Browse Topics
Everything Nobody Ever Told Me: People Skills Make All the Difference
By Paula M Jones • December 30, 2020 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
Yesterday my colleague called me up for a vent session. She had prepared a really complicated tax filing for a client and the client responded by sending a list of about fifteen things she thought was wrong with it. Well, the clients concerns were all unfounded and my colleague patiently and politely addressed each and every complaint. The client apologized for her snippy e-mail and stated that taxes made her anxious. It was really nice to get an acknowledgement from the client that her behavior was unacceptable. Everyone gets snippy once in a while and its entirely forgivable. Unfortunately, this…
5 Reasons Why Women are Effective Leaders
By Anonymous • December 29, 2020 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues, Features, Myths & Truths
Diversity in gender is still a debatable topic especially when it comes to leadership positions. We've known that women made tremendous efforts and tons of work to be where they are currently, yet some are still struggling in proving to the world that they are equally smart as men and that they also deserve to be leaders. Take Sabahat Akhter for example, she is the Project manager for leading printing companies like Imprint. Imprint produces promotional products like custom coffee mugs, yard signs, etc, whether it's for advertorial, marketing, business, or personal use. She has experience in data management and product…
Desi Advocacy: Spotlight on Juvaria Khan, Founder of The Appellate Project
By Prianka Misra • December 03, 2020 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Other Career Issues, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
This month, I had the opportunity to interview Juvaria Khan, founder of The Appellate Project. Ms. Khan's nonprofit aims to empower law students and lawyers of color in the appellate field through educational outreach, a Civil Rights Clinic at Howard University School of Law, and a summer fellowship incubator program. Prior to her role at The Appellate Project, Ms. Khan clerked for the Honorable Michael P. Shea in the District Court of the District of Connecticut. She also worked at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, maintaining a heavy pro bono practice focusing on racial and religious discrimination claims. Finally, she has served as…
A Very Different Thanksgiving
By Sarah Valdes • November 30, 2020 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
Every Thanksgiving we’re reminded to “count our blessings.” This year that phrase just hit a little differently. Although my Thanksgiving looked nothing like it had in years past, I found myself in utter awe of how incredibly fortunate I was. For me, Thanksgiving begins the season of slowing down. Although the hustle and bustle of selecting gifts and making holiday plans kicks off, it’s the start of a season when most people can take some time off of work and relax. We trade in rush hour traffic for holiday movies and cookies. So while I found myself pouring over a…
Everything Nobody Ever Told Me: How to Stop Office Gossip in Its Tracks
By Paula M Jones • November 29, 2020 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
“What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth.” -Jewish Proverb My friend Jen used to describe her best friend since childhood, Tracy, as a complete screw-up. Every time she would mention her, she would roll her eyes and bring up Tracy’s latest failed relationship or the crazy man in her life. I had never met Tracy and I have to admit, without any other evidence to the contrary, I began to think of Tracy as a screw-up too. I attended a social gathering at Jen’s house one evening and was speaking to a woman who was…
Everything Nobody Ever Told Me: Dealing with Difficult People - The Provocateur
By Paula M Jones • October 30, 2020 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Other Issues
Just because other people are fueled by drama, doesn’t mean you need to attend the performance. – Cheryl Richardson I was busily working away at my new firm when the head of my department crept into my office, eyes wide. She hunched her shoulders down, looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot and said in a hushed tone, “Do you have a second? I have to tell you something.” She closed my office door. She proceeded to tell me that a colleague had a problem with some work that I had done. Her story didn’t ring…
Driving Technology & Keeping Teens Safe On The Road
By Anonymous • October 30, 2020 •Issues, Mentoring and Networking, Other Issues
From birth, kids are protected by their parents, watched out for, and nurtured to grow into responsible adults that hope to improve the world. However, there’s a stretch of time between the ages of 12 and 20 during which young people are the most rebellious things on earth. They’re backwoods drinking, jean-jacket wearing, all-black-outfit, emotionally driven mutineers. Teens wish to be nothing more than who they genuinely are. They live admirably by seizing every moment that arises to them. Let’s see how technology can help in safely driving for teens. We have all been teenagers and remember it as the…
Difficult Clients: Here’s How To Deal With Them
By Anonymous • October 28, 2020 •Careers, Issues, Mentoring and Networking, Other Issues
Since many lawyers began their careers with months on end reviewing documents, it is no wonder that engaging with clients can seem to be a significant achievement and a welcome break from being in the document review den. Yet as you begin to communicate with customers, you know that there is now an entirely new problem: that is your customers. While it is not entirely external to a GAP shop, legal services may have a clear sense of retail. You have to say often sometimes that the customer is wrong and always keeps the customer satisfied with their job,…
How COVID-19 is Reshaping Legal Practices and Providing Opportunity for Innovations
By Jose Calvo • October 27, 2020 •Issues, Other Issues
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every industry. The legal sector is no different. However, with all of the negative aspects of the virus there are many benefits to the changing digital landscape. Some are optimistic and others are frightened about the changes. One thing is for sure, the legal practices are evolving, offering opportunities for innovation. According to a new study from LexisNexis, 64 percent of independent law firms are confident that they will survive the crisis. While many lawyers are worried about the industry, it is an opportunity for law firms to employ to new technologies and provide…