Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC., Author at Lawyer-Coach

2 03, 2010

Social Media Articles in Texas Bar Journal

2010-03-02T13:23:39+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Social Media Articles in Texas Bar Journal

The March 2010 issue of the Texas Bar Journal is out, and it contains a number of excellent articles on “The Attorney and Social Media”. I have two articles in it. Social Media 101 for Lawyers and Ethically Navigating the Social Media Landscape. I had more to say than got pubished, but editors will edit, when space is limited. 😉

My Twitter friend, Adrian Dayton (@AdrianDayton) has an excellent article about 10 Steps to Becoming a Rainmaker through Social Media. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

John Browning explains how lawyers use social media to serve process in lawsuits. He also describes numerous cases of juror misconduct with social media in another article.

The entire issue is worth reading, even the review by Gerry Morris on the off-topic subject of online accounting in a law practice.

Way to go Texas Bar Journal!

15 02, 2010

Social Media Primer for Lawyers (Part 1)

2019-06-25T16:26:43+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Social Media Primer for Lawyers (Part 1)

Unless you live in a cave, you have probably been hearing about social media lately. Many lawyers dismiss social media as just something that kids do. Others recognize that many adults use social media, but claim that it’s a waste of time for lawyers. Some lawyers even concede that using some social media might benefit their practice, but assert that there are too many risks associated with it.

Lawyers made similar claims about the internet and email in the 1990’s. Today many attorneys can’t even practice, if their access to internet and email goes down. To help reduce the concern and confusion of newcomers to social media, this article provides an overview of the types of social media lawyers are most likely to use. […]

10 02, 2010

ABA Journal quotes Debra

2010-02-10T14:43:36+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on ABA Journal quotes Debra

Debra Bruce, President of Lawyer-Coach, was quoted in the February 2010 issue of the ABA Journal. The article is titled “Virtual Escape: Lawyers Wrestle with 24/7 Technology.” Authors Becky Beaupre Gillespie and Hollee Schwartz Temple explore the impact on attorney productivity and stress levels resulting from being constantly tethered to smart phones.

The last time Debra was quoted in the ABA Journal, the article was “Midcareer Malaise:
How to find a new path for your 40s.”

4 01, 2010

Keeping Those New Year’s Resolutions

2010-01-04T14:57:48+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Keeping Those New Year’s Resolutions

How long do your New Year’s Resolutions usually last? If they rarely make it through January, you may be getting tripped up by some common snags that lawyers encounter. Do you set the bar unrealistically high or lack a way to measure interim progress? If so, you set yourself up for discouragement. On the other hand, perhaps the time frame, or the goal itself, is too fuzzy.

The benefits of achieving your goal may not be tangible enough to keep you motivated. You may need an accountability partner or someone to buoy you up when it gets tough. Perhaps you need to think about what has helped you succeed in the past, or how to make the process more fun. Maybe this resolution is just a “should,” rather than what you really care about. Maybe you need more meaningful consequences for the outcome, whether failure or success.

To improve the likelihood of keeping your resolutions, make sure you know: (1) why you really want to do this, (2) how to measure interim progress, (3) the specifics, including the deadline, for what constitutes success, (4) the resources available to help you, and (5) the reward for your triumph.

For more in-depth tips on how to keep those resolutions, read Secrets to Actually Accomplishing Your Goals in this blog.

11 12, 2009

Tips for Relieving Holiday Stress

2009-12-11T19:33:24+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Tips for Relieving Holiday Stress

December often brings added stress to many lawyers. Some associates worry whether they have billed enough hours, and whether they can possibly make up the shortfall in the remaining weeks in the year. Other attorneys work long hours, struggling to meet hard and fast deadlines, as multiple clients try to close transactions or settle cases before year end.

Holiday shopping, traffic jams, and commitments to friends and family create additional demands on our time, and fray our nerves in a season that should be filled with laughter and good will. This year’s financial woes in the legal industry just seem like piling on.

If you feel stress during the holidays or any other time, here are some reminders about how to keep it down to manageable levels.

1. Engage in self-care.

We all know that we get cranky when we are hungry or tired, and that exercise helps relieve stress. Nevertheless, self-care is often the first thing we sacrifice when time is in short supply. Shorting self-care may actually cost us more time, however. We need fuel and rest to think clearly and process efficiently, so without them, our work takes longer to complete, or we make mistakes that cost time to correct.

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16 11, 2009

4 Tips for Reluctant Networkers

2009-11-16T09:40:17+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

Lately I’ve been getting calls from laid off lawyers for help in augmenting their job search efforts. Contacting legal recruiters and submitting resumes online hasn’t been sufficient to land a new job. I also hear from attorneys whose business has dropped off.

One of my first questions is usually “What kind of networking do you do?” Frequently they confess that they aren’t very comfortable with networking, so they haven’t really done much. A recent caller lamented that he hadn’t tried to maintain a network when he was busy. He just focused on doing good work. When times got tough, he contacted the handful of people he had kept in touch with, but that fell short.

I wasn’t surprised at those responses. I read somewhere that 69% of lawyers are introverts. Introverts get drained by being around a lot of people and may find it stressful. Here are a few tips to make that essential networking activity more enjoyable, or at least less painful, for the reluctant networker. […]

1 09, 2009

Is “Good Enough” Becoming the Enemy of the Perfect?

2009-09-01T21:41:43+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Is “Good Enough” Becoming the Enemy of the Perfect?

About a year ago Jordan Furlong warned in his excellent article, The Rise of Good Enough, that “clients are coming to see the costs of exactitude in the law as simply too high.” He described how some general counsel look for outside lawyers who weigh the expected risks and benefits of a legal course, rather than always pursuing the exact right answer.

Recently Robert Capps pointed out in Wired magazine that inexpensive but “good enough” technology is revolutionizing industries ranging from the military to legal services. Technology now permits lawyers to provide online “customized mass production” of common documents at rock bottom prices.

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31 08, 2009

How Investors May Impact the Future of Law Practice

2019-02-10T23:15:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

Jordan Furlong recently wrote another insightful post relating to the future of law practice in light of the upcoming ability of UK law firms to accept non-lawyer investors in 2011. Furlong summed up the likely impact of non-lawyer investors in law firms this way:

“Equity investment in or outside ownership of law firms will be neither a panacea nor an unalloyed good — mistakes will be made, lines will be crossed, abuses might well take place. No innovation arrives perfectly safe and sound. But what such investment does offer is something the legal services marketplace has needed for too long: law firm management singularly driven to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and above all, client satisfaction, because it makes business sense to do so.”

I also discussed some of the likely impacts shortly after the first Australian law firm public offering in 2007. While non-lawyer investment may result in the decline in professionalism that many lawyers fear, the decline has already been so significant in the last couple of decades that I’m not sure it would be that noticeable. I acknowledged some other detriments, but pointed to these additional benefits:

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22 07, 2009

Alert for Lawyers on Nonprofit Boards

2019-02-10T23:15:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Alert for Lawyers on Nonprofit Boards

Many lawyers get invited to serve on nonprofit boards. Of course, the organization hopes to get some free legal advice from you now and then, but they may also be seeking your general worldly wisdom and perspective. Serving on the board for a cause you care about gives you a chance to make a difference in your community, while also doing some much needed public relations work for the legal profession.

Most lawyers work with nonprofits for laudable and generous reasons, but even the curmudgeons among us have found that serving on a such boards can be good for their law practice. Nonprofits usually seek out business leaders and prominent citizens to serve on their boards, so board membership gives you a chance to get to know and interact regularly with quality potential clients and referral sources.

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14 07, 2009

No Lawyer Left Behind: Getting on the Web

2019-02-10T23:15:06+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|5 Comments

Not long ago, I received a request for a lawyer referral. Three lawyers came to mind, so I prepared to pass on their contact information, including website addresses. To my surprise, one of the lawyers did not have a website. Without a website, I feared the lawyer would appear unsophisticated to the client. I calculated the extra effort necessary to describe his qualifications. In the end, I chose to save myself some time and avoid the risk of appearing to give low quality referrals. I passed on contact info for only two lawyers.

Originally published in the March 2007 issue of the Texas Bar Journal.

Referrals Check You Out on the Web

Some lawyers say they don’t need a website because most of their business comes from referrals. According to Margot W. Teleki in the July 17, 2006 issue of the New Jersey Law Journal, “the first thing your referral will do is check out your firm’s web site before giving you a call to see who and what you are and how well you’re suited to meet his needs.” Gerry Morris, a white collar criminal lawyer in Austin, Texas, says “Sometimes clients referred to me by other lawyers come into my office with a printout from my website in hand.”

If your firm doesn’t have a website, could you be losing referral business without knowing it? When your prospective client can’t find you on the web, could that send the message that your firm is too small, too new, too unsophisticated, too unsuccessful, or too behind the times to handle the good quality work you desire to attract?

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About Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.

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About Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.

Make an Appointment

Setting goals for your life and career?

Setting goals for
your life and career?