80 percent of life is showing up. —Woody Allen If you want to marry someone Jewish, don’t hang out at Catholic singles dances. —Stephen E. Seckler (based on similar quotes from unknown sources) My three adult children all attended a private middle school. We actually live in a community that is well known for its high-quality public schools. In fact, all three of them attended our public elementary school. They even graduated from our public high school, but my wife and I were concerned that middle school was the weak link. Instead, we opted for much smaller class sizes and an inclusive cultur ..read more

No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care —Theodore Roosevelt Keeping in contact with past clients is a great way to build your practice. Former clients can be a good source of additional business and referrals. But if you are like most of the lawyers I coach, once a client matter has been resolved, your energy generally shifts to the next client or the next matter. Staying in touch falls way down on your priority list. In my opinion, failing to stay in contact with former clients is a big missed opportunity for most lawyers. It takes a lot of time and energy to build a ..read more

“I was stunned by the response.” ? That is what my client told me after sending out 20 email messages to former clients. This lawyer was reluctant to reach out to these clients because it had been a long time since she last communicated with them. And she assumed that few would respond. Her inner dialogue went something like this: ❓ Why would they want to hear from me? ❌ They are going to think that I’m just reaching out because I want their business ❌ I don’t like it when people think of me as a pushy salesperson ❌ I don’t want to feel rejected if they don’t respond In fact the majo ..read more

I’ve always struggled with reading. When I tell that to people, they are often surprised. How did you get through law school ? In truth, I did just fine in law school. I even passed the bar on the first try. I do learn a lot by reading. But reading has always been difficult for me because of issues related to concentration. In the past 10 years, social media and my iPhone have only made this worse. More recently, I started listening to more books on tape and that has helped. But since last year, AI has also been a game changer for me. It has dramatically increased my reading comprehension. Eve ..read more

A few months ago, a client who was going through a rough patch in his career said to me, “I’m so glad to have you by my side.” This simple yet powerful statement reminded me of why I love coaching.  I was also amused (and flattered) because he is someone who has done ministry; and I know who else is by his side.  LoL! I love helping lawyers to be more successful and find more career satisfaction (in or out of the law). My “why” is that I have spent many years figuring out how to do this for myself (with the help of a lot of coaching and mentors). I went to law school. I think like a ..read more

ABA GPSolo eReport Apr 29, 2024          4 min read Summary     Marketing doesn’t have to be something you dread. It actually can be something you look forward to, something that feels natural and comfortable.     Networking isn’t a transaction; it’s about building a community. Offer your help freely, without immediately looking for something in return.     By focusing on what you love, staying connected, and being genuinely helpful, you’ll not only build a successful practice but actually enjoy doing it. Th ..read more

By Stephen E. Seckler, Esq. I write frequently about legal marketing (including many articles I’ve published in the GPSolo eReport, and hundreds of posts I’ve done on my blog and on LinkedIn).  See e.g. 18 Marketing Mistakes Lawyers Must Avoid. I write in part to create more resources for the attorneys I coach. In that vein, a few months ago, I saw a gap that I wanted to fill. I am always telling my clients to learn what they can about the people they meet.  What you learn can be very helpful in staying top of mind. I sat down to create a checklist that my clients could refer to.&nbs ..read more

On Saturday, I had JOMO, FOMO, YOLO, and then finally decided to go solo. A note of explanation. Lately, I’ve been trying to do a better job of following my own advice. I tell my own clients to make time for things that matter to them (i.e. besides work). Part of that is making time for self-care. But another part is making time to do the things that are important to you (e.g. like spending time with friends and family, taking real vacations, pursuing hobbies and other interests, etc.) In that vein, for a couple of weeks now, I’ve had been thinking it would be nice to go to Vermont to see the ..read more

One of the occupational hazards of being a professional is that people are paying us for our knowledge and wisdom. This is particularly true in the practice of law where the ability to argue or state a position is often seen as the hallmark of good lawyering. Many of us like to talk. In truth, there are times when we miss the mark by opening our mouths. If we want to be effective in representing our clients, we need to be active listeners first. Our eagerness to demonstrate our intelligence and legal acumen can interfere with our ability to truly understand the underlying issue or problem ..read more

Marketing as a lawyer doesn’t mean you have to follow a prescribed set of activities that everyone else is doing. In fact, engaging in activities that you genuinely enjoy and feel passionate about can be significantly more effective than forcing yourself to participate in ones you feel you “should” do. I hear clients tell me all the time that they should [fill in the blank]. While “shoulds” are certainly a part of being a grown up, when it comes to marketing, you are better off finding activities that you like (as long as these activities align with your objectives for building your reputation ..read more