Five Things that Have NOT Changed Since I Started Practicing Law

In my last post, I described five significant changes in the practice of law that have developed since I got my license in 1991 (less conventional library research, paper replaced by e-documents, more emphasis on marketing, etc.). But in writing that piece, I couldn’t help but also think of the things that have not changed, […]

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WSBA Turns 125: Read All About It in NWLawyer

Can you believe the WSBA is turning 125 years old? It doesn’t look a day over 30, even though it’s actually older than General Motors, IBM and the Boy Scouts of America. But as announced here, the Bar has a year’s worth of events to commemorate its founding and first century and a quarter of […]

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super hero

What if They Made a Superhero Movie About Lawyers?

A few decades ago, Hollywood was willing to make movies about more or less ordinary people — sometimes even lawyers. Some of the lawyer movies were not only good but popular: To Kill A Mockingbird, Inherit the Wind, The Verdict, A Few Good Men, Legally Blonde (hey, come on). Today, any movie hoping to see […]

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quotes

5 quick tips to streamline your writing

You know the old joke about having to write a long letter because you didn’t have time to write a short one? That’s the essence of good writing and editing. Shorter is almost always better, so long as meaning remains clear. Following are simple tips to tighten your writing, based on some of the most […]

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pizza

Off the Grill and Into the Fire

Summer is nearly upon us and many members of our profession look forward to this season of outdoor cooking in the beautiful Northwest. Well, I’m not one of them. Indoors or out, I cook about as well as I imagine Queen Elizabeth would play ice hockey. If a meal is going to take more preparation […]

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Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

A Dozen Practice Tips, Via Aphorisms

Although a word to the wise is sufficient, to be on the safe side, I am providing the following 775 words for your edification. This is not because I assume you are unwise, but because a little learning is a dangerous thing, and a job worth doing is worth doing well, or something like that. […]

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Friday 5: Stress Busters for the Busy Lawyer

Psychological stress is one of the most destructive internal forces affecting your body and mind. Many in our profession struggle daily to keep stress at bay so we can perform at our best and maintain good health. Following are a few simple things you can do right now to help fight stress: Get a pet. […]

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Gavel and scale

Thinking Like a Lawyer vs. Thinking Like an Arbitrator

I posted previously about how “thinking like a lawyer” — an appropriate mindset when serving as an advocate — can be a hindrance when acting in a different law-related role: that of a mediator. Here, I’ll share my thoughts on the mental adjustments a lawyer needs to make when serving in another dispute resolution capacity: […]

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not time to mediate

Thinking Like a Lawyer vs. Thinking Like a Mediator

Remember in law school how they taught you to “think like a lawyer?” You were conditioned to think analytically, strategically, some might say paranoically. After all, devoting your mental powers to protecting your client’s interests at all costs is your supreme duty as a lawyer. The problem is that thinking like a lawyer can be […]

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The 15-Minute Office Workout for Lawyers

Having a hard time starting that workout program you promised to follow in 2014? This should make it easier. Having a hard time starting that workout program you promised to follow in 2014? This should make it easier. The following is a five-step fitness routine you can do for free in the privacy of your […]

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