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Beyond Biglaw: 3 Spring Cleaning Tips

No one said spring cleaning is easy -- but if it is done right, it can lead to a fresh start.

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Beyond BiglawWhile wacky weather has marked the start of spring here in New York City, the fact that we are already in the second quarter of the year should not go unnoticed. It may not feel like spring, but this is still the time of renewal, a phenomenon that has as much relevance in our professional lives as it does it in the natural world. By now, we know if our New Year’s resolutions have amounted to anything, and it is a natural time to pause and consider whether our year is off to the start we were hoping for — because there is still time to correct the course, especially if decisive action is taken right away with that goal in mind.

As lawyers, the idea of a professional spring cleaning can mirror the yearly domestic routine that many of us follow once springtime rolls around. Depending on our motivation level, and strength of our hoarding tendencies, home offices and garages might be cleaned out over the course of a lengthy (and nowadays sports-light) Sunday afternoon. Yes, we may one day find some utility in that 2005 day planner, but more likely the time has come to free up precious shelf space.

In a similar vein, I just found myself pulling no less than seven suit jackets, some dating back to the turn of the century, out of my closet. All were ostensibly repurposed as sport coats, once the accompanying pants had worn through in the seat — but in truth they were doing nothing more than serving as decorations for some of my finest hangers. The fact that it was even a question as to whether to clear them out is a testament to the power of inertia, at a minimum.

But while we may have enough closet space to keep some past-their-prime clothes hanging around, I venture that most of our careers have very little room for the dangers caused by professional inertia and stagnation. Just as it makes sense to take stock of our material possessions, and discard or (better yet) donate those that have outlived their utility to us, it also makes sense to evaluate how our year has progressed to date. By doing so, we afford ourselves the opportunity to reverse course if our careers are not progressing to our satisfaction, or build up even more positive momentum when things are going well. While a general self-analysis is always useful, the process can be even more valuable if it is a bit more focused. So here are three potential areas of focus to consider for a professional spring cleaning.

spring cleaning spring cleanFirst, now is a good time to give some thought to how we are handling our personal problem areas. Everyone will have different issues, of course, but everyone also knows what their own personal obstacles to career success and fulfillment are. For some lawyers, the problems are physical — they need to lose weight, or get fit, or cut back on their drinking. For others, the problems are rooted in an unhealthy relationship with their work, or poor relationships with colleagues or family. Everyone has something. For many of us, our yearly resolutions are directly tied to our belief that if we change just one thing, then everything else in our lives will fall more neatly into place. So consider how you are doing on that front — because making progress in dealing with your particular demons or challenges is critical.

Second, pay some attention to how your firm performed in the first quarter of the year. For a variety of reasons, law firms tend to benefit from end-of-year demand, which together with a renewed focus on collections can skew year-end results for many firms. Even if your firm had a strong 2015, nothing is as telling about the continued viability of the firm in this tumultuous marketplace than its performance to start this year. Some questions to consider: Did management make any promises about how they expected the year to go? If so, how is the real-world performance of the firm matching those expectations? Is the firm growing or contracting? More importantly, why is it going in either of those directions?

No matter the size of the firm, or your role, it is important to have at least a general sense of how the start of the year has gone. If you don’t have access to the financials of the firm, make do with what you have. Check up on any media reports of the firm’s doings, and keep an eye on any announcements from the marketing department or executive committee, particularly with respect to interesting or new client work, as well as lateral activity and staff retention. Formulate your own snapshot, as best as you can, about the health of your firm. You want to be part of a healthy business, and if not, planning your escape — preferably before the year-end lateral rush.

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Third, take a look at the types of projects you are actually working on at the moment. Are you under- or overqualified for them? If the former, make sure you have access to the training you need to meet expectations. If the latter, consider why you have been unable to attract work commensurate with your skill level, and formulate a marketing plan to change things. Remember that marketing can both be internal to your firm and directed at external clients. Perhaps most importantly, evaluate just how important and valuable you are to your firm — right now. It is not the time to focus on past accolades and achievements, or even future potential. Better to focus on your present value, and what you can do to improve it. No one said spring cleaning is easy — but if it is done right, it can lead to a fresh start.

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.

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