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LAWPRO Magazine: 2015 September Blue Sky
In This Issue of LAWPRO Magazine
The day-to-day stresses and challenges of being a lawyer
A sole practitioner and single mom is locked in a room in her house. Her young autistic son, outside the room, has put a chair up against the door to prevent it from opening. There is a lot of yelling and screaming. She calls 911 and the police arrive. One of the constables happens to… Read More »
Self-assessment: do I need help?
Lawyers are used to helping others with their problems. This can lead to viewing others – not ourselves – as the people with the problems. But lawyers are actually more likely than the population average to experience addiction or suffer from mental illness. Many worry that there is a potent stigma attached to being a… Read More »
How unhealthy lawyers affect client service
Almost all lawyers experience stress, but unless it becomes toxic, there is little risk to the client. Occasionally things get truly out of control. That’s when important deadlines are missed, communication with the client diminishes (or ends), and files languish. In extreme cases, the lawyer ‘pretends’ to practice by misrepresenting to the client that work… Read More »
Reading the signs: Stepping in when a colleague needs help
As adults in the workplace, we usually strive to respect our coworkers’ privacy and autonomy. But it’s important to understand the difference between being nosy and being responsive. The taboos that accompany mental illness, substance abuse and interpersonal problems can make it difficult for workers to seek help when they need it. By reacting sensitively… Read More »
Being happier where you are, or getting to a better place
Lawyering is stressful. Lawyers expect to handle the pressures of solving individuals’ high-stakes, emotionally charged problems. What lawyers don’t necessarily anticipate is that they may suffer stress from being stuck in a work situation that is not their first choice. Competition for jobs may mean that a lawyer needs to accept work outside his or… Read More »
Find your blue sky
Some lawyers seem to thrive, having found their ideal practice, while others still search for their blue sky. Discovering your values is a journey. As children we are brought up with the values our parents instilled in us. In early adulthood we may have experiences that challenge those family values. Attending university and unfettered from… Read More »
Protecting the team – A firm’s most valuable asset
There are certainties in life. Death. Taxes. A person who is well, physically and mentally, is more productive than if he or she is not well. That last truth should be self-evident; if it isn’t, it might be proved by the wealth of material published on wellness. A Google search produces 393,000,000 hits. That said,… Read More »
Taking parental leave? You have options
[This article was updated in August 2021] Planning for parental leave might seem overwhelming when you are thinking about leaving your practice for an extended period, particularly if you’ve never taken leave before. You may have questions about the process of taking time off and how this will impact your professional liability insurance. Do I… Read More »
Don’t worry about minor differences in title insurance policy terms – if you choose the right policy
We know that it is important to review the coverages, exclusions and specific exceptions in title insurance policies with clients. However, with respect to standard policy coverages (provided they are not affected by any property-specific exceptions), lawyers should be aware that the nature of Legal Service Coverage in TitlePLUS policies makes differences in these coverages… Read More »
10 tips to better manage your inbox
The LAWPRO Magazine article The day-to-day stresses and challenges of being a lawyer discusses how technology contributes to today’s frantic pace of practice. And if there is one technology that adds to the stress of a harried lawyer’s day, it’s their email inbox. Clearing out emails often feels like Hercules cleaning out the Augean stables…. Read More »
Don’t slip down that slope! Don’t let personal issues lead you to bend the rules
At least two of the Law Society of Upper Canada’s discipline decisions in the last few months referenced a lawyer’s “loss of moral compass.” Even honest and well-intentioned lawyers have, when under pressure or when suffering from illness, addiction or a personal crisis, succumbed to the belief that it’s perfectly fine to bend the rules… Read More »
Access to justice: Limited scope representation
Increasingly, legal services are moving away from the full-service model. Outsourcing document review, e-discovery, and other discrete legal services are becoming more common-place. Small practitioners and larger firms alike can offer limited scope representation, or “unbundled” representation, which let clients pick and choose when they want to engage with a lawyer during the life of… Read More »
Book reviews: Two books for better health
The practicePRO Lending Library has two great books on wellness issues that you can borrow. If you are looking for help in finding more balance in your life, The Lawyer’s Guide to Balancing Life and Work, by George W. Kaufman, is just for you. Kaufman, who was a successful and seasoned partner for 40 years… Read More »
Who needs resilience?
The traditional perception is that, as a lawyer, life will follow a straight, upward trajectory from law school to articling at a wonderful firm, followed by personal fulfillment and financial success – with no bumps along the way. That’s the kind of thinking I’ve often heard expressed by lawyers, and what causes young Canadians to… Read More »