Slow Your Roll

slow your roll

Every lawyer knows the moment. A client lays out a problem, and before all the facts are on the table, your mind is already tracing familiar patterns. You’ve seen this before, and your instinct tells you where it’s headed. But pause. What exactly is happening in that instant? Is it the seasoned intuition that comes…

Read More

The Codependent Lawyer

Codependent Client

In the legal profession, self-sacrifice is often treated as a badge of honor. Many lawyers believe that their value is proven by being endlessly available to clients, even at the expense of their own health or family life. Returning calls at midnight, carrying the weight of a client’s stress, and pushing aside personal needs are…

Read More

Deskside Manner

Female Attorney - Dockside Manner

I recently noticed a woman with a terrified look on her face walking into the building where I work. She was heading toward a divorce law firm. I imagined that this was the look of someone who was about to end a relationship that she thought would last forever. I speculated that this was someone…

Read More

The Zeigarnik Effect: Why Lawyers Are Always Chasing Unfinished Business

blurred business people walking in glass office background - bus

When I took the bar exam, I spent months studying, cramming information into my brain with the fervor of someone preparing for an intellectual triathlon. Every day was filled with learning about estates and trusts, family law, civil procedure, and everything in between. It was like preparing to be a Westlaw database. My brain was…

Read More