INSIGHTS

It is safe to say that virtual coffees and cocktails are inadequate substitutes for the real thing, and we cannot wait to resume in-person meetings. But serving clients remotely throughout the pandemic has challenged us to adopt new tools and approaches, some of which have improved the process of serving our clients. When we retire our covid couture (aka sweatpants), let’s not lose sight of the lessons learned over the last year. Here are some of the changes we hope to make permanent: Virtual Meetings Conducting necessary meetings

As an attorney who regularly represents clients in high-stakes litigation, my clients look to me to argue their cases. Clients generally perceive advocacy as argument. But in my 31 years as a trial lawyer, I have learned that careful listening is the key to effective argument. The starting point is listening and learning from the client about her concerns and objectives. Effective advocacy also requires listening — and, critically, hearing — the other side. The focus should not be on the fight but, rather, on the resolution. Organizational

One of the hardest parts of my job is advising a client who has gotten stuck. Maybe they made a bad business decision a few years back but can’t admit it to themselves. Or maybe a once-successful approach is no longer working but “escalation of commitment” — the business school term for holding on too long to a strategy that was once successful — is a barrier to making appropriate adjustments. Legal practice is far from immune to escalation of commitment. Throughout my career, I have seen too

1. What can’t I ask?? This is a trick question. There is no question related to the legal services your lawyer has been hired to provide that is out of bounds. And when you ask a question, you should get a prompt and direct answer to it from your lawyer. Of course, the answer may not always be what you want to hear. Depending on your question, the answer may identify other questions that require consideration or additional information before they can be resolved. Just as transparency, full

Goodman Law Group | Chicago’s COO Bonnie Goodman brings a unique set of skills and experience to her work for the firm. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a part-time practice as a geriatric therapist, and an accomplished former marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company, Bonnie has a gift for perceptive listening and a heart for service that helps her understand clients’ needs and find creative ways to meet them. Bonnie is the backbone of GLG’s healthy work culture and client-service focus, and David calls her

March 16, 2020, was a rather surreal day for most people, but for me it also marked an important milestone that would not work out quite the way I expected. That Monday, Chicago was on the brink of a shelter-in-place order. It was also my first day back to the office following maternity leave. Like all parents returning to work, I had mixed feelings of trepidation and excitement. Add to that the question of what life would look like during the coming months of the pandemic, and you

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Arthur Ashe, enjoyed outstanding success as a tennis player. During his career, he won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and, at one point, was ranked number two in the world in men’s tennis. His wins could be quantified by titles, trophies, and earnings. Ashe famously observed that “[s]uccess is a journey and not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Ashe’s insight is great advice for living a meaningful life. However, this