Small Law Firms

Do New Lawyers Need To Be Scared Into Being Perfect And Devoted To Their Job?

Every law firm should demand perfection and loyalty from its attorneys -- but not in a way that will scare and demoralize them.

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A colleague forwarded me one of those “How To Be A Successful Attorney” articles geared to new attorneys. For the first few paragraphs, it contained the usual truisms about the importance of client satisfaction and doing good work as the foundation of a successful legal career.

But as the article progressed, the author seemed more interested in scaring the reader. This is nothing new. Once in a while, a curmudgeonly author publishes an advice column coupled with some “harsh realities” of law practice.

For example, the author writes that perfection is the standard and any mistake, no matter how trivial, is intolerable. This means no grammatical errors, all deadlines must be met, and any voicemails and emails must be returned at once. Well, thank you Mr. Obvious. A certain mission statement comes to mind.

We encourage all of our attorneys to take risks with our clients because when we make mistakes, we learn from them and that knowledge makes the firm stronger and more innovative for our future clients.

– The mission statement of no law firm, ever.

This demand for perfection is a major cause of stress for lawyers. Particularly when under time pressure. The stress is also intense for new attorneys who may second guess whether they are doing their job correctly.

Look, I think I know what the author is really trying to say. Lawyers should strive for perfection in everything they do. And in the process, not make any basic, common sense mistakes. And lawyers should not brush off minor mistakes because it suggests that they don’t care about the client and it may lead to bigger mistakes down the road. I can see them having this attitude when they think their client has a losing case.

When faced with a potentially losing case, lawyers have to be reminded that they must remain sharp because it can mean the difference between the client getting a $20,000 fine and a $200,000 fine. It can mean the difference between getting six months of probation and six years of prison. Sometimes, it can mean the difference between getting life in prison and the death penalty.

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And once in a while, making no mistakes can lead to finding the smoking gun that can turn the case around resulting in victory for the client.

The second issue I had with the article is that the author seemed to imply that if you are not devoting every waking hour of the day working, then you fail as a lawyer. Because to the author, being a successful lawyer means sacrificing everything, including hobbies and family. Then this is followed by anecdotal stories of lawyers canceling vacations or skipping their kids’ basketball game or violin recital so they can go back to the office to do the late night review of the ninth addendum to the 500-page amended contract.

Those days sometimes happen, and when they do, you must do your professional duty. Later, you can explain to your child why Mommy or Daddy had to leave and apologize. In most cases, a future mommy/daddy-daughter day at the miniature golf course followed by a double fudge banana split will make up for it.

But a lot of times, things can be scheduled so that everyone can get their work done with minimal intrusion to their personal lives.

And as for those super law firm gunners who consistently volunteer to work late and miss out on their dinner with their family for the fourth time this week, I wonder about them. Maybe they are very motivated. Or their lifestyle is so expensive and lavish that they must work 70+ hours per week just to meet their monthly nut. Or they may not want to leave the office because their life at home is not too great.

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What were the authors’ motivations when they write grumpy advice articles? Maybe they are catering to the people who appreciate their edgy, in-your-face, keeping-it-real language. Perhaps they are just repeating the advice they received when they were new or learned on their own the hard way.

In the final analysis, every law firm will and should demand perfection and loyalty from its attorneys given the high stakes involved and the fees clients pay. However, this demand should be communicated in a manner that will motivate everyone to do their best. Not in a way that will scare and demoralize them.

Steven Chung is a tax attorney in Los Angeles, California. He helps people with basic tax planning and resolve tax disputes. He is also sympathetic to people with large student loans. He can be reached via email at sachimalbe@excite.com. Or you can connect with him on Twitter (@stevenchung) and connect with him on LinkedIn.

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