Download your copy here.
Attorney at Work contributor Ari Kaplan, principal of Ari Kaplan Advisors, has released an eBook based on key takeaways from dozens of thought leaders who have participated in his Virtual Lunch series. Available for download here, the 95-page eBook, “Eating Alone, Dining Together: A Year of Insights and Inspiration From the Virtual Lunch,” shares perspectives on remote work, entrepreneurship, virtual events, leadership, gratitude, wellness, the future of the legal profession, and many other topics.
Marking a Milestone Year
On March 16, 2020, at the start of the pandemic lockdown, Kaplan took to LinkedIn to invite his connections to an unscripted 30-minute Zoom call at noon ET, in an effort to create community and offer a forum for conversation to anyone feeling isolated at home. “The 30 minutes a day quickly became an hour, and that single week turned into months, which is now a year,” says Kaplan. “Each of the 260 virtual lunches was different and the discussion topics ranged from litigation and legal tech to lockdowns and the lipstick index.”
For hundreds of participants over the past year, the Virtual Lunch has become a source of rich insights featuring more than 50 elite guest speakers, such as Phyllis Harris, the general counsel of the American Red Cross, Patricia Lee Refo, the president of the American Bar Association, and David Lat, the founder of Above the Law, on a weekly basis.
The ebook marks a milestone year where, Kaplan says, “The Virtual Lunch is the silver lining. It is lemonade.”
“There were so many lessons I learned from our discussions and while there are no absolute answers, this eBook is an effort to capture the most powerful messages from the first year of the Virtual Lunch.”
Key insights in the ebook include:
- The need for leadership is greater now than it has ever been.
- Empathy is critical to getting and retaining clients.
- Every time our country has had a major crisis, lawyers have made a difference.
- Understanding the value of diverse viewpoints and seeking them out is critical.
- In the midst of negativity, learn to focus on the positive.
- We should all feel more empowered to make suggestions on how to improve the way our teams work.
- Transparency builds trust.
- Authenticity in storytelling is critical.
In addition, brief excerpts from guest interviews serve as guidance for post-pandemic norms, career opportunities, and the transformation of professional services.
The Virtual Lunch Continues …
It is hard to imagine ending the Virtual Lunch, says Kaplan. For the foreseeable future, the series will continue five days a week, although Kaplan notes the schedule and format may evolve. Currently, Fridays are set aside for interviews and conversations with special guests.
To join the virtual lunch series, Monday through Friday at noon ET, contact Ari Kaplan at Ari@AriKaplanAdvisors.com for the Zoom details.
Free for Attorney at Work Subscribers
Attorney at Work partnered with Ari Kaplan to design and produce the eBook and is offering it to Attorney at Work subscribers at no cost. Please complete this quick form to download your copy of “Eating Alone, Dining Together: A Year of Insights and Inspiration From the Virtual Lunch.”
