Keep it Movin’
One of the things that I observed early on in my career was the strict expectation that attorneys, despite whatever complication or concern is going on in their life, must keep it moving. We have an ethical duty to never lose focus or take a minute to breathe. But that is not realistic nor reasonable. What makes a good and lasting attorney often times are our thoughts and experiences in those moments of us taking a heartbeat to think due to the flood of outside circumstances. I do believe the more we try to suppress those times we are experiencing life’s instances that threaten our focus, the more we become ineffective advocates. We have to dial into our own realities in order to better understand the realities of our clients. But, no matter how reasonable, there still is the requirement that we do right by our clients regardless as to what is going on in our own lives. So, how can we do this? What I have learned so far:
Be Honest
While I am very much a boundary person, I think it is important to let your clients know that you have a lot on your plate, but nonetheless, you will follow up with them and deliver the work necessary to address their legal needs. Be honest about your timelines so that the client can make informed decisions and communicate with you whether or not those timelines are acceptable to them. I find that when you just are honest with the client about the status of things for you as their attorney, they are much more inclined to understand and be patient. No one says you have to be completely revelatory about what is going on in your life, but a simple phrase like “I have a lot of commitments I am juggling this week, but I will get back to you early next week so we can discuss next steps.” can mean the difference between an understanding and patient client response, and an angry client ready to call the Bar.
Slow it Down
I know, as private practitioners, we must be very vigilant about the business walking through the door. However, nobody wins when an overloaded and overscheduled attorney breaks down due to the sheer weight of her own schedule. Don’t feel guilty or anxious in dialing back your schedule during times of stress. Take on as much as you can handle and try and make provision for it in your budget. Some attorneys tell potential clients that they are not taking on any new clients for a period of time. During one calendar call I recently attended, an attorney cited her doctor’s orders in not scheduling hearings for two months. If you have power over your schedule, than have control over it as well.
Talk to Someone
If you are an attorney that endeavors to do challenging work, you are going to need someone to talk to. Whether that is a therapist or a really, really patient friend, it is not healthy to process a lot of the types of ups and downs we as practitioners experience all alone. And you shouldn’t have to. Throw off the foolish stigmas of therapy for us steely eyed practitioners and make sure you talk to someone about those stressful aspects of your practice and/or your life.
As with a lot of my posts, this one is an evolving one as I learn additional lessons on how to best operate during times of personal life complication. Life moves on and we all have to keep it moving.