There is a saying among lawyers — well, less of a saying and more of a parody of a cliché expression. We say that you should judge a book by its case, not its cover. Not the best joke, sure, especially when you hear it for the hundredth time, but, to quote another cliché, “many a true word is spoken in jest.” The parody points out that something’s substance should always outweigh its appearance. Unfortunately, many people do not subscribe to this famous maxim.
A friend of mine was leaving Biglaw to strike out on her own, which was, as expected, a tumultuous time for her, leading to her seeking solid advice from industry experts. She got a huge amount of input, which inevitably meant that she would need to take a few things with a grain of salt. For me, though, one particular comment necessitated a whole bag of salt — not to preserve it, but to get rid of the smell. Like a hamburger in the back of a fridge, it was both old and off.
The advice?
How MyCase Accounting Transforms Legal Bookkeeping
This complete system built for lawyers simplifies the complex world of law firm finance.
Get a mahogany desk, leather-bound books, and expensive suits.
Now, I don’t think any of those things are inherently bad (in fact, the aesthetic fits some people quite well). My problem resided in the fact that people told her she would need those things in order to be successful, which I could not possibly disagree with more.
There is a popular notion that, if you engage in the field of law, then your lifestyle and environment must look like they came straight out of an episode of Suits!
This is fundamentally flawed.
How LexisNexis CourtLink And Lexis Snapshot Deliver Business Wins
These tools demonstrate that information is power.
The aesthetic originated as a by-product of good lawyers — those who did well enough to afford high-quality furnishing and attire proved influential in multiple ways. But now, for a lot of lawyers, the aesthetic comes before being a good lawyer! People assume that having that look would then automatically make you a great lawyer.
Not only is this a preposterous suggestion, at the end of the day, it also doesn’t make much sense for a new practice to splurge on expensive furnishings. Their capital is invaluable and should be spent on things that directly benefit process or profit (technology, an assistant’s salary, marketing, you get the idea). There is a long list of things that would benefit my friend far more than having the “lawyer look.”
When tradition is prioritized over innovation, progress will always take a back seat to aesthetics. I firmly believe that it is time to remove tradition from the law industry equation. As long as someone operates under the jurisdiction of the old order, nothing will change. As we take law to new places, creating more “law fusions,” we need to convict tradition on its encroachment upon freedom and take back the liberty that was always ours.
The best measure of your career is not your three-piece suit, but the value you add to your clients, which looks great on them. Time is never lost when value is added. Focus on what you bring to the table. Don’t worry about what said table looks like. Show up as yourself every time, because you will never regret being you.
You could build a successful career with just a clean white desk, sophisticated technology, and impasto paintings. You don’t need leather-bound pages. You don’t even need paper!
Again, show up as yourself every time. And, wear confidence, not convention, no matter where and under what circumstances you practice law.
Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.