Business of Law

Opinion

Time To Reclaim Wellness For All Lawyers

The decision last month by Baker McKenzie’s global chairman to step down due to exhaustion indicates that the legal profession needs to mount a broader wellness effort to address long hours, high stress, frequent travel and the daily demands of practice, says Leesa Klepper, director of Thrivewell Coaching.

Protecting Law Firm Talent At Both Ends

By 2030, it is possible that 75 percent of lawyers practicing in the U.S. will be millennials. A broadened focus on retention and advancement of all young lawyers is therefore a logical step forward but it fails to address another major retention issue that law firms should explore, says Susan Smith Blakely of LegalPerspectives LLC.

Q&A

Wendy Olson Talks Twin Falls, Tribes, Private Practice

Former U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Wendy Olson discusses her decades of experience prosecuting white collar crimes and civil rights violations, her work and challenges as U.S. attorney, and her move to private practice.

Series

Judging A Book: Brown Reviews 'Dangerous Leaders'

Anthony Thompson’s "Dangerous Leaders: How and Why Lawyers Must Be Taught to Lead" explores the conflict many lawyers face when charged with the responsibility of leadership. The book is an excellent read for all lawyers, says U.S. District Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Breaking The Rules: 3 Ways To 'Lead' A Direct Examination

Trial lawyers are frequently taught that they should appear invisible during direct examination — that their job is merely to prompt the witness to start speaking. But the most powerful direct examinations are the ones in which the examiner, not the witness, is controlling the pace, say attorneys with Kobre & Kim LLP.

Need Litigation Finance? Don't Skip These 5 Steps

The process of applying for litigation financing isn’t difficult, but few do it right the first time. Following five steps in your application process will help make sure litigation funders are convinced of the value of your company's legal claims, says Molly Pease of Curiam Capital LLC.

A Holistic Approach To Client Retention

In an era when law firms are fighting for business and clients can dictate the terms of the relationship, "value" has become a moving target. Firms that take a proactive approach by using strategies designed to articulate value over time will gain the competitive advantage, says Dan Tacone at Intapp Inc.

Q&A

A Chat With Allens Pricing Chief Pier D'Angelo

In this monthly series, Amanda Brady of Major Lindsey & Africa interviews management from top law firms about the increasingly competitive business environment. Here we feature Pier D'Angelo, chief pricing and practice officer at Allens.

Opinion

The ABA Was Dead Wrong About Model Rule 8.4(g)

In the two years since the American Bar Association's controversial anti-discrimination and harassment rule, only one state has adopted it, while numerous state supreme courts, state attorneys general and legal groups have correctly rejected Model Rule 8.4(g) as a threat to lawyers' First Amendment rights, says Bradley Abramson, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom.

Opinion

The Supreme Court Should Become Boring

In the aftermath of Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, the U.S. Supreme Court should decline review of the nation's most polarizing political questions unless and until the questions become time-sensitive, says Alexander Klein, head of the commercial litigation group at Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco LLP.