career
Lessons from Michael Scott: Somehow I Manage
At first glance, The Office seems like the last place to look for professional wisdom. Its famously awkward manager, Michael Scott, is impulsive, terribly inappropriate, and almost never self-aware. And yet, beneath the chaos and cringe, his behavior accidentally reveals some surprisingly useful insights for lawyers navigating leadership, pressure, and human dynamics. 1. Culture Isn’t…
Read MoreUsing Client Satisfaction Surveys to Improve Your Practice
Lawyers often resist client satisfaction surveys. We assume clients won’t answer honestly, won’t take the time, or (if we’re really honest) we simply don’t want to invite feedback we can’t control. But as Ray Gross explains in his recent Attorney at Work article, Client Satisfaction Surveys: Five Quick Questions to Ask, avoiding feedback doesn’t protect…
Read MoreWhy Public Service Loan Forgiveness Matters to the Justice System
As Congress revisits federal student loan policy, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is once again under scrutiny, raising real concerns for law students and lawyers who have chosen,or are considering, careers in public service. Proposals to limit, restructure, or eliminate PSLF are no longer theoretical. If enacted, they could fundamentally alter the economic viability of…
Read MoreIn Defense of Gossip
Before there was Slack or social media, there was gossip. Long before reputations could unravel in a group chat, they did so around office coffee pots and courthouse hallways. While gossip has long been branded as unprofessional or malicious, new research tells a different story. Studies in social and cognitive psychology suggest that gossip serves…
Read MoreRumination as a Contributor to Burnout
For years, burnout was described as the inevitable cost of overwork: too many hours, too many demands, too little rest. But a growing body of psychological research suggests another powerful contributor quietly intensifies the damage: mental rumination. This isn’t just ordinary worry. It’s the persistent, repetitive replaying of work problems, perceived failures, and “what-ifs” long…
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