Today, I’m wondering if Dan Hull of What About Clients? blog fame is just a little bit cranky. I don’t know if it has anything to do with a lack of sleep or what, but he wrote one post at 3:59 a.m. this morning, and another at 2:24 p.m. which, when read together, appear to come across a touch testy about the work-life balance (WLB) issue.
His first post complimented Patrick Lamb of In Search of Perfect Client Service on his post reminding lawyers that the answer to the "work/life question" is that lawyers are in the SERVICE business, and if they do not want clients to be able to reach them easily, due to current technologies relating cell phone and PDAs, then they should “find something else to do.” In Dan’s second post, he discusses the WLB some more and states that it is a (naughty word to follow) “dumb-ass issue.” Now, now Daniel!
He goes on to remind us that the practice of law is demanding, it’s not just a job (also mentioning that if one thinks so, they should do something else), everyone is responsible for their own WLB, and any “job-hunting student” best be prepared at his firm to work (here he goes again) their “asses off.” He concludes by stating what a privilege it is to work and practice law.
Well, it got me to thinking that there might be a “few” associates (and partners) that should read both posts and take them to heart. They reminded me of the time, when I was in-house and attending an associate committee meeting when a young lawyer asked how soon he/she would be entitled to take a sabbatical. HUH?
And, the WLB argument has been used many times in my presence to explain away a lawyer’s lack of legal marketing activity. So, maybe Dan wasn’t really being so cranky after all.