don’t […]
It’s a crucial question that all lawyers need to ask themselves, but many leave things a bit late – why is it that you do what you do? Is it money? Prestige? Power? Nerdishness? Desire to help? Problem solving? You’re not sure? Well let’s take a few minutes today to focus you on just that […]
Despite the increased tendency towards autonomy, many lawyers and law firms still rely heavily on support staff for leverage. The result is that there is an entire team of individuals who perform crucial functions within a firm that the lawyers simply don’t get involve in. In particular, the relationship you have with your secretary/legal assistant/PA […]
Even as junior lawyers, the moment you have a single file under your control you start to concern yourself with one big issue – getting your bills paid. I have found that there are some people who manage to always get paid, and others who seem to have a constant problem with debtors. There are […]
The word “happy” can seem a little trite, but it can be a vital missing element to legal practice in the lives of many young lawyers. In a profession replete with stress and mental illness, having a few strategies on hand to keep you in a positive frame of mind can be extremely beneficial over […]
Today my message is this: there is no time like the present. Every day I see young lawyers putting off decisions, habits and lessons that they need to adopt earlier. I know this, because many of these I look back and wish that I had done years ago. Instead, I am now playing catch up. […]
There are many ways that young lawyers have been trained which are actually adverse to their overall chance for success. One way is their inability to embrace the possibilities that come with thinking like an entrepreneur. However, once you get over whatever stigma you have about the word, acting like a new business owner and […]
There is a natural tension in legal practice when you work for a law firm. When you develop relationships and build your brand, are you doing it for yourself? Or for your firm? Obviously your firm would like you to do it for them, but is that really the best way? On the one hand, […]
Playing to your strengths, or working on your weaknesses? That’s the question in today’s podcast. While I address it, I give you a little insight into my own strengths (at least, according to the test I just did) and a bit of information about why you need to do something similar, and how you need […]
Have you ever considered that you have been trained to specifically avoid engaging in any activity that looks to the future, rather than referring to the past? Well you have. In effect, the methods you have been taught in terms of finding the right legal answer, while suited to that task, are completely unsuited to […]
A Lawyers Weekly article contained quote after quote of management level lawyers saying, in effect, that it was too expensive and not worth their time to train lawyers. On they went to say, effectively, that young lawyers should be skilling up themselves if they were going to be employable. After hunting to make sure this […]
Giving a good presentation can be a burden, and many lawyers don’t have the training or inclination to do something that is memorable, educational and has a lasting impact. Sounds like an opportunity, doesn’t it? And you’d be right. Developing a great presentation takes a lot of effort, but is absolutely worth it. Microsoft PowerPoint […]
Lawyers write a lot of articles – it’s just a fact of life. As a result, it’s a little amazing to me that lawyers have basically no training (any many express no interest) in actually having their articles read. You know – the audience, right? They actually matter? Our job doesn’t end when we have […]
Are you a bird in search of a cage? Recently an article by Seth Godin really caught the attention of a number of Tips for Lawyers readers. I couldn’t help wonder why. Is it because that’s how you feel? Desiring to get out that door and spread your wings, but when faced with the opportunity […]
We’d all like to have it, wouldn’t we? That feeling of control, serenity, energy and positivity going in to each day. Of course, the usual advice is to eat well, don’t drink too much coffee, exercise sleep right, and leap out of bed full of beans. But that advice is for other people. It might […]
Some of the most frequently Googled things which lead people to this website are phrases like “I hate being a lawyer” and “Why do lawyers hate their jobs”. Does that disturb you? It sure disturbs me. It leads people to one of my articles about why lawyers hate their jobs, and so I wanted to drill […]
You know you’re supposed to build a network, but you’re not sure why, or how. As a young lawyer the process of building a network of relevant, meaningful industry contacts can be daunting. As a result, we let our fear and uncertainty get in the way, stopping us from working on it from the outset. […]
All lawyers have a personal brand, one way or another. But is it the one that they actually want to have? How do you want to be perceived? Clever? Arrogant? Funny? Silly? Engaging? Aloof? Perhaps you know you need a personal brand but you’re afraid of putting yourself out there? What are the risks? What […]
You’ve probably decided on some aspirations right? Set some bold targets? Well that’s not enough. You’ve got to set goals that are meaningful, optimistic, achievable but most of all you’ve got to drill down to things that you can actually do, not just an aspirational target that you probably won’t bother working on until you […]
One of the most common things I come across amongst lawyers is a perception that using social media for business development is a complete waste of time. It’s an interesting perspective, because all the same people are happy to waste a tonne of time on Facebook for personal reasons – they just haven’t figured out […]
What do you view as the essential elements of legal practice? Well in this podcast I discuss what I see as the four main pillars of legal practice, with a preview for you of the Essentials Library. The Essentials Library is a compilation of material that I’ve put together to take young lawyers through the […]
It’s the yearning of many young lawyer – to travel overseas, earn money, eat good food and generally explore the world while not going broke in the process. But as we start to convince ourselves that overseas travel is a good idea, a few little white lies begin to creep in. Sorting the truth from […]
One of the transitions that all young lawyers need to make after they start in the profession is to begin to understand their sense of worth. In today’s podcast episode I explore how young lawyers can begin to appreciate their worth through three major areas of legal practice. Attitude to Legal Practice First I take […]
Lawyers have an overarching problem. We’re all fundamentally defective when it comes to our own ability to progress our careers. The problem is fear of not being perfect. You see, our training requires us to be so averse to something going wrong, that we ultimately end up paranoid with fear about doing anything at all. […]
In the ever increasing job market that’s not too favourable to young lawyers, we’re seeing a never ending string of clones applying for jobs. Endless resumes full of identical grades, achievements and desires. False promises about dedication to the field. One trick ponies. People who just happen to have volunteered only in law, worked only […]
Closing off on our series about people who hate lawyers, in this podcast I talk about how I suggest reacting to the “anti lawyer” approach that some people have. Specifically, I talk about: What to do when Uncle Bob tells you at a family barbecue how much he hates lawyers; The Zorro Circle; Why people who […]
Lawyers have a special place in the community. At their highest, the legal professional is a trusted advisor, assisting their client in all aspects of their decision making in business. However, variously, lawyers are also the butt of jokes, the object of skepticism or hatred, and viewed as a necessarily evil. We can be told […]
Today’s podcast is an ode to my new Better Business Skills course. For my dedicated podcast listeners I’ve put the entire first day of the course into podcast format so you can hear what it’s all about, why you should consider it, and hopefully get a few tips and tricks here and there. IMPORTANT NOTE […]
In episode 10 of the Tips for Lawyers podcast I talk about “imposter syndrome” and how it might apply to lawyers. What is imposter syndrome? It’s that feeling you get when you are in a situation that’s beyond what you see as your capacity. It might be where you don’t have the capacity to deal […]
Legal Writing is not a very sexy topic. However, your legal career really hinges on your ability to communicate complex legal principles in a way that allows clients to understand it, and in a way that addresses their questions. So often we fill up our legal advices with unnecessary fluff, resulting in unhappy clients who […]
Your legal career is pretty important to you, and I understand that. So the question in today’s podcast is how you go about adding value to your legal career and advance your career prospects in the process. I raised one aspect (profit) briefly in this post recently, but here I cover a range of different […]
In my time as a lawyer I’ve yet to come across anyone who genuinely loves performance reviews. In reality, most people can’t stand performance reviews. From the moment they get their self-assessment form, until the time it’s over and everything has been submitted, performance reviews are a time of stress, angst and worry. Add to that […]
It’s essential for lawyers to develop their legalese properly. In this podcast I provide 8 pieces of wisdom to really get your legalese on the right path. Specifically in this podcast you will learn: Why clients need to appreciate how smart you are, and how using legalese can really help you in that respect Why your […]
Attending a function and trying to meet and network with new people for business doesn’t fill many new lawyers with joy. In this episode of the podcast I talk about some tips for working a room, including: Getting over your fears What to do with your mobile phone Finding out about the others in attendance […]
In this podcast I tell you what you need to know about law firm culture. Law Firms have been talking about their “great culture” now for a while, but I’m not totally convinced whether anyone actually knows what they mean when they are discussing it. Oh – they’ve got a “great culture” or “their culture […]
Show Notes Procrastination is to productivity as rust is to iron. It erodes, eats away, and ultimately destroys your ability to be productive. So I made a podcast about it. In this episode you will learn: Why I didn’t tell you how to find the show notes earlier; Some of the main causes of procrastination […]
Tips for Lawyers Podcast Episode 2 – Show Notes In episode 2 of the Tips for Lawyers podcast I talk about forming new habits. What does that mean? Well we deal with: Why I’m talking about changing habits in a podcast that’s supposed to be about lawyers; How people are made up of a bundle […]
Tips for Lawyers Podcast Episode 1 – Show Notes Finally. FINALLY!!!! Yes, I’ve been talking about it for a while, but this is the first Tips for Lawyers podcast. I hope you get something out of it – if you’re a long term reader, you might find you know a lot of the stuff in […]