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On this podcast, we talk a lot about relationship building.  Doing great work should always be your number one priority as a lawyer.  But successful careers are not built on merit alone.  The people in your network are critical.  Whether you are thinking about an in-house move or growing your law practice, relationships matter….a lot.  In this episode, I speak with someone who is a master at relationship building.  Ben Sigel is a lawyer who has been a litigator at several mid-sized and large firms, Director of Client and Community Relations for an AmLaw 100 firm, a Candidate for the United States Congress in my district, and President of the New England Chapter of the Hispanic National Bar Association.  He is someone who actively works to build communities and a natural connector. He is also someone with deep roots in both the LatinX and Jewish Communities. About a year ago, I began working on a diversity initiative with ProVisors, a great business networking group that I belong to. I talk about ProVisors a lot on this show (and to anyone who will listen). When I was thinking that I wanted to build deeper ties in the Hispanic legal community, everyone said Ben is someone I should meet. And so we had coffee in the lobby of his office building and he taught me something very important.  If you want to build connections in a new community, you need to show up. Since that time, I’ve seen Ben show up over and over and over again.  He cares deeply about building bridges and he embraces both his LatinX and Jewish heritages.  Ben and I will be talk about his philosophy about bringing together constituencies and what it was like to run a congressional campaign during a pandemic. .

The New Year is finally here and without getting into it, let’s just say that many of us are happy to welcome 2021.  A new year brings hope, a chance for a new beginning, and if you are in private practice, a great opportunity to ramp up your marketing and business development. So today, that is what we will be focusing on: how to grow your practice in 2021, and what it is like to work with a business coach to achieve that goal. For this episode, I have invited Alay Yajnik, award-winning business coach and founder of Law Firm Success Group. Alay's firm helps law firms owners across the country make more money, get better clients, and take more vacations. He hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, and we met through our business networking group ProVisors. I’ve already appeared as a guest on his podcast  the Lawyer Business Advantage.  Additional Resources Can Hiring a Coach Enhance Your Practice and Your Life? How Coaching Can Help Attorneys Increase Career Satisfaction-Stephen Seckler on the Legal Toolkit  Coaching to the Next Level-My Guest Appearance on the “Be That Lawyer” Podcast 

For the last 10 months, most interviewing has gone on-line.  Zoom interviews are the norm right now and new hires are even being on-boarded virtually.  While the world will eventually shift back to in-person interviews, Zoom, WebEx and other virtual platforms are likely to continue to play a significant role in the hiring process.  The convenience of bringing together parties who are in different locations and have different schedules, it high.  As we enter 2021, I decided to that updating my interviewing tips was long overdue.  In this episode, I share with you the latest tips for on-line interviewing.  Click here to read my more comprehensive interviewing guide which covers both live and virtual interviews. I also invite you to listen to a conversation with my former colleague Amy Levine.  Her advice on interviewing is pre-COVID; but her tips remain very relevant (Nailing the Job Interview).  And as always, I welcome your emails and phone calls if you would like to discuss.

It has been a hard year for most of us.  But we have a lot to be thankful for as well.  In this special edition of Counsel to Counsel, here is my list of things to be thankful for.  What's your list?  Practicing gratitude is one way to provide solace to ourselves.

Many lawyers choose public service early in their careers.  In a public agency, attorneys may find that they are getting more responsibility than they might get at the same stage in private practice.  Assistant district attorneys, for example, find themselves trying cases almost from day one.  Lawyers working for agencies that regulate industry may be given a lot more responsibility for crafting policy than they might otherwise be exposed to as an associate at a law firm. But salaries in the public sector generally lag far behind salaries in private practice and for many lawyers, the career path often runs from government into the private sector. In truth, there are many opportunities for lawyers who are further along in their careers to move in the other direction.  At the highest levels of government, politicians often turn to the most successful attorneys in private practice to head agencies or craft policy later in their career.  For these senior lawyers, it is a win-win.  It is a chance to give back and find another burst of career satisfaction at a time in life when the economics are less important. My guest in this episode, Rich Johnston, did just that in 2015.  After a long and successful career as a litigator at Wilmer Hale (a firm that was Hale and Dorr for most of his professional life), Rich was brought on by Maura Healey, the Attorney General of Massachusetts, to be her Chief Legal Counsel. In this episode, I speak with Rich about his path to the Attorney General’s Office, what he loves about public service, and advice he has for lawyers thinking about making a move like this after a lengthy law firm career. Related Episodes Episode 22-From Litigation to Public Service to Government Affairs with Former U.S. Senator Mo Cowan Episode 35-A Career in Electoral Politics-A Conversation with Senator Becca Rausch Episode 14-From Biglaw to Government to In-house

Many lawyers who start out in private practice don’t expect to stay in a law firm setting.  Sometimes the move in-house is planned.  At other times, moving in-house becomes a more realistic option when partnership doesn’t seem likely. And after moving in-house, things can also change quickly. My guest in this episode, Bill Gabovitch, has a lot to say on the subject of adapting to change.  Bill began his career in private practice, experienced a layoff, ended up in-house and found his role in-house changing rapidly one day. Today he is General Counsel of Primark US but he previously worked in-house at Staples and for three major firms in Boston. Bill is someone I always run into at non-profit events.  He is one of the most civically engaged lawyers I know and someone who has a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion.  Bill and I discuss his career path, how he has pivoted several times in his career and the role that his non-profit work has played in helping him to find more career satisfaction.

Lateral partner movement is alive and well in the practice of law.  While partners and practice groups were changing firms with increasing frequency in the past decade, the pandemic has not really slowed down the process. There are many reasons why law firm partners seek out greener pastures. In this episode, my guest Susan Mendelsohn, talks about some of those reasons.  But what makes a lateral move a success?  Why do some partners make a lateral move and stay for years while others quickly discover that another lateral move may be in the offing. Susan Mendelsohn has a lot to say on the subject. Susan Mendelsohn has been recruiting in the legal space for over 20 years. While she is based in Chicago, she serves clients throughout the United States and not only does recruiting, but like me, Susan also spends a portion of her time on coaching. Other Resources Episode 12-The Lateral Partner 20 Questions For Law Firm Partners

Many attorneys I speak with think about transitioning to an in-house role at some point in their career.  For some lawyers, the path to in-house is planned and deliberate.  But for many lawyers, in-house opportunities arise through serendipity.  That is what happened to my guest in this episode. Jonathan Moll, had a long and successful career in private practice.  But by developing an expertise in education, a great in-house opportunity arose with one of his clients and he seized the moment. Jonathan and I  talk about what drew him to education and how early on, he developed an early niche in crisis management.  He also talks about taking advantage of the opportunities that come your way and what he is doing now in the latest stage in his career. Jonathan is someone who has always been very generous to me with his time.  He has always been willing to be a sounding board and I’ve benefited a lot from his career wisdom.  He currently serves a General Counsel to Arx Urban, a real estate development company run by his two sons.

In this episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, I am joined by a talented communications expert, Charlotte Dietz, Founder of Speak Well Partners. Charlotte is a communications and public speaking coach and business story strategist.  She shares some great insights into how we can all do a better job communicating in a virtual environment. Since March, most of us have been getting a crash course in how to use Zoom (or other virtual platforms). In some ways, Zoom is really just another phone call and most lawyers are very accustomed to speaking on conference calls. But Zoom has its own nuances and as many of us are learning, there are pluses and minuses of being able to connect visually from a distance. In the early days (we back at the start of the pandemic), many people were experimenting with virtual backgrounds, learning to unmute themselves (and at appropriate times, shutting off the video camera.) Some of us have tried to improve the optics through better lighting and even through better equipment.  But the main issue that many of us are grappling with his is how to make a real connection with other professionals when we are not in the room with them.  This is true when we are one-on-one, and it is even more true when we are in a group or even delivering a presentation.  These issues are challenging when we are in person.  But in a virtual world, it is that much harder to be “heard”! Charlotte has some great tips to help us communicate more effectively on Zoom or other virtual platforms. Additional Resources If You Don’t Like Sports, Try Becoming a Sports Fan Fan Be Interested; Be Interesting Getting the Most from Networking Meetings and Troikas [podcast] Zoom is a Great Tool for Relationship Building—But Use it “Right”

In this episode I speak with Dave Dykeman, a Co-Managing Partner of the Boston office of Greenberg Traurig.  Dave and I met almost 20 years ago, not long after he moved to Boston and since that time I’ve watched his career take off as he has successfully built an IP practice in the life sciences.  Whenever I coach lawyers on marketing and business development, my starting point is getting my clients to define their ideal client.  While this doesn’t always include what industries they serve, having an industry focus is a good way to differentiate yourself. In a crowded marketplace for legal services, it is critical to define your niche and find ways to make yourself memorable.  While work ultimately comes from the relationships you build with clients, potential clients and referral sources, “choosing your lane” is the best starting point. My guest, Dave Dykeman, is someone who has not only clearly defined himself as a lawyer, but over the last two decades, he has done an outstanding job of building relationships that have been critical to his success.   In this episode, we’ll be discussing how Dave built that reputation, grew his practice, and what it has been like to move into a management role at an AmLaw100 firm.  He talks about coming to Boston, a city where he didn't know anyone. David Dykeman, serves as Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's Boston office and co-chairs the firm's global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group.  He is a registered patent attorney with more than 23 years of experience in patent and intellectual property law. David's practice focuses on securing worldwide intellectual property protection and related business strategy for high tech clients, with particular experience in life sciences, medical devices, robotics, materials, and information technology. David provides strategic patent portfolio development and intellectual property advice for clients including major research institutions, multinational corporations, and start-up companies. He also performs patent due diligence to assess patent portfolios for venture capital investment, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing opportunities. He is a prolific writer and speaker on intellectual property law.  He is also someone who has held numerous leadership roles in bar associations, industry groups, and philanthropic organizations. David is the founding co-chair of the ABA’s Medical Devices Committee. He was honored as one of Boston's "40 Under 40" innovative business leaders by the Boston Business Journal and was named to the "40 Medtech Innovators Under 40" list by Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry (MD+DI) Magazine. David has also been named one of the top 250 Patent and Technology Licensing Practitioners in the world by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Magazine, an "IP Star" by Managing IP magazine, a "Life Science Star" by LMG Life Sciences, one of the World's Leading IP Strategists in the IAM 300, and listed in Chambers as an IP practitioner. Additional Resources Episode 39-An In-house Career in the Life Sciences 47 Inexpensive ways to Build Business Relationships Episode 18-Starting Business Conversations at Networking Functions and Beyond Defining Your Target is the First Step in Effective Marketing

In this episode, I speak with Steve Fretzin, a premier business coach, trainer, and speaker on business development.  Steve focuses on the legal industry but comes with experience in other industries as well.  Steve and I discuss the importance of networking in building a professional services practice, how you can get more out of your networking meetings, and how to do this in a time of social distancing. The ability to generate work has never been more important for lawyers and other professionals. We are in a recession right now and adapting to the demands of the marketplace is critical.  But knowing what services your clients want is only a starting point.  A good business plan requires a healthy mix of marketing (or reputation building activities) and business development (or relationship building activities).  For lawyers and other professionals, it is the second leg, the relationship building, that is more challenging to master. Attorneys come out of law school knowing something about a broad cross section of legal subjects.  Law school graduates enter the workforce knowing how and do legal research and write briefs.  While clinics and internships help aspiring lawyers to start learning how to do deals, litigate cases, or counsel clients, most lawyers enter practice with limited knowledge of how to build and manage a law practice.   In particular, as lawyers begin their careers, they often know little about building business relationships. On this podcast, we’ve talked many times about the tremendous importance of relationship building whether to set the stage for a future job move or whether it is to generate clients and cultivate referral sources.  In this episode, we focus on the networking meeting and its close cousin, the troika which is a networking format that Steve and I participate in through our business networking group ProVisors. Steve Fretzin has been coaching and training professionals on business growth for over 20 years. His focus for the past 13 has been working with lawyers to dramatically grow their law practices. In addition to being a regular contributor for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Steve has written three books on legal growth. His most recent endeavor is his podcast show BE THAT LAWYER, where he interviews rainmakers, marketing gurus and legal industry insiders to provide tips and insights for his attorney audience.  He lives in Chicago. Other Networking Resources Is Your Networking Working Ways to Leverage Your Network 8 Do’s and Don’ts of Dating—and Networking Etiquette 11 Ways to Reciprocate in Networking Starting Business Conversations at Networking Functions and Beyond Be Interested; Be Interesting Overcoming Fear of Networking Using Affinity to Build Business Relationships-a Podcast w/Stephen Seckler Documenting Your Networking 47 Inexpensive ways to Build Business Relationships Building Business Relationships 101-Where to Begin Generating Leads Making Selling Easier for Lawyers-Transcript from Legal Toolkit Podcast

In this episode, I speak with Lisa Cukier, a partner at the law firm Burns and Levinson in Boston.  Lisa practices in a number of related areas.  We talk about how she has built what she calls a concierge practice.  We also discuss what it has been like to serve on the executive committee of her firm, and how she has modified her own marketing and business development in a time of social distancing. Whenever I am thinking about guests to invite on this podcast, I look for lawyers and other professionals who are good role models.  Law is a competitive and stressful business.  If you want to maintain and build your career satisfaction in a law firm, it is important to keep evolving your practice and get involved in non-practice activities that give you fulfillment. Lisa Cukier, is someone who has done that on many levels. She has developed an aggressively creative and emotionally intelligent approach to managing family conflict and mental health law issues.  She has also increased her own enjoyment in the practice of law by getting involved in law firm management.  And she is someone who gets energized from building relationships with her referral sources. Lisa Cukier is a Partner and Executive Committee member at Burns and Levinson, a firm of about 125 lawyers. She concentrates her practice on all aspects of estate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, probate law, child custody, parentage issues and divorce.  She also works on guardianship and conservatorship matters,  elder financial exploitation, matters and serves as concierge trustee for many clients who feel protected by her approach to problem resolution.  Her work includes representation of blended families. Lisa is a frequent speaker and author on the topics of trust and estate litigation, estate planning, and family law, including undue influence and financial exploitation of elders. She was named to the 2019 "Top Women of Law" list by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and named a National Law Journal - Divorce, Trusts & Estates Trailblazer in 2017. Lisa is considered one of the most tactical, passionate and aggressively creative attorneys in her field. She is the attorney that other attorneys refer their complicated and multi-issue laden or "unresolvable" cases. Cukier serves as trustee and fiduciary for her clients upon request, orchestrating high-touch concierge level service to her clients who wish to have her personal oversight of their multiple life affairs. Attorneys refer their clients to her to serve as a private adjudicator for creative resolution of challenging custody and guardianship disputes.

Law is a conservative profession.  In law school we read the great appellate decisions and learned about the tremendous importance of precedent in our legal system.  In truth, the law is always evolving and adapting to changing societal attitudes and new developments in business, the sciences and technology.  New statutes and regulations are always being adopted to address new legal concerns and even case law evolves. If you want to remain relevant in the profession, it is important to keep reinventing yourself.  The current pandemic and accompanying financial upheaval underscores this.  In the past two months, for example, every business and employment lawyer has needed to become an expert on the CARES act.  In the past 2 years, every corporation that collects any personal data has had to learn how to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act, GDPR in Europe and similar state privacy statutes. The digitization of our economy has had a particularly strong impact on our legal system.  It has never been easier to create, store and copy massive amounts of data.  This has had great implications for privacy, the protection of intellectual property rights and the tension between IP protection and creating strong incentives for innovation.  Lawyers will continue to play a key role in shaping and interpreting the competing legal interests of law enforcement, private citizens, businesses and artists.  So where are the career opportunities in the midst of all of this disruption? In this episode, my guest, Professor Jessica Silbey, answers that question.  Professor Silbey is Director of the Center for Law, Innovation and Creativity at Northeastern University School of Law (also known as CLIC).  She is a leading scholar and nationally recognized expert on intellectual property and the use of film to communicate about law.  Professor Silbey is the author of several books on intellectual property, creativity and invention. She studies the role that intellectual property plays to sustain and frustrate creative and innovative communities. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, and a Guggenheim fellow. CLIC combines the study of innovation and creativity with Northeastern University School of Law's social justice mission. The faculty teach courses on information security, privacy regulation, entertainment and media law, intellectual property, Internet and e-commerce, lawyering and entrepreneurship, and creative communities.

The need for pro bono legal services for the poor has never been greater. Prior to the pandemic, legal services agencies were only able to meet a portion of the need. For example, due to lack of funding, legal aid programs in Massachusetts were forced to turn away 57 percent of residents who sought help last year. With the coming recession and millions of families in this country facing food and housing insecurity, this gap will surely widen. Pro bono lawyering will be needed to meet the great demand and fill the gap. In this episode, I am very pleased to welcome Sue Finegan who is a nationally recognized leader in pro bono representation. When I first spoke to Sue a year ago about being on the show, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about how pro bono can help build your legal skills and increase your career satisfaction. Today I feel it is a moral imperative to encourage practicing lawyers to do their part in proving pro bono legal services.  I invited Sue to talk about the benefits of doing pro bono work and where she thinks the needs will be in the coming year.  We also discuss how she has carved out her own unique career path and found great satisfaction in doing well by doing good. I’m thrilled to talk to someone who has dedicated her career to the cause. Sue is a Member of the law firm Mintz Levin, an AmLaw 100 firm based in Boston.  She is a nationally recognized pro bono pioneer with exceptional advocacy skills and a passion for helping underserved populations. As chair of Mintz’s Pro Bono Committee, she leads groundbreaking cases and manages pro bono matters for the firm. She helped to defeat President Trump’s first immigration travel ban in early 2017, engineer the passage of a Massachusetts restraining order law for sexual assault survivors, and create several innovative statewide model pro bono programs in Massachusetts. Sue was appointed the firm’s first Pro Bono Partner in 2007and manages the firm’s pro bono efforts, consisting of over 300 varied cases annually.  She also advises firm clients on developing and sustaining pro bono programs within their in-house legal departments. As member and current co-chair of the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission for several years, Sue has been a tireless and innovative advocate for low income people in Massachusetts and beyond. Additional Resources MassProBono is a good starting place in Massachusetts The ABA is compiling a list of students interested in providing pro bono assistance. The registration form can be found here. This directory of non-profits seeking pro bono assistance PSJD, https://www.psjd.org (designed for students seeking public interest career opportunities, but is a great way to learn about different legal services agencies and can be searched by city, state) Pro Bono Net, https://www.probono.net/network/volunteer (offers easy ways to search by region and issue area to allow students to hone in on organizations they want to pursue, and may have specific opportunities for law students posted as well).

All professional athletes eventually face the same challenge: when to retire and what to do after retirement. For the most part, an athlete’s career is limited in time because of the physical demands of job. Lawyers on the other hand do not face these constraints. There are many lawyers who practice well into their 70’s or 80’s and some who never choose to retire.  But for many law firms and for many law firm partners, this is not an optimal strategy.   Healthy businesses need a healthy succession plan and after 40 years in practice, many lawyers are ready for some sort of change. As the pandemic has caused many law firms and partners to rethink their priorities, the issue of what to do with senior partners has become more timely. Firms are already under a lot of under a lot of financial stress. A lack of succession planning only adds to this. In this episode, I am pleased to welcome back Larry Stybel of Stybel Peabody.  At the beginning of the year, before the pandemic became a reality for most of us, Larry and I spoke about finding happiness in the practice of law.  This time, Larry and I discuss the challenges that seniority presents to both law firms and to aging partners. For over 40 years, Larry has been providing outplacement, executive search and leadership coaching to law firms and corporations.  He co-authors a regular column on leadership and career management for PSYCHOLOGY TODAY.  He also co-authored the book Navigating the Waterfall: Your Guide to Job Search and Career Management. Stybel Peabody received the "Best in Class" Award in Outplacement four times from the Massachusetts Lawyers’ Weekly Reader Preference Survey.  I met Larry and his wife and business partner, Maryanne Peabody, 20 years ago when I was starting my own recruiting and coaching business.  I was very pleased to reconnect with him last year through my business networking group ProVisors.  I have really appreciated the insights Larry has been able to share with me about my own career.  Larry brings years of experience in talent management and career success.

For some associates, partnership is the ultimate career goal.  But for many lawyers, a plum in-house job is the real brass ring. In this episode, I welcome Mark Levine who has won the brass ring several times in his career. Mark is General Counsel and Secretary at Flexion Therapeutics, a commercial stage biotech company.   Mark and I speak about his path in-house, how his role has changed as he has moved into a GC position and how in-house practice differs from private practice.  We also talk about the challenges he faces in running a law department during the pandemic and what advice he has for lawyers seeking similar roles. Mark has expertise in corporate, commercial, and securities law and transactions.  He has experience in corporate  governance   and  public disclosure, mergers and acquisitions and operating   in highly regulated environments.  He has built several law departments and worked in a number of industries. Related Episodes Episode 19-Canoeing vs. Whitewater Rafting-A Career Conversation with Jose Sierra Episode 16-Changing Industries Episode 14-From Biglaw to Government to In-house Episode 2-In-House with Walt Pollard

In this episode, I continue my Glass Ceiling Series with my guest Lauren Resnick, who is the Chief Practice Partner for the national law firm BakerHostetler.  Lauren is someone who not only broke through the glass ceiling at an AmLaw 100 firm, but she did it as a part-time attorney.  I speak with Lauren about her path from the public sector back into private practice, and what it has been like being part-time.  We also discuss some of the challenges of being in a management role at a major law firm and how she has continually reinvented herself throughout her career. This interview was conducted in early March before the reality of COVID had really sunk in for many of us.  At the time, Lauren and her firm had already developed a practice group to address the legal issues that are raised by the pandemic, a testament to her ability to think in a highly strategic manner. As Chief Practice Partner, Lauren Resnick is responsible for the firm’s delivery of legal services and management of the firm’s legal talent.  She is a partner in the White Collar and Corporate Investigations team of BakerHostetler. She focuses her practice on internal investigations, white collar criminal defense and regulatory compliance matters. Previously, she served as an Assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she was chief of the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section. She was a two-time recipient of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Director's Award for Superior Performance, she is regularly retained by executive management and audit committees of Fortune 500 corporations to conduct internal investigations on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering (AML), fraud, antitrust, international trade and sanctions compliance, and other regulatory compliance issues. As a member of the BakerHostetler team serving as counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA), Lauren supervised the extensive financial reconstruction of the decades-long operations of Bernie Madoff for the ongoing liquidation and litigation proceedings. In addition to her practice, Lauren serves as the firmwide client relationship partner and a member of the firm’s policy committee. She is also the firm's compliance practice team lead and the administrative partner for the New York office.

In this episode, I return to a conversation I started with Dr. Inna Khazan, a clinical psychologist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. I spoke to Dr. Khazan back in February about the ways she uses mindfulness-based biofeedback to help lawyers and other professionals to achieve optimal performance in stressful situations. In our latest interview, Dr. Khazan discusses how to use these techniques to manage the stress brought on by the global Coronavirus pandemic. She offers practical suggestions for managing the heightened anxiety most of us are experiencing.  Included in this podcast is a short guided meditation to help demonstrate the power of mindfulness. Dr. Inna Khazan is a nationally recognized expert in mindfulness-based biofeedback. She is the founder of ARETE Institute for Performance Excellence. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she specializes. in biofeedback and mindfulness-based approaches to optimizing health and performance. At Harvard Medical School, Dr. Khazan teaches and supervises trainees. She is considered to be a pioneer in the area of mindfulness-based biofeedback. She has conducted biofeedback and mindfulness trainings for notable institutions in the US and abroad, including the US Navy Special Warfare, US Army Special Forces, and the Stuttgart Opera and Ballet Company and author of numerous publications and a frequent speaker all over the country.  

In this special episode, I provide you with 7 Career Management Tips for dealing with the current COVID crisis.  I’d also like to make you the following offer: If you are feeling isolated or just want someone to help you reflect on your career or on your efforts to build a practice, I would like to offer you the chance to connect with me by Zoom. I’m happy to be a sounding board and help you think about how to be more productive over the next few weeks or months.  We are now living through the snow day of all snow days!  Even if you or your family’s health has not been affected by the coronavirus (and I hope it hasn’t), surely every other aspect of your life has been turned upside down.  For most of us, there have been great disruptions at work (at a minimum, projects put on hold, meetings and court appearances postponed, employees working remotely). These disruptions can impact our productivity in many ways.  For me personally, I’ve been moving meetings on-line, stocking up at BJs, dealing with elderly parents, helping my daughter who is studying abroad to navigate her early return, etc.  But with every crisis, there are also opportunities. So here are a few things to consider as we get used to the new normal: In ordinary times, self-care is important.  In times like these, it is critical. Make time for exercise. If going to the gym isn’t possible, there are lots of workout regimens you can follow on YouTube from the comfort of your own living room.  If that is not your thing, try jogging, power walking or bike riding. Personally, I like power walking because it allows lots of time to listen to podcasts. While it isn’t quite the same as going to the gym for many of us, it’s still an important part of self-care.  If you haven’t already taken up meditation, now may be a good time. Aside from the health benefits of meditation, mindfulness can improve your ability to focus in stressful situations. There are lots of apps on the web.  Some are subscription based and some are free. I like 10 Percent Happier.  I’ve heard good things about Headspace. If you find yourself with more time on your hands, this is a great opportunity to beef up your on-line presence. Does your LinkedIn profile need work?  Have you been putting off updating the bio on your firm’s website? Do you project a clear message about what differentiates you from other attorneys? Do you have representative examples of matters you have worked on and industries or types of individuals who you have served?  Does someone visiting your website get to know anything about what it is like to work with you? Are there testimonials to support this? If you check out the blog or resources tabs on my website, you will find a lot more on both of these topics. How About Adding a Podcast to Your Legal Marketing Toolkit or starting a blog (or contributing to your firm’s blog)?  For information on starting a podcast, check out the interview I did with Jared Correia or feel free to set up a time for an informal consult with me. Pull together a workshop or presentation you can deliver when things get back to “normal” (or put together a webinar which you can deliver now). Think about common questions that your clients ask and use that as the subject matter.  Find alternative ways to connect. I’ve long been a proponent of getting out of the office.  Building your own practice requires you to build your relationships with clients, potential clients and referral sources.  While going virtual makes this harder, it doesn’t make it impossible. With tools like Zoom, FaceTime and Skype, connecting virtually has never been easier and now is a great time to learn how to use them.  Many of your clients may be feeling isolated. Rather than checking up on them by phone or email, try setting up a session on Zoom. ProVisors , a great business networking group, is doing that very successfully.  I’ve already been to two virtual meetings that worked well. One had 30 attendees. Take a step back to reflect on whether you are leading the professional life you want to lead. Talk to me or another career coach.  Take stock in whether your firm is the right platform to grow your practice or whether you want to be in a law firm at all. Try one of my self-assessment tools (A Career Audit for Associates or 20 Questions For Law Firm Partners). A crisis like COVID-19 can be a major distraction from achieving our personal and professional goals.  The best way to survive the crisis is to look for the opportunities and to keep moving forward. Personally, I’m looking forward to growing my familiarity with Zoom. I’m hoping to use the tool to reach out to people in my network who I have not had time to meet in person.  I also hope to queue up some more marketing collateral which I’ll be ready to deploy as the world comes back to life. If you want help thinking through any of this, I’m always happy to hear from you. I always enjoy speaking to lawyers about their marketing or their careers.  Most importantly, if you are feeling isolated, find ways to connect with friends, family and colleagues. When this is all over, you will be better positioned to build your practice and progress in your career.  Be safe!

Electoral politics has always been a career option for attorneys. The halls of Congress and state houses across the country are filled with elected officials who have earned their law degrees.  Legal training helps legislators understand how the bills they want to pass fit into a broader legal context.  Having a JD gives you credibility to run for office.  But what are the options for attorneys who are considering a run for public office. How does being in public office differ from the practice of law?  How does law school prepare you for being a legislator? In this episode, I speak with State Senator Becca Rausch of Massachusetts.  Senator Rausch and I discuss careers in public office and what it has been like for her to leave the practice of law to become a legislator in the higher chamber of the Massachusetts State Legislature.  We talk about her decision to seek public office, what was the path for winning the election, what was it like to come to the State House and what have been her legislative priorities since joining the Senate. I ask her what advice she has for attorneys who are aspiring for public office. Becca Rausch represents the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District of the Massachusetts State Senate which covers cities and towns from Wayland in the north to Attleboro in the South. Prior to joining the Senate, Becca was an associate attorney at two mid-sized firms in Boston, taught civil procedure and health law as a visiting faculty member at Seattle University School of Law, and served as the first ever Secretariat e-discovery attorney in the history of the Massachusetts executive branch.