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

5 08, 2014

“Circle of 8”

2019-02-21T23:25:19+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on “Circle of 8”

Mastermind groups are a small group of colleagues who meet regularly and can provide support, accountability, solution brainstorming and a sense of community in your law practice. Mastermind partners usually share experience and resources. They can also offer crucial reality checks that keep you from launching bad ideas.

You can create your own support and referral group that can be particularly helpful for your law business. It is called the “Circle of 8,” so named because it shouldn’t have more than eight members. It is a hybrid of a mastermind group and a business networking group. It consists of a limited number of select entrepreneurs in related, but non-competitive businesses. Besides the masterminding aspect, the Circle of 8 differs from traditional networking or leads generation groups because (i) the number is limited, (ii) all the participants serve a similar target audience, and (iii) the members are handpicked.

Circle of 8 Benefits

A Circle of 8 delivers value in many ways. As a result of the shared target audience, the members jointly have a 360 degree view of their market, with which they can educate and support each other. Your circle members may come into contact with someone needing your services before you do, so they can be good referral sources. You’ll be able to provide better service to your clients by confidently introducing them to reliable resources for their non-legal needs. Circle members may hear opinions expressed by your potential clients about what they really appreciate in legal services, or dislike about other lawyers, giving you an edge on your competition. They may be able to give you valuable feedback about your own services that your clients don’t tell you. Participants may collaborate to put on seminars or other […]

1 07, 2014

What Clients Want

2019-02-21T23:25:20+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on What Clients Want

In 2000 Mel Gibson starred in a movie called “What Women Want” in which a freak accident caused his character, Nick Marshall, to suddenly have the ability to hear women’s unspoken thoughts. He initially found it to be a very disconcerting experience, because (1) he discovered that he had some erroneous assumptions, and (2) women’s impressions of him were not very flattering. In fact, many of them thought he was a jerk. It turned out that what they said to him and what they actually thought did not exactly coincide.

Eventually, however, Nick realized that he could use his new abilities to do research that would allow him to understand women better. He began to modify his own assumptions, expectations, perceptions, and behaviors, based on his research. His interactions became more effective and enjoyable. He became more successful in his career. […]

3 06, 2014

Relief for Stressed Out Lawyers and Law Students

2019-02-21T23:25:21+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Relief for Stressed Out Lawyers and Law Students

The countdown to the bar exam has started and I’m hearing about stressed out law grads. I frequently get calls from lawyers who need new tools for coping with stress. Sometimes, even as a coach, I get overcommitted or “life happens” and I find myself feeling cranky, anxious and struggling to sleep.

Stress negatively impacts our optimal cognitive functioning. That means that we may tend to forget what we already know about how to relieve stress. So for my own benefit and yours, I’m going to list some of my favorite (and not so favorite) ways to relax.

1. Exercise. I might as well swallow the bad-tasting medicine first. I’m one of those people who hate to exercise just for the sake of exercise. Nevertheless, according to Harvard Medical School, moderate exercise can reduce the production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins which are the body’s mood elevators.

If you feel the way I do about exercise, find ways to make it more fun. Walk along a beautiful trail or work out at the gym while chatting with a friend. Take a dance class or play a sport. Reward yourself with a protein smoothie after your workout. Do something to make it more enjoyable, or you’ll just wind up stressing over your failure to keep your commitment to exercise. […]

6 05, 2014

Six Essential Traits of the Successful Legal Entrepreneur

2019-02-21T23:25:21+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Six Essential Traits of the Successful Legal Entrepreneur

Sometimes lawyers get so focused on honing their legal skills that they don’t recognize themselves as entrepreneurs. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.”

Very few law schools have classes that actually teach a lawyer how to run a law practice. How can you know whether you will be any good at it? What if you aren’t graduating in the top 10% of your class? Does that mean you have limited potential for successfully running your own law firm?

Inc. magazine online shared advice from Steve Blank about entrepreneurism in a commencement speech to engineering students. It’s good advice for lawyers, too. He said:

“[G]reat grades and successful entrepreneurs have at best a zero correlation….You don’t get grades for resiliency, curiosity, agility, resourcefulness, pattern recognition and tenacity. You just get successful.”

In this post, I want to talk about why those qualities are essential for a successful legal practice. […]

8 04, 2014

How to Get That Thing Done That You Keep Putting Off

2019-03-15T18:27:12+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How to Get That Thing Done That You Keep Putting Off

Most of us have something that we keep putting off until a looming deadline spurs us to action. Our modus operandi robs us of sleep and our confidence that we did our best work. Some unpleasant tasks don’t have a deadline, so we postpone them until we can’t function anymore without doing something about them. Like when you know you need to get a new computer, but that requires a disagreeable choice between researching to make the right selection, or surrendering to the influence of a salesperson. So you don’t do anything about it until your processing speed slows to a crawl.

Whatever you tend to procrastinate on, that increases your stress and lowers your self-esteem. Go through this list of suggestions and look at your practice with new eyes to find one thing you can do differently now. […]

18 03, 2014

The 4 R’s for Solving Dilemmas

2019-02-21T23:25:22+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on The 4 R’s for Solving Dilemmas

Do you have a dilemma, a persistent worry, a recurring aggravation, or a deep concern? As lawyers we are trained to apply logic and rigorous analysis to solve problems. Some issues, however, call for a different approach – one of creativity and inner guidance. Here’s a little formula, “The 4 R’s,” for finding a solution: Rest, Relax, Reflect and Receive.

1. Rest

Many of our problems arise out of the stress created by the very busy-ness of our lives. Studies have shown that the average person needs eight hours of sleep per night, but today many of us cheat our bodies of some of that needed rest. In his book, The Promise of Sleep, William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. describes studies showing that if you are only getting 6 hours of sleep per night during the work week, by Friday night you have accumulated 10 hours of “sleep debt” that must be repaid. Dr. Dement says, “As your debt grows, your energy, mood and cognition will be undermined.” Dr. Dement warns that you cannot work off a large sleep debt by getting one good night’s sleep. No wonder you find yourself sleeping late on the weekend and then still wanting a nap in the afternoon. […]

4 03, 2014

Introducing Guest Blogger Ryan Alesso – “Don’t Stop Marketing Your Law Firm the Old-Fashioned Ways”

2019-02-19T23:54:56+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|3 Comments

Ryan comes from an ad and marketing background, and is now focused on the healthcare niche. He travels around the U.S. and speaks at conferences on healthcare marketing and management.

“Don’t Stop Marketing Your Law Firm the Old-Fashioned Ways”

Discounted services and buy-one, get-one-free coupons used to be the domain of shoe salesmen and oil change shops, but now the American Bar Association has sanctioned these tactics for use by lawyers as well. Attorneys who want to advertise over platforms like Groupon and LivingSocial are welcome to do so, reports the Association of Corporate Counsel. These new-found tactics may be a good way to reign in new clients, but they haven’t replaced some of the older and still-relevant forms of marketing.

Brochures

You can physically hand a brochure to prospective clients. It requires less effort for the recipient to look it over than searching your website. It also shares more information than a billboard or radio ad. Hard copy promotional items like these usually get placed somewhere conspicuous, such as on a desk or counter, and can therefore serve as a reminder to the recipient. […]

12 02, 2014

Strategies for Expanding into a New Practice Area

2019-02-21T23:25:23+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

Many areas of law practice tend to cycle up and down over time. Savvy attorneys keep enough capital reserves to get them through the predictable lean times. The business volatility in recent years has some worried lawyers seeking to build up a practice in a different area of expertise. I wrote about ways to get experience that you don’t already have, but perhaps you dabble now and then in another area. Here are some tips on building up your visibility and expertise in a practice area you aren’t known for.

1. Choose an additional practice area that complements your existing practice.

Your credibility will be higher if there is some overlap between your new practice area and what you already have a reputation for. When real estate, securities or other transactional practices wane, some transactional lawyers step over into litigation involving similar subject matter expertise. To begin making such a transition, offer to consult on cases with trial lawyers you know. Many commercial litigators take on such a wide variety of cases that they don’t have your depth of expertise or awareness of the numerous laws that may impact the case they just took on. […]

7 01, 2014

Avoiding the Commoditization of Your Law Practice

2019-02-21T23:25:24+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Avoiding the Commoditization of Your Law Practice

My article in 2007 about some of the potential ramifications of law firms going public generated quite a number of reader responses. One email asked a question that intrigued me. The reader asked how he could keep his law practice from becoming commoditized. Both small and large law firms should be asking themselves that, because the tide has already turned toward the commoditization of many legal services.

What are commodity legal services? Generally, legal services that involve routine and predictable legal issues that can be systematized into forms and processes. […]

20 12, 2013

Ready, Set, Goal!

2019-03-20T21:36:32+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Ready, Set, Goal!

“History informs us of past mistakes from which we can learn without repeating them. It also inspires us and gives confidence and hope bred of victories already won.”

~ William Hastie (1904-1976)
Civil rights attorney, law school professor and first African-American federal judge

As we wrap up one year and begin the next, it’s a good idea to engage in a “Lessons Learned” process before we make plans. By analyzing the results we obtained, we can avoid repeating our mistakes and be blessed to repeat our successes. To get real value, it needs to be a thoughtful process covering all aspects of your life. From my years of experience in helping clients through such an analysis, I have identified a few guidelines that can help you.

1. Give yourself full credit.

First, take a look at what was successful. Allow yourself all due credit for your accomplishments, breakthroughs and wins, no matter their size. Don’t just look for cases you won or big deals closed. We tend to gloss over our small victories, even when they took real effort or perseverance to achieve. We rarely let ourselves live down a shortfall, however, so give equal time to your successes. If you finally got those files taken care of, or your office organized, include that accomplishment on your list. If you gained back 5 of the 10 pounds you lost last year, acknowledge yourself for keeping off 5 pounds. […]

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?