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Beyond Biglaw: Respect Is In The Details

Columnist Gaston Kroub asks: why is an attention to detail so important for a lawyer to demonstrate?

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A few columns back, when I addressed some of the qualities that successful junior associates exhibit, I discussed the importance of an attention to detail. Even though that column was directed to junior associate qualities, there is no doubt that the importance of demonstrating an attention to detail waxes, rather than wanes, as an attorney’s career develops. There is a temptation, which can strike any of us, to belittle the importance of this quality as “elevating form over substance.” And it is true that a client would much rather have a winning result obtained through sloppy legal work than a loss accompanied by pristine lawyering. At the same time, lawyers who demonstrate an attention to detail are much more likely to have fulfilling and successful careers.

So why is an attention to detail so important for a lawyer to demonstrate? An easy reason is that law is a competitive business, and absent ways for many clients to substantively differentiate between good and poor legal work — especially when the work is still in process — there is a natural tendency to try and distinguish an attorney’s work based on presentation, rather than content.

But I think there is a deeper answer to that question to consider as well. We all know that humans crave respect — and therefore have a negative, often visceral, reaction when faced with a lack of respect. It does not matter if the disrespect is outwardly aimed at them. Even just dealing with people who have a lack of self-respect can be very off-putting. As a result, our human tendency is to avoid people who don’t show respect, to themselves or to others.

It is important for lawyers to acknowledge these basic human tendencies on occasion. I am not Catholic, but as a native and lifelong New Yorker, I understand the important role played by New York’s Cardinal as a representative of the faithful in the city. So I read with interest the testimonials to the life of Edward Cardinal Egan, who passed away recently. And I was struck by a motto of his that seemed to influence his demeanor, actions, and worldview in a profound way: “In the detail is respect.” His words reinforced my belief that it can help us in our practices and lives to acknowledge the importance of respect.

It is important to realize that while Cardinal Egan was a religious figure, he was also a canon lawyer. And he surely realized that the successful practice of law revolves around “the details,” with the difference between a successful lawyer and an unsuccessful one often revolving around their relative respect for the importance of those details. Whether that means an extra hour of research as a partner to make sure that your associate found the “best cases” for the brief you are preparing, or a stubborn refusal to rely too heavily on “form documents” even as an experienced dealmaker, the important thing is that by demonstrating an attention to detail as a lawyer, you are also demonstrating respect.

As members of a service profession, attorneys need to demonstrate respect to a number of constituencies. That is a blessing in many ways, since the need to exhibit respect may be a powerful motivator when circumstances conspire to make it difficult for us to perform at our best. First and foremost, an attorney needs to have respect for the client, irrespective of whether that client is a relative, friend, or “faceless corporation.” Clients have choices when choosing counsel, and when they choose us, it is imperative to remember that we have all taken oaths to safeguard and advance their interests — even when doing so comes at great personal cost.

But sometimes clients do things that cause our respect for them to waver. It is a natural consequence of any relationship, especially one that often involves stressful periods. At those times, it is important to also have other reservoirs to tap in order to motivate oneself to maintain the highest standards of practice. For some, respect for their fellow partners or firm is enough to ensure that every piece of work product that is produced meets those standards. For others, it may be a sense of responsibility as an officer of the court that provides the necessary push. Ideally, respect for everyone you interact with informs your professional and personal behaviors.

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Finally, our obligation to show respect does not extend solely unto others. Unfortunately, there are too many stories in our profession of lawyers who have lost respect for themselves, leading to disastrous professional and personal consequences. In order to respect others properly, we must all strive to respect ourselves as well, and appreciate the various gifts that we enjoy — our freedoms, our accomplishments, and most importantly, our potential to serve others in their times of need. If you are comfortable with your level of self-respect and respect for others, great. Look for small ways to improve. And if you are struggling to approach your work with the proper level of respect, try and focus on the little details that take something mediocre and make it great. Soon enough, that focus on the details will create respect — for yourself, and for those whom you are privileged to serve.

Please feel free to send comments or questions to me at [email protected] or via Twitter: @gkroub. Any topic suggestions or thoughts are most welcome. For those interested in the intersection of intellectual property litigation and investing, I have also started a new blog/newsletter, “The Markman Note,” which is being hosted at Mimesis Law. There will be a video component to the project that will be launching soon as well. Feel free to check it out and let me know of any thoughts or suggestions.

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 [email protected] or follow him on Twitter: @gkroub.

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