LPM Tip

Don’t hoard work when things are slow

For many attorneys, having nothing to do is a fate to be avoided at all costs. Therefore, when work slows down, many attorneys will begin to do lower value work that they would ordinarily pass along to an associate. But hoarding work is often a lose/lose proposition. When work can be done at a lower billing rate, clients are not happy to pay the partner's rate. For the partner doing the work, the workday can become much more mundane.

Instead, when times are slow, spend your time networking with prospective clients and referral sources. Take the time to draft an article or prepare for speaking engagements. Get up to speed on recent developments in your practice area or spend some time learning how to use the law office technology that you already own. In the short run, filling up your day with more routine work may seem appealing. But in the long run, it is the higher value activities that will help you to advance your practice.

This tip is courtesy of Stephen Seckler, Seckler Legal Coaching.

Published March 31, 2011

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