Folk tales and other narrative devices that utilize the expression "Begin at the beginning" have a sort of folksy wisdom that I find appealing. This is a personal preference, obviously, and stems, I'm sure, from my tendency to do the exact opposite. For example, at work, when I write a 2 or 3 sentence email in response to someone's query, before I hit Send, I review it quickly. My review almost always reveals that I've started my response with the final point, and ended it with background information that would lead you to the final point. In other words, I write backwards. This is not good. People often do not read my emails. This is annoying. It causes me to have to repeat the information in a hallway conversation. It feels a little like my input is invisible, at least initially. [Note: which is (just one part of) why I can relate to Shelley's recent post.] This is why I spend time re-writing my emails, even simple ones. That also is annoying.
But necessary.
I was struck last night by a thought, a moment of hope and inspiration. To wit: What about Policies and Procedures? What about "Contracts"? These are seemingly things that I could get truly excited about. If only I knew how they translate into a real-life job! I am seeking information about this. I will post more specific questions (and email my questions) later, because work is actually needing me to pay attention to it now.
Why Contracts/Policies-n-Procedures: I know the local law school has a course entitled "Contracts" that is required for 1L's. I bet all law schools do. I always enjoy knowing there are rules, or wanting to establish policies/procedures/rules if there aren't any, and so...and so...and so wouldn't it be cool if that were my JOB? I wonder if that means employment law would interest me. I wish I knew more!!! Or business law? Crap. Someone help me. Tell me what to read. Fine. I'll find it without your help, you invisible-reader-that-doesn't-really-exist. I'm like a one-act play, performing in front of an empty theater.
Point of this post: my whole law school should-I-or-shouldn't-I quandary MUST BE PREDICATED ON the final outcome: working as a lawyer. And so, like all goal-oriented people, I will focus on the end, in order to decide if there will be a beginning.
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
work/life balance applies to ALL of us, not just LAWL of us
[This is in response to some of the comments people posted to the interview from BitterLawyer.com of Barry Landsberg, Partner, Manatt Phelps. But, like most of what I'm finding online, it was over with a long while ago and I'm sure no one will read my comment, so I'm repeating it here, which also will prove inconsequential because no one's reading this.]
As someone completely outside the field of law, I can only say that working long hours goes into being a success in any field. Why do people get so crazy angry about that part? I work as part of a team, and the one guy on the team (not me) who answers his phone WHENEVER it rings, nights, weekends, in the middle of the airport, or even in the middle of a meeting, is the guy that everybody wants working for them. He is the #1 choice. Why? Because he has no kids and his ego depends entirely on feeling like everyone's hero, so he makes himself available 7 days a week, and guess what? He is everyone's hero. It's not rocket science. You work hard, it shows. I don't work as hard as him, but I have a family and other committments and people call me only if Guy #1 is unavailable (which occasionally happens), and they hope I'll work magic like him, and sometimes I do, but really, he is the one they want. And that hurts a little, but at the same time, so what. I get what I deserve, including family time, and he gets what he deserves, including the admiration and respect of his peers.
As someone completely outside the field of law, I can only say that working long hours goes into being a success in any field. Why do people get so crazy angry about that part? I work as part of a team, and the one guy on the team (not me) who answers his phone WHENEVER it rings, nights, weekends, in the middle of the airport, or even in the middle of a meeting, is the guy that everybody wants working for them. He is the #1 choice. Why? Because he has no kids and his ego depends entirely on feeling like everyone's hero, so he makes himself available 7 days a week, and guess what? He is everyone's hero. It's not rocket science. You work hard, it shows. I don't work as hard as him, but I have a family and other committments and people call me only if Guy #1 is unavailable (which occasionally happens), and they hope I'll work magic like him, and sometimes I do, but really, he is the one they want. And that hurts a little, but at the same time, so what. I get what I deserve, including family time, and he gets what he deserves, including the admiration and respect of his peers.
Bitter Lawyer, Not
from: http://www.bitterlawyer.com/index.php/interviews/barry_landsberg_partner_manatt_phelps?entry_id=452
What’s the best advice you ever received as an associate?
A partner I worked for years ago gave me a private pep talk once. I was just starting my second year and had billed something like 2600 hours my first year. I was feeling overwrought, and it showed. The partner handed me a thick case file and said, “Barry, there are two kinds of people in this world—those who get it done, and those with perfectly reasonable excuses for not getting it done. Which one do you want to be?”
And I ask you, gentle reader (of which I have none): What the ??? Sorry, guess he's just so incredibly intelligent that the "advice" he received was trivially obvious to him. Could someone explain it to *me*, though? Was the advice to slow down and allow himself to have reasonable excuses for billing less than 2600 hours? Or was it to suck it up and keep being the type of person who gets it done, despite being overwrought? Eh? Anyone?
Yeah, OK, yes, I should have continued reading. He speaks very plainly and directly when answering another question a little further down:
Q: What makes an associate a superstar?
A: ...a superstar associate almost never offers a “perfectly reasonable excuse” for declining work. He or she just “gets it done.”
What’s the best advice you ever received as an associate?
A partner I worked for years ago gave me a private pep talk once. I was just starting my second year and had billed something like 2600 hours my first year. I was feeling overwrought, and it showed. The partner handed me a thick case file and said, “Barry, there are two kinds of people in this world—those who get it done, and those with perfectly reasonable excuses for not getting it done. Which one do you want to be?”
And I ask you, gentle reader (of which I have none): What the ??? Sorry, guess he's just so incredibly intelligent that the "advice" he received was trivially obvious to him. Could someone explain it to *me*, though? Was the advice to slow down and allow himself to have reasonable excuses for billing less than 2600 hours? Or was it to suck it up and keep being the type of person who gets it done, despite being overwrought? Eh? Anyone?
Yeah, OK, yes, I should have continued reading. He speaks very plainly and directly when answering another question a little further down:
Q: What makes an associate a superstar?
A: ...a superstar associate almost never offers a “perfectly reasonable excuse” for declining work. He or she just “gets it done.”
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