Practicing Law Sucks

"Planning" - - the key to survival and success

Most lawyers, or law firms, are "too busy" to do any serious (or continuous) planning.

Oh, sure, they take "retreats" or have "off sites" every now and then and, on those occasions, do some planning.

But serious "planning" is somewhat like taking a bath - - which should be done more frequently then just once a week.

When I (the writer of this Blog) was practicing law (during the course of my 39-year legal career), I would calendar a "mini planning retreat" every 6-8 weeks on a REGULAR basis.  I would go to some hotel or motel for 2-3 days, some distance from my home and office, and SERIOUSLY review three things - -  (1) what had transpired in my Law Practice since the last time I had taken such a retreat, (2) what was currently occurring in my practice, and (3) what I wanted to occur in my practice prior to my next scheduled retreat.  I DID THIS CONTINUALLY.  I would block out the dates of future planning retreats on ALL calendars so as to be assured that they would occur.

Admittedly, I was a little "anal" about doing this - - - but, these mini planning retreats were very important to me, and instrumental in the survival and success of my law practice.

A good article on this topic appeared in the Los Angeles Daily Journal (legal) Newspaper on January 5, 2009, authored by Barbara Lewis and Dan Otto. They state that whether you are a 2-partner firm or a 100-partner firm, planning is critical for success.  To that I would add - - even solo practitioners should do planning and, for solo's, planning may even be MORE important.

Lewis and Otto further state, "Although many companies traditionally undertake the strategic planning ritual, attorneys in general appear reluctant to use a technique that has proven reliable and profitable for many businesses."  And, "attorneys with no strategic plan will find it more difficult to accomplish their goals, since they have not clearly defined their future."  And, "a strategic plan in your head is no substitute for a written plan, which clearly articulates the various components in an organized and methodical manner."

Serious and continual "planning" becomes even more critical in these difficult economic times.  Thinking about your office during a lunch break (or "happy hour") will just not cut it.

Messy Office vs. Clean Office - - Cluttered Desk vs. Organized Desk

We have all heard the old saying, "Messy Office = messy mind" or, "Cluttered Desk = cluttered mind" - - or something to that affect.

But is that really so?

Does it really matter whether your office is messy or neat, or your desk is cluttered or organized?

The answer: It depends.  Some people claim that having a messy office, or a cluttered desk, is an esoteric connection to their creativity.  Others claim that mess and disorganization has caused them to stop progressing in their careers because it gave the impression that they were not handling their work-lives well.

The truth is there are people who have almost unbelievable messy offices and/or cluttered desks who are wonderful at their jobs.  And, there are people who have offices and desks that could pass the white glove test that do their job poorly. 

Some people are able to do a great job because they are orderly and follow routines.  On the other hand, there are some people who are also able to do great jobs for just the opposite reasons - - they do not subscribe to conventional norms and refuse to follow anyone else's lead.

So the best advice on your office and desk - - and your career, is this:  Figure out what kind of thinker and worker you are and proceed.  If you need to have a messy office and/or cluttered desk in order to do a great job - - it's likely your superior(s) and co-workers won't mind. 

But, if you are the type of person that needs a clean office and/or orderly desk to do a great job - - then you had better clean and straighten for all your worth.

The truth is that intelligent superiors know that every person has his or her unique approach to work, and they will create an atmosphere of acceptance and tolerance so that every person can tap his or her greatest potential.