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.
I will be practicing law but not for awhile. I find law very work friendly, and well i say that will such enthrallment in which i see how much work there is to do.
I hope one day there will be a book for me learning the law, or how to be a law student for dummies. Anyhow, any suggestions please let me know
Posted by: nicole | April 27, 2009 at 09:22 PM