Inspiration & Encouragement
Eleven Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Start Your Own Law Firm
One of the principal reasons that many lawyers decide against starting a law firm is fear. That’s not surprising, because it’s only natural to fear the unknown. In fact, if a lawyer isn’t even a little bit nervous starting a firm, they may not have thought it through seriously enough. To be sure, as a…
Read MoreDo You Want to Share Your Value With Big Law Firms That Don’t Share Your Values?
Earlier this week, Law Students for Climate Accountability (LSCA) released this annual Law Firm Climate Change Scorecard for the Vault 100 Law Firms which contained some rather disturbing results. The Scorecard concluded that “America’s most prestigious law firms have expanded their fossil fuel work,” thus “exacerbating climate change” at a time when concerns over global…
Read MoreEverything That You Need To Know About Succeeding As An Associate, You Can Learn From Solo Practice
If you’ve just read this article’s title, you’re probably racking your brain trying to figure out what the heck a lowly solo practitioner like me can teach you about succeeding as a law firm associate. After all, you probably think that most solos simply churn out form documents for simpleton clients who need help with…
Read MoreWhat If Today Were Your Last Day To….?
Seven years ago, I had my last real conversation with my beloved husband before the brain tumor that we would learn about ten days later wreaked havoc on his beautiful mind and eventually took his life. There’s so much I wish I had told him then, and so much more that’s transpired in the past…
Read MoreHere’s to the Crazy Ones
After the law firm where I worked as an associate twenty five years ago gave me six months to find a new job, I had a crazy idea. What if I didn’t look for a job at all and instead decided to start my own law firm? And even crazier, what if that law firm…
Read MoreDear Law Firm of Mine,
Hey there, old friend. As you know, it’s been a heckuva year. We showed up in January, bright eyed and bushy tailed, with grand plans to conquer this new decade. And we were off to a strong start, with cases chugging along on all cylinders. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the earth,…
Read MoreMyShingle Turns 18
Eighteen is the age of adulthood, but it’s also the numerical representation of “Chai,” the Hebrew word for life. Last night just before midnight, MyShingle turned 18 – and I like to view my blog as still full of life instead of a boring grown up, with professional, SEO-driven content and posts on the administrivia…
Read MoreLaw Practice in the Face of Uncertainty
The only thing predictable about 2020 to date is precisely how unpredictable the year has been. Two months in, courts shut down and many lawyers’ practices ground to a halt as the Covid-19 pandemic swept an unprepared nation. Back then, many of us believed that the closures were short term, and that we’d return to…
Read More