Blog Posts: Law Blog

This is simple and there are no exceptions. Tell a lie once and all of your truths become questionable. Early in my career I heard a very experienced attorney say “a half-truth equals a whole lie.”  He was correct because anything not 100% true is a lie. Another benefit of telling the truth was summed up to me long ago by a friend who once sai...

We are all good at telling a story, especially our own story. We are not as good at actively listening to others tell a story. This is true even when we are being paid to listen. This is why it is important to remember how important it is to listen, which also means asking questions, especially the right questions. What the right questions are depends on the situat...

I always hope to learn from my mistakes. Similarly, anything I count as a failure in my career has been a great learning experience. There have been moments where I have received constructive criticism, which helped me, because I was open to hearing it. I feel lucky that the people who provided this type of feedback to me, did it in a professional and meaningful wa...

Do you vacation at least once or twice a year? You should. Your body and brain need a break. Most of us work hard, but are not built to work every single day without some downtime. If you have a family, they may even want to spend some time with you! I was speaking with another attorney recently who was lamenting about an upcoming vacation with his wife and kids. H...

Life seems to be made up of many rules, written and unwritten. Most are a matter of common sense, like just being nice to people you meet and deal with. It sounds so obvious you may be asking yourself why I would spend time even mentioning it. Despite being obvious, I’ll bet someone just came to mind who you dealt with recently and the dealings were unpleasan...

Recently, I met with an attorney I know. She had switched firms, going back to one she had worked for previously. I was surprised because she seemed happy at her last firm. It turns out she was generally happy, but some colleagues she liked were changing firms and a call came at the right time to get her to consider leaving. She did and does, seems invigorated from...

No one is perfect. We hear this all of the time, which is why it has become a cliché. It is true, but many people strive to be perfect. It simply is not possible, and is your idea of perfection the same as mine? I guarantee you it isn’t. I know an attorney at another firm who is a perfectionist regarding the pleadings researched and drafted. By this I ...

In Phoenix it feels like summer is fast approaching. With summer comes the inevitable vacations, which include road trips and all kinds of fun (and somewhat) dangerous activities. Before you escape on a great adventure, here are some things you may want to think about and consider:Call your attorney if you are leaving minor children at home with friends, family ...

Most of us are connected to our phones, tablets or computers from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep. I recently went on an annual trip where I try to disconnect for a few days. It is harder to do than you think. When I do, I am reminded we all need to do so. It is so relaxing and provides a break from work and the continuous need to stay on top of ...

Some of you may be aware of the letter to shareholders by Jeff Bezos of Amazon where he explains his process and the benefit of disagreeing and committing. A co-worker just told me about the phrase “disagree and commit” and it spoke to me. Whether you like Bezos or not, he clearly is a successful business person and his ideas are an example of why. &nb...