Law Firm People Management

Lawyers are good at many things, most of them associated with legal knowledge and analysis. We’re less good at many other things, most of them having to do with business and management. One of the things we’re least good at, I believe, is ...

One way us old guys comfort ourselves about aging is by proving our continuing usefulness to the firm through mentoring new lawyers. While we may think that pearls of wisdom just drip from our lips, I wonder: Do we really have anything useful to ...

I just hired a great new employee using LinkedIn Jobs. It turned out to be an incredibly easy and effective way to identify good candidates and fill the position with a minimum of effort. Deciding between candidates was the only tough part of ...

Some years back, I worked in an office where the boss was obsessive about how callers were greeted on the phone. Then a new receptionist was hired who just could not get the phrasing to his liking—no matter how hard she tried or how many ...

“I told him right to his face what the deal was. And you know what? That lying scumbag now claims I told him something else! I’m gonna nail him, his client and his client’s mother, if that’s what it takes to teach him not to lie to me!” ...

Law offices tend to be set up quite traditionally. Plenty of lawyers are still users of fax machines and their offices usually contain ancient beasts known as stenographs. It is no surprise that lawyers tend to hire traditionally as well. But ...

The stories are legion. Lawyers apply for posted positions, sweating every detail of their resume and cover letter, and never hear back from the firm. Even worse, candidates make it through the screening process, interview with firm lawyers, ...

It is easy for lawyers to slip into conflict with office staff, colleagues or service providers because most of us have never learned how to craft the kind of agreement that isn't about winning, but creates a meeting of mind and heart. The best ...

When you make a bad hiring decision, it is usually because you don't really know what you are looking for. So, what can you do to make sure the interview accurately reflects the nature of job and reveals the candidate’s suitability?

It’s Friday! If you’re anything like us, you have a long list of must-do’s and want-to-do’s for the coming weekend. Before you ease on out the office door and start checking things off that list, take a peek at this ...