Size Matters: The Power Of ‘And’
Small firm columnist Valerie Katz shares the secret to maintaining a well-balanced life AND excelling at small-firm practice. Behold the power of "and"....
Size Matters: Fancy Nancy Has A Message For You
Are you thinking about taking some branding advice from Fancy Nancy? Maybe you shouldn't. Small firm columnist Valerie Katz advises that you go call yourself a 'trial lawyer' as opposed to a 'litigator'....
AI Is Reshaping Legal Practice—But Tools Aren’t The Real Differentiator.
Explore the mindset, cultural shifts, and training strategies that define the AI‑savvy lawyer, revealing why human judgment, standardized competence, and integrated learning—not technology alone—will shape the future of the profession.
Size Matters: Small Firms and (Hopefully) Strong Women
Does your small firm need a 'Den Mother' to support its female associates? Small firm columnist Valerie Katz explains why women-owned law firms are a good environment for women lawyers....
Size Matters: I Need A Hero
I always assumed that my youth (or quasi-youth) would guarantee me superstar status in connection with social media. I am not sure why I thought this, because my first foray into Facebook was a bit of a disaster. I was quite late to the party, joining years after I realized that everyone was doing it. […]
Size Matters: Yet Another Reason To Go Solo
Thinking of going solo? It's challenging, but not impossible. Small-firm columnist Valerie Katz finds inspiration for aspiring solos from an unlikely source.
Size Matters: To err is human, but you are a lawyer.
Okay, you've made a mistake. Everyone does. What's the best way of handling the situation?
AI Is Killing Legal’s Billable Hour. It’s Also Repeating Its Worst Mistake
Law firms and legal departments are writing the future of the profession in separate rooms. What happens when they actually work together?
Size Matters: Small Firms Growing In This Economy
How are small law firms doing in a still-challenging economy? Better than you might expect, according to the results of a new survey.
Size Matters: Time For An Exposé
Yesterday I was at a local coffee shop around the lunch hour. I spotted a man that I think was Morgan Spurlock. I am not positive that it was him, but he had red hair and the Horseshoe mustache. It is possible that I saw Danny Bonaduce, a mustached Alfred E. Neuman, or some other […]
Size Matters: No White After Labor Day Is Not Fashion Law
I consider myself to be pretty fashionable. Indeed, I (like so many others) pray to the patron saint of fashion, the Duchess of Cambridge. I am well versed in the laws of fashion. For example: 1. Thou shalt not wear a romper after age 22. 2. Thou shalt wear white any season. 3. Khakis are […]
Size Matters: Time To Get All Nancy Grace On You
It has been a while since I took the S.A.T, but here goes. Nancy Grace: Casey Anthony Verdict; Valerie Katz: ________. A. Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio; B. Biglaw Spring Bonuses; C. Closed Compensation Model in Small Firms; D. All of the above; E. None of the above. Correct Answer: C. I, like Ms. Grace about […]
Schenck Price Competes Smarter With Lexis+ With Protégé
LexisNexis sat down with John Ursin, Managing Partner at Schenck Price, to learn how the firm is using legal AI to strengthen client service and daily legal work.
Size Matters: Small Firm Travels Great Distances
This weekend I watched the three-part Moroccan adventure on Real Housewives of New York. Each moment was more awkward than the next as I watched the worst clichés about Americans acted out on screen. I could not imagine a more inappropriate set up other than if Bravo had sent a group of small-firm lawyers to […]
Size Matters: Desperately Seeking Susan
Last week, I received an email from a recent graduate who is in the midst of a small firm job search. She is having trouble focusing her search because there are so many small law firms and so few resources (or so she thought) about how to find all the various firms. She wrote: Every […]
Size Matters: Do Small Firms All Hope To Grow Big?
Being a Chicagoan, I am serious about my deep-dish pizza. I am so serious, in fact, that I recently went on a pizza tour. Along with six other people (all tourists for some unknown reason) and our guide (a curiously skinny pizza aficionado), we sampled a slice from three famous pizzerias. One of the restaurants […]
Size Matters: Trolls Could Save Your Business
Before I sat down to write this column, I thought I knew what trolls were. Answer: they are the men who I dated in law school. Apparently, that is only partially true. Trolls are also a potential revenue source for small firms. The term “patent trolls” is a controversial term with multiple meanings. According to […]
Size Matters: Ice Is Not The Only One Who Loves Coco
It may be true that all happy families are alike while each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Based on my experience going undercover as V. Katz, I have come to learn that this is also true for associates (Biglaw and small). Based on the comments on the salary survey, there are many […]