Beyond Biglaw: What Lawyers Can Learn From The Blur Offense

What are the similarities between the NFL and Biglaw, and why do so many lawyers enjoy football?

On September 4, Bill Simmons wrote a column for Grantland regarding the National Football League, titled “The League That Never Sleeps.” Since then, the NFL has remained in the headlines on a daily basis, scarred by a near-constant stream of negative news concerning off-field incidents involving current players. Apart from the escalation of unseemly episodes we have seen recently, the NFL is also struggling with potentially existence-threatening legal issues relating to the harm suffered by players due to the inherent violence of the sport. At the same time, the NFL remains the biggest show (especially from a TV ratings standpoint) in town, and the league has never been more profitable.

Do I need to spell out the parallels with Biglaw? Record profitability, coupled with record instability. It is a wonder that we don’t see Biglaw behemoths sponsoring the halftime clash between two local Pee-Wee teams at NFL stadiums….

Despite being born and raised in Brooklyn, for the entirety of my football-watching life I have been a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. I am even an Eagles season ticket holder, and gladly make the trip down to Philadelphia a few times each fall. Usually on a Sunday, when at least one of my sons is not playing in roller hockey league. It has been said of English soccer fandom that it is “a story of fathers and sons”; that quote resonates with me. Outside of our religious observances, there are not many things that allow me to spend a real period of uninterrupted time with my kids — especially one of them at a time. Eagles games allow me to do that, and that makes the expense of season tickets, and the traffic home on the NJ Turnpike, burdens I gladly bear. But the NFL does more than provide a pleasant diversion, and an escape for a few hours every week. We can learn, as lawyers, from some of the elements that have made the professional football so successful.

Of primary importance when thinking about the lessons that the NFL can offer practicing lawyers is to remember just how much preparation goes into the “performance” on the field. An NFL game is a mere 60 minutes; I have spent longer arguing routine discovery issues in front of a magistrate judge. But the preparation for that 60 minutes of game time is all-encompassing. NFL teams spare no expense, whether in terms of hiring staff, or on ultra-modern facilities, or in making sure their players are rigorously prepared for games, physically and mentally. With eleven players on a side during gameplay, simply making sure everyone is where they need to be on the field, much less capable of acting in concert, is a challenge. As in law, success on the NFL field of play starts by building out the infrastructure to allow the players to effectively prepare, and then execute. For some legal practices, Biglaw provides the only viable option for supplying the necessary infrastructure. For others, the infrastructure can be built from the ground up. But preparation as a key to success transcends firm size, and even the collective talent of a firm’s personnel.

To bring the importance of preparation, properly channeled, into focus, it is worthwhile to consider an example from the NFL that easily translates into the legal context. Last year, the Eagles hired Chip Kelly away from the University of Oregon to become their head coach. In the NFL, a head coach is the equivalent of a Biglaw firm managing partner, in that they are the “public face” of the franchise and exercise tremendous levels of control over their charges, whether they be professional athletes or hard-working associates. Coach Kelly is no exception. His methods are demanding and constantly being refined. Practices are grueling, and the education of players is not limited to physical preparation. Experts from a varied group of professions are brought in to speak to the players and staff, in an effort to coax out maximum performance — just like your typical Biglaw associate training curriculum. Because performance based on natural ability only goes so far, preparation is necessary for true success. And nearly every public encomium of Coach Kelly highlights the fact that he “lives football.” Just as successful lawyers “live” their practices.

Even though the Eagles made the playoffs last year and are off to a perfect start this year, there was skepticism about whether Coach Kelly’s methods, and innovative “Blur Offense,” would succeed in the NFL. Absent a championship victory, that skepticism will always have force. But there is no doubt that the “Blur Offense” has racked up some impressive achievements during its short deployment time in the NFL. Interestingly, even though it looks complicated, the actual plays called for by the scheme are quite basic. Absent novelty, what makes it a successful offensive platform? Conditioning, execution, timing — all elements that can be perfected through practice. Just as foundational legal skills, such as written and verbal communication, can be made more effective through practice.

Sponsored

Ultimately, what draws myself and many other lawyers to being fans of professional football is our recognition that the NFL is a meritocracy, just like law practice is. Yes, a fancy athletic pedigree such as a scholarship from a Division 1 football factory can help with “breaking into” the NFL, just like a fancy academic pedigree can serve as a jumping off point for a Biglaw career or prestigious government entry-level job. But in either the NFL or law, if you want to stay employed, much less flourish, you need to perform. And there are no shortcuts to coaxing out your peak performance, or that of the lawyers and staff that report to you. Preparation, being able to innovate within the confines of what has proven successful in the past, a sense of teamwork — those are the elements for achieving true professional success. In the meantime, Fly, Eagles Fly.

Please feel free to send comments or questions to me at gkroub@kskiplaw.com or via Twitter: @gkroub. Any topic suggestions or thoughts are most welcome.

Ed. note: This column has been brought to you by our friends at MyCase, web-based practice management software for lawyers. Click here to learn more about streamlining your law practice from anywhere and get a free 30 day trial.

Please note that the views expressed in the column are those of the writer alone.

Sponsored


Gaston Kroub lives in Brooklyn and is a founding partner of Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov PLLC, an intellectual property litigation boutique. The firm’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and related counseling, with a strong focus on patent matters. You can reach him at gkroub@kskiplaw.com or follow him on Twitter: @gkroub.