"Doug Linder and Nancy Levit combine evidence from the latest social science research with numerous engaging accounts of able attorneys at work to explain just what makes a good lawyer -- courage, empathy, integrity, realism, a strong sense of justice, clarity of purpose, and an ability to transcend emotionalism"--

You get good grades in college, pay a small fortune to put yourself through law school, study hard to pass the bar exam, and finally land a high-paying job in a prestigious firm. You're happy, right? Not really. Oh, it beats laying asphalt, but after all your hard work, you expected more from your job. What gives? The Happy Lawyer examines the causes of dissatisfaction among lawyers, and then charts possible paths to happier and more fulfilling careers in law. Eschewing a one-size-fits-all approach, it shows how maximizing our chances for achieving happiness depends on understanding our own personality types, values, strengths, and interests. Covering everything from brain chemistry and the science of happiness to the workings of the modern law firm, Nancy Levit and Doug Linder provide invaluable insights for both aspiring and working lawyers. For law students, they offer surprising suggestions for selecting a law school that maximizes your long-term happiness prospects. For those about to embark on a legal career, they tell you what happiness research says about which potential jobs hold the most promise. For working lawyers, they offer a handy toolbox--a set of easily understandable steps--that can boost career happiness. Finally, for firm managers, they offer a range of approaches for remaking a firm into a more satisfying workplace. Read this book and you will know whether you are more likely to be a happy lawyer at age 30 or age 60, why you can tell a lot about a firm from looking at its walls and windows, whether a 10 percent raise or a new office with a view does more for your happiness, and whether the happiness prospects are better in large or small firms. No book can guarantee a happier career, but for lawyers of all ages and stripes, The Happy Lawyer may give you your best shot.

Transform your legal education into a successful and fulfilling legal career In How to Be a Lawyer: The Path from Law School to Success, a team of veteran lawyers and entrepreneurs delivers an eye-opening discussion of how to translate your years of training and education into a running start in the world of practice. The book bridges the gap between law school and practice, whether you hope to be a big firm transactional attorney, a solo criminal lawyer, work for the government or any other legal profession. You’ll discover how you can use what you learned in law school and how you can develop the real skills you’ll need as you deal with clients and colleagues. The authors explain what your professors won’t tell you in law school and what employers and clients will actually expect from you. You’ll also find: Case studies and guest chapters describing the transition to major areas of law and how it can and should affect your law school decision making Expert advice on making your first job a successful one Guidance on how to avoid the most common career pitfalls and client mistakes Unfiltered opinions from clients about what they really think about lawyers An ideal resource for aspiring and current law students and early career lawyers, How to Be a Lawyer is the practical blueprint you need to build your legal career from scratch.

Most lawyers are too busy earning their fees to worry about customer care, public relations, office management or marketing. Or so they think.

This book will help you assess your legal career and pinpoint what you might want to change. It will then assist you in determining how to make those changes. This is a self-help book, but it is a different kind of self-help book. The exercises in the first portion of this book will help you take an in-depth look at your current career. Are you happy? What steps do you need to take to be more successful, feel more fulfilled. You will create a plan that can be implemented immediately to set goals, attack the areas you want to improve, and reach a satisfying resolution. Looking towards the future, this book surveys and helps you acknowledge professional realities; such as changes in the technological landscape, ups and downs in the stock market, the impact new legislation can have on your legal practice. This text will demonstrate that life's uncertainties will be less stressful if you do everything possible to increase your value right now and make a plan to continue increasing that value as you consider the future. Dare to make adjustments to your present and future goals and plans. You will not be able to foresee exactly what life will throw your way, but with this book as your guide, you will acquire the tools and methods to increase your knowledge of the current state of law and how it can impact your career.

Based on the strong correlation between job satisfaction and lawyer retention, this book explains how firms can continually engage and motivate lawyers. Discussions include why associate retention is an economic necessity for any firm, what it means to clients when lawyers leave, why so many lawyers express interest in pursuing other job fields, and the value of loyalty in today's practices. Provided are methods to establish trust between management and lawyers, common characteristics of the best lawyers, and seven ways to create an engaging environment.