The Opportunity Maker

There's a simple principal in saving for retirement: start early. If you begin making small and regular investments when you are in your 20's, you will be well off by the time you reach 65.

It turns out that the same principle can be applied to building a law practice. Get started when you are a law student and by the time you are a senior associate, you can begin to reap the rewards. That is the basic premise behind a new book published by Thomas/West, The Opportunity Maker: Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career.

The Opportunity Maker is an easy read and contains a lot of practical information. While a newcomer to the profession (and marketing) may find the book a little overwhelming (another point made in the book is that there are many different ways to build your reputation and referral network,) the author does make an effort to point out that just getting started is what counts (i.e. not to do everything mentioned in the book.)

This volume is best used as a cookbook that can help you to understand how to implement strategies that feel most comfortable to you. No one could possibly try every suggestion (nor does it make sense to try.) But if you want to make a good investment in your career by laying the groundwork for building a practice, The Opportunity Maker is a good place to start.

In a Down Economy, Time is of the Essence

My colleague Deborah Acker has written a good post about job hunting in hard times. She argues that in a down economy, it is important to act quickly when job opportunities present themselves. She writes "see the opportunity, jump on it, and address it square on"--kind of like playing Whac-a-Mole at an arcade.

Keep it in Your Pocket

Never look at your blackberry during a job interview. It's rude! That's the advice in this week's Advice for the Lawlorn (free subscription required.)

Is Taking a Detour a Good Idea?

A litigation associate at a mid-sized firm wants to know if taking a non-legal writing position at a well know financial services firm will enhance his career prospects at a large law firm. The answer is a definitive NO! (free subscription required.)

Get Out of Your Zone

Your comfort zone that is.