Articles by Debra L. Bruce Archives | Page 9 of 16

6 07, 2010

Making Your Criminal Practice More Rewarding

2010-07-06T14:11:09+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Making Your Criminal Practice More Rewarding

“The variety in a criminal law practice keeps it enjoyable. Familiarity at the courthouse makes it fun,” says Austin solo Erik Goodman, who has been board certified in criminal law since 1985. Houston criminal attorney John Parras agrees. “People charged with crimes are wealthy, poor, smart, dumb, funny, eccentric, boring, interesting and mundane. The scenarios that bring them to court are sad, funny, interesting, complicated, simple, stupid, and entertaining,” according to Parras, who has been designated as a Super Lawyer – Rising Star and began his legal career as a law clerk to Michael Tigar and Ron Woods in the Oklahoma City Bombing trial.

Yet many criminal attorneys suffer from stress and burnout. Others struggle to make ends meet. How can you keep your practice manageable, enjoyable and financially successful, too? […]

21 06, 2010

Handy Additions to Your Conflict Resolution Toolbox

2010-06-21T13:04:13+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Handy Additions to Your Conflict Resolution Toolbox

“I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail,” observed the famous psychologist , Abraham Maslow. When it comes to conflict resolution, the only tool that most lawyers get from law school is a hammer.

Hammering your opponent might work in a trial, but it doesn’t create optimal outcomes in a casual disagreement. It doesn’t work very well when your “opponent” is your boss or someone you care about. It doesn’t foster healthy and productive on-going relationships at the office. Hammering the other side and trying to “win” tends to spawn resistance, rigidity, passive-aggressive behavior, escalation or chronic difficulties. Defeating your opponent rarely results in genuine resolution of the issue.

Lacking other tools, ironically, some lawyers avoid confrontation on their own behalf. I know a very effective trial attorney who wouldn’t return a shirt that was the wrong size. Conflict avoiders allow the biggest rainmaker or the loudest bully in the office to control decision-making, without benefit of their valuable input. Meanwhile the law firm experiences low morale, costly turnover, missed opportunities and wasteful mistakes.

To help you become more effective at resolving your own conflicts, as well as at helping clients resolve theirs, here’s a brief primer on a few techniques to add to your tool box. […]

8 06, 2010

Can Parenting Tips Improve Your Client Effectiveness?

2010-06-08T14:54:47+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Can Parenting Tips Improve Your Client Effectiveness?

Recently one of my lawyer clients described to me how he handles things with his high-strung child. As he described his process, it reminded me of how really effective family lawyers handle clients in the emotional throes of a divorce or custody battle.

In this time of economic turmoil and uncertain futures, today every lawyer has a stressed out client to deal with. See if this parent’s process might help you be more effective in managing both yourself, and those you advise, in stressful situations.

1. Prep them for everything. Let them know in advance what the two of you will each do, and what Plan B will be, if Plan A doesn’t work.

2. Prompt them during the process. As you engage in the process and things get a little scary, remind them that this is what you were expecting. […]

14 04, 2010

It’s Never Too Early to Raise Your Profile

2010-04-14T13:11:34+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

In today’s fast-paced legal world, it is easy for young lawyers to convince themselves that they don’t have time to worry about networking, raising their profile and creating a personal brand. Have you ever said anything like this to yourself?

“It already takes Herculean effort to meet the billable hour requirements around here. I’m not going to waste my time giving away free advice or hanging out with a bunch of schmoozers.”

“I went to a smaller firm so I wouldn’t have to put on a game face. The partners here like my work, and that’s enough.”

“The point of going in-house was so I wouldn’t have to play politics and could have time for a life. I only need to keep my boss happy.”

“I’m just an associate. Clients aren’t going to come to me anyway, so why bother?

Why That’s Foolhardy

Even before the “Great Recession,” […]

16 03, 2010

Nice Guys Are Good for Business

2019-02-10T23:15:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|2 Comments

Back in 2005 I wrote Who Says Nice Guys Finish Last? The post recounted how attorneys have generated more business by putting their focus on helping others, even in ways that have nothing to do with the law. It also discussed the psychological underpinning of their success.

In the wake of the financial meltdown, there is growing evidence (cited by Time magazine, Fortune magazine and Harvard Business Review) that the “do well by doing good” philosophy is gaining a foothold in the corporate world. Maybe we are getting beyond the Gordon Gekko/ Ivan Boesky philosphy that “greed is good.” I hope more of our legal colleagues take note, too.

At least one Harvard Law grad is leading the way. Dov Seidman, author of the bestseller HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything … in Business (and in Life) opines that “winner-take-all” strategies are obsolete. He partially credits the increased difficulty in hiding unethical and greedy business behavior in this era of bloggers, YouTube, Twitter and other social media.

Fortune Magazine recently published Why Doing Good Is Good for Business about Seidman’s rise as a management guru from providing training in ethics and legal compliance. The Fortune article says he
[…]

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.

[…]

Make an Appointment

Setting goals for
your life and career?

Make an Appointment

Setting goals for your life and career?

Setting goals for
your life and career?