Do Lawyers Live in Fear?

Fellow blogger, Stephanie West Allen, sent me the following article from Lawjobs.com CareerCenter. Would love to get your opinion.

Lawyers Live in Fear
James Dolan


"Our firm is ruled by fear," said Steve. "Hell, the whole profession is about fear. Fear of not billing hours, fear of not bringing in business, fear of losing business. Fear of not making partner. Fear of being in trouble with my wife for working too much, and, of course, fear of being in trouble with the partnership for not working enough." He stopped for a moment, letting his own words sink in.

"And it started in law school. The whole thing runs on fear. I'm sick of being afraid all the time."

Steve was talking about one of the unspoken realities of life in law.

Law practice is the military, and lawyers are the combatants. Some are pure strategists, poring in hushed offices over the contested terrain. They press their buttons at high altitudes and drop bombs on people they may never, personally, encounter.

Others are negotiators who bring differing factions together.

And others are plainly, clearly and undoubtedly foot soldiers whose job it is to do hand-to-hand combat.

Whatever level of engagement a lawyer has with The Other Side, he knows that this is win or lose, sink or swim, live or die. A lawyer's slightest misjudgment may be the beginning of the end.

Quite naturally, lawyers live in fear.


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James Dolan, M.A., is a professional coach and psychotherapist with 30 years of experience in private practice in the Dallas area. He works with lawyers and physicians in improving their business development communications, internal relations, and leadership and client-patient retention. His e-mail address isdolan.james@sbcglobal.net.



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