Professionalism

People expect a lawyer to be able to answer tough questions. But what if you don’t know the answer? I still remember my first day in torts class. Old man river, my respectable professor, called on me to analyze an opinion from some archaic ...

Find yourself feeling irritated? Frustrated? Downright grind-your-teeth angry? Maybe you skipped breakfast. And lunch. Maybe your spouse was nasty to you at dinner last night. Maybe you can't stand the way opposing counsel flagrantly ...

It was my worst nightmare as a young lawyer.

Black must be the most beloved wardrobe color ever. Just look around at your next large-ish attorney gathering and bear witness to the devotion to black. But beware: Wearing black can either be badass or blah. Here are some tips to ensure your ...

Loyal adherents to the professional dress code shudder at the arrival of warmer weather. Spring — especially that first 65-degree day — is the time when normally well-dressed lawyers are tempted to throw off their woolen suits and play hooky, at ...

What if you had completed all of the requirements to become an attorney admitted to practice law but, despite your best efforts to rectify the situation, were in the United States without a valid visa? That is exactly the question the Supreme ...

It’s a short list of skills that separate great performers from average performers. Confidence, also called personal presence, is one of those critical skills. Those who have it (or fake it well) usually succeed. Clients expect you to have ...

Mae West once claimed, “I speak two languages, Body and English.” Double entendre aside, she had a point. Fluency in both speaking and understanding body language can take you far — both in your law practice and your life (although maybe not ...

There's something interesting going on out on the West Coast of the United States. It's called the Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT), and you can thank the state of Washington for taking the first step in what could turn out to be a major ...

The degree to which individual lawyers fail to find professional life personally fulfilling can be a clear indicator of their level of risk of a malpractice claim or disciplinary complaint. So let’s go with that. Ask yourself these quick ...