Blog Posts: JW Fundamentals

JW Way Fundamental #17: Be Relentless about Continuous Improvement  "Be a lifetime learner and continually invest in your own education, both formally and informally. Be curious and never stop improving your legal, technical, and personal skills. Embrace change. Look for a better way."This Fundamental recognizes that each of us is imperfect and in a generali...

JW Way Fundamental #11: Demonstrate Respect "Treat others with courtesy and dignity. Show respect by listening fully and actively, paying attention to your words and attitude. Give your undivided attention without interruptions."There are so many ways to show respect and an equal number to show disrespect.  Where should I start? A good place is with a number...

Being a lifetime learner is important. Curious minds need new information like your body needs food and water. Similar to your body needing different types of nourishment, there is so much to learn, whether it is related to your work, hobbies or just a topic you find interesting. For attorneys, we are required to take continuing legal education classes every year. ...

JW Way Fundamental #17: Be Relentless about Continuous Improvement  "Be a lifetime learner and continually invest in your own education, both formally and informally. Be curious and never stop improving your legal, technical, and personal skills. Embrace change. Look for a better way."I was raised by a schoolteacher who never stopped teaching.  At the t...

JW Way Fundamental #16: Don't Be a Jerk "Maintain professionalism at all times. Keep emotions under control. Advocating forcefully for the intrests of our clients does not require bullying, condescension, foul language, or temper tantrums. This applies to co-workers, opposing counsel, and vendors. Always be a mensch. "We all know a jerk or two in our professiona...

JW Way Fundamental #15: Treasure, Protect, and Promote our Reputation  "We're all caretakers and beneficiaries of the firm's image and reputation at all times and all situations. Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation, and act in a way that brings honor to the firm. Remember, you are always an ambassador of our firm." "The way to gai...

JW Way Fundamental #15: Treasure, Protect, and Promote our Reputation  "We're all caretakers and beneficiaries of the firm's image and reputation at all times and all situations. Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation, and act in a way that brings honor to the firm. Remember, you are always an ambassador of our firm." Over the past 3...

JW Way Fundamental #18: Speak Constructively  "Address issues in a candid, direct, kind and respectful manner with those involved or affected. Be courageous enough to say what you believe should be said. Ask questions, share ideas, raise issues, and be open to responses. Make constructive suggestions in a way that helps make progress. When possible, speak in p...

JW Way Fundamental #14: Work Smart "Be organized and plan work for maximium efficiency. Have tools necessary before starting your work. Be thoughtful about your schedule and have a game plan for calls, taks, the workday. Establish priorities and work on them first."  When researching about this topic, there were four areas that the experts suggested to ...

JW Way Fundamental #22: Practice Blameless Problem Solving  "Blame has no place in our firm. Fix errors by focusing on solutions, not assessing blame. Learn from mistakes and use that knowledge to improve our processes. Mistakes are a critical component of learning." I believe maturity, both intellectual and emotional, is key to successfully practicing blame...