For each of the past three years, I’ve written about the importance of goalsetting. We've talked about what goals should look like, in that you need to be setting S.M.A.R.T. goals -- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, and Time-bound. And I've been transparent with you about how having written goals has been transformative for me in both my law and writing practices. I have not met all the goals I've set. Far from it. Maybe I've met half of them. But I'm absolutely certain that having the goals, particularly the overly ambitious ones, has projected me further down the path of...
My article "Jurisdictional Limit for Civil District Court Cases Increased" is in the September 2019 issue of CLM Magazine (p.49). The article discusses the cap increase for civil district court cases in Alabama that went into effect on September 1, 2019. If you'd like to read the article, you can do so here: CLM National: September 2019.
Answering Legal has released its list of "11 Books Every Lawyer Should Read," and Stop Putting Out Fires is among them. The article also contains a conversation with each of the authors. Here is a snippet of my interview: What are some of the biggest time management mistakes you see lawyers making today? Jeremy: “I’ll speak for myself here – being disorganized. In fact just yesterday, I spent a couple of hours updating the spreadsheet that tells me the status and next steps of all the matters in my caseload. When I’m disorganized, my stress levels are higher, I work...
I continued to be impressed (and not in a good way) with lawyers who fail to prioritize effective and timely communication with clients. They are so busy with the seeming urgency of managing their caseloads that they aren't doing the important work of maintaining their relationships with their clients. When clients feel neglected, even if the reality is that you are competently doing their work, they're eventually going to either start openly looking for another lawyer or be receptive to someone else's advances. And make no mistake, there are always other lawyers waiting to move in on your clients. Timely...
Law firms are often comprised of three generations of personnel. We best serve our clients needs when, rather than assuming generational stereotypes, we use our personal knowledge of each other's personality types and individual experiences to collaborate on projects and provide feedback. This intergenerational communication is the best way to get the most out of each other and promote an inclusive and thriving culture. You can read more about the importance of communicating across generations in my new article in DRI's For the Defense, "Encouraging Words: Feedback, Communication, and Intergenerational Collaboration."
Earlier this year, I did an interview with Karin Conroy of Conroy Creative Solutions about why lawyers should be doing content marketing. We talked about content marketing and its importance to lawyers from a 20,000-foot perspective. So I've asked Karin to come back on the blog to get a little more granular and specific about how good content writing makes your website more effective. We both believe that a good website is client-oriented and causes the reader to burn as few mental calories as possible. Good Content Writing Makes Your Website More Effective Does the content on your website keep...
Inasmuch as 2018 was a year of personal growth and development for my book choices, 2019 ... is not. Last year, I read books like Ian Cron's The Road Back to You and Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. I wrote mini-reviews of all the books I read last year. The tone of what I'm reading in 2019 has been -- it's just been different. And fun. Here's what I'm reading in 2019 In 2019, I've been reading gobs of science fiction and fantasy. I've re-read the entire Harry Potter series and...
I'm attending the Alabama State Bar's annual conference this week. One of the sessions yesterday was with a panel of judges sharing with lawyers what they wish we knew and did differently. Most of them are pretty straightforward, but the first one caught me off guard. What judges wish you knew and did differently Don’t wear flip-flops to court - this was not gender specific, and I was embarrassed for the entire profession that this needed to be addressed. Don’t use lengthy string cites in briefs without explanatory parentheticals. Judges aren't putting great weight on cases that we don't bother...
For the first time in 6 1/2 years of practicing law, I didn't take an outline with me to a deposition. It wasn't intentional, mind you. I had my accordion folder with all my exhibits and the documents I'd taken notes on. I just forgot to print my deposition outline before heading out the door. When I got to the office of plaintiff's counsel and began unloading the contents of my folder onto the conference table, I realized I was without my deposition outline. I was immediately flustered by this. But I took a minute and sorted myself out, and...
Over the weekend, my first book Building a Better Law Practice had its first birthday. Of course, I didn't have much time to revel in its launch last year since our second kiddo was born a couple of days later. It was rather a busy few ... months for us after that. Actually, things haven't really slowed down since then. We've just gotten acclimated to how much busier things are with two kids. Nevertheless, it's a book that I'm proud of. I learned a great deal, not only in the writing of the book but also in going through the...
