A cynical and successful business lawyer I know believes there are three universal questions within law firms: “Who’s boss?”, “How loyal are you?”, and “How long are you planning to stay with the firm?” Some might say that the mere act of considering these questions as paramount undercuts any real concern for colleagues. Still, from what I have seen, as a rainmaking and recruiting consultant, most firms include lawyers who work well together and like each other. However, when significant energy is spent on intra-firm power and money struggles the result is unhappy lawyers, or worse. Sometimes the power plays and money divisions are so intolerable to lawyers that they start to leave the firm. When enough people leave, it can start a dangerous downward spiral. Over the years, local and national law firms of varying sizes have been significantly harmed, and sometimes closed, over the issue of how authority and money is divided.
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Author Archives: K.C. Victor
Tattoo Removal
Holiday Choices
While I was still in law school and interviewing for a summer associate position, a mid-level associate with a large firm bragged to me that he had been delighted to cancel his July 4th plans with his wife and child during that holiday. His pride stemmed from being considered “crucial” to this client. Since I had no reason to suspect that this person did not care about his family, I reasoned that he was an ambitious lawyer and knew where his priorities lay.
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Thanksgiving – Sometimes You Pay It Forward
Thanksgiving starts the holiday season in which most of us remember, appreciate, and thank the people who have helped us throughout the past year. For lawyers, thinking about who shared or referred business is often easy to remember: the bills you sent are probably good reminders. Gifts may be appreciated, but are seldom crucial. Contact, however, is crucial. Thank your clients and referral sources. Any form of direct contact will do, but don’t forget. Pick up the phone or send an e-mail or note, making explicit reference to what the person did and your gratitude. Continue reading
Referrals Within Your Firm
From a logical perspective, you would think that your best referrals from other lawyers would come from within your own firm. However, in my experience, firms often leave internal referrals to chance and good will. Therefore, firms that do not organize for or teach the art of internal referrals have lots of “leakage”. Work is sent elsewhere, or is otherwise not captured. Fortunately, such leakage can be prevented. Firms can institutionalize activities that encourage cross-referrals among its lawyers. Continue reading
Referring and Collaborating, Part 2 – Getting Work
One hallmark of a contented and mature personal life is that you can help others without expecting a return. Few of us are consistently mature, but many lawyers do give referrals without strings to other lawyers. It is also true that lawyers’ maturity may not be tested much, because lawyers who help their fellows often get helped in return.
In the world of legal referrals and business collaboration, long-lived selfless giving is not expected. Business reciprocity is not about love, or even karma. It is about respect, helping each other’s (or shared) clients, and getting a job done well. You will not, and should not, be sent work for which you are ill-suited, and which you could not do well.
Three key ways to obtain referral work from other lawyers are 1. Having and maintaining technical legal skills and acumen, 2. Having a reputation for the same, as well as for good judgment, and 3. Being trustworthy regarding not stealing another lawyer’s clients. Continue reading
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