Big Law Life

#145: The BigLaw Career Shift From Matter Lawyer to Trusted Advisor

One of the most revealing business development metrics in BigLaw is when something happens with a client, who do they call? Revenue, origination, pitches, and repeat matt

#144: How BigLaw Firms Measure Your Book of Business

How BigLaw firms actually measure a book of business matters, and a $1 million book can mean very different things depending what sits underneath that number, as well as

#143: Can You Change Your Reputation in BigLaw?

Why do some negative professional impressions fade quickly while others can follow a lawyer for years? And what can you can do when an outdated reputation begins affectin

#142: Why Easy-to-Brief Lawyers Stand Out in BigLaw

There is an under-rated skill that can make lawyers significantly more valuable to partners and clients: being easy to brief. This does not mean knowing everything about

#141: How BigLaw Partnership Promotion Committees Really Make Decisions

In this episode, I discuss what actually happens when a BigLaw lawyer's name goes before a partnership promotion committee and the decision points that illustrate what th

#140: Practical Business Development for BigLaw Mid-Level Associates

Practical business development in BigLaw begins much earlier than most associates think. Mid-level associates are often told to focus on doing excellent work, meeting dea

#139: What Business Development Should Look Like for BigLaw Junior Associates

Business development in BigLaw begins much earlier than most associates thinkm but not in the way you might imagine or that your firm is suggesting. Junior lawyers are of

#138: The BigLaw Mindsets You Need to Leave Behind

In this episode, I discuss five things BigLaw attorneys often spend too much energy worrying about early in their careers and why those priorities should change as they b

#137: Leaving BigLaw Without a New Job: Managing Your Reputation and Search

In this episode, I discuss what happens when your final day at a BigLaw firm arrives and you haven't landed your next role. The concerns in this situation can extend beyo

#136: When Your BigLaw Firm Wants You to Move On - But Hasn't Yet Said When

What happens when you're told, often indirectly, that your future is no longer with the firm while receiving little clarity about when you are actually expected to leave.

#135: Why BigLaw Junior Partner Compensation Stalls and How to Increase It

One of the biggest compensation frustrations for junior partners is how to move your comp meaningfully as you are still working to grow your practice and especially to or

#134: Why Some BigLaw Problems Never Get Solved

One of the most overlooked skills in BigLaw is understanding law firms actually solve problems. Many associates, and even some partners, assume that if they raise an issu

#133: How You Can Better Bill Your Time to Show Your Value in BigLaw

Billable hours are far more than an administrative task in BigLaw. While most associates focus on meeting annual hours targets, the way you record your time in fact direc

#132: The 7 Signals BigLaw Associates Consistently Misread

One of the biggest mistakes associates make when evaluating their careers in BigLaw is relying on signals that often have little relationship to long-term success. Many l

#131: The Biggest Mistakes BigLaw Attorneys Make with Business Development Plans

One of the most common reasons lawyers struggle with business development despite investing significant time and effort is that they confuse activity with strategy. Many

#130: How to Find Stability When BigLaw's Structure Is Changing

In this episode, I discuss one of the key structural shifts facing lawyers today: the gradual transformation of the traditional BigLaw career model. For decades, attorney

#129: What Junior BigLaw Partners Wish They Understood Earlier

In this episode, I discuss one of the most challenging transitions in BigLaw: becoming a partner and discovering that legal excellence alone is no longer enough. Many law

#128: How BigLaw Associates Build Confidence Without Having All the Answers

In this episode, I discuss one of the biggest misconceptions about confidence inside BigLaw: the belief that confidence comes from having more certainty, more answers, or

#127: What Associates Need to Know About Reading Unspoken Signals in BigLaw

In this episode, I discuss one of the most overlooked skills inside BigLaw, the ability to accurately read strategic and emotional signals that are rarely communicated di

#126: Why Coherence Can Matter More Than Expertise in BigLaw Teams

Many lawyers think about influence inside BigLaw through formal titles, originations, or technical expertise. But in practice, some of the most trusted and influential la