sheet: for the defendant's stop, the reading of his rights and his refusal of the Breathalyzer. Kessler also asks the officer why his signature and badge number do not appear on the arrest's carbon copy. The officer, a man who appears to be in his 50s with a large, gold eagle medallion around his neck, winces before he answers Kessler's questions. In between winces, he leans back in the witness chair with one arm behind his head. The officer testifies that he determined the defendant was drunk after speaking with him. Kessler objects on the that the officer had not yet read the defendant his Miranda rights. Ultimately, the officer testifies that he arrested the defendant after he refused the Breathalyzer test. The judge is unfamiliar with case law on the required order of the procedure and asks for a citation. Kessler heads up to the law library. He finds the citation after combing through six books and returns to the fourth-floor courtroom, caption and case number in hand. The judge grants Kessler's motion that there was no basis for summary suspension because procedure established by statute and case law was not followed during the arrest. Kessler says this procedure violation happens probably 80 percent of the time in DUI cases. What's difficult is getting an officer "to admit that he didn't do what he was supposed to do. They probably do that 5 percent of the time." MITCHELL F. Mitchell Asher estimates that he represents thousands of landlords. He is about 5'10" with broad shoulders. He wears a pinkie ring, and his hair is slicked back. Most people know him as "Mickey." During the week, he can be found striding through the Daley Center hallways, pulling a large trial bag on wheels. the way, Asher, 58, stops to chat with other lawyers in the hallways and elevators. The conversations, usually about building code or eviction laws, are brief. Sometimes he doesn't even stop but shouts answers over his shoulder or through a closing elevator door. "You have to know the code" to represent landlords, says referring to the Chicago Building Code. "Most attorneys don't study the code."
Chart 1. Practice Styles Expertise Relationships External (new business from new clients) Hired Gun (External Reputation) Rainmaker (firm ambassador) Internal (new business from existing clients) Brain Surgeon (Technical Specialist) Person (client manager) Chart 2. Tactics By Business Development Type Hired Gun Marketing Conferences Pitches Writing Articles Rainmaker Networking Boards Entertaining Community causes Brain Surgeon Research & Development Internal reputation Internal CLE Point Person Client service Events with client Managing teams Look at the following list of “sweet spots.” Rank them from first to last in terms of how you see them fitting into your future. Share results with your PG. Talk about what skills you need to develop for your top choices and how you might get those skills. Writer (advocacy). You’re known for your ability to write great briefs without the need for extensive re-writes. This typically involves long hours, alone in your office, diving down deeply into the material at hand.
For those individuals who do advance beyond step five on the ladder, practice leadership represents stage six of an attorney’s career. While managing a practice group may be likened to herding cats, it is a necessary part of management and a critical factor in a firm’s success. Thus, with great power comes great responsibility. A practice leader is responsible for managing a particular function within the firm, including profit and loss accountability, personnel management and client relationships, in addition to the rainmaking and broader business responsibilities outlined above. Skills expected of a stage six attorney include: Conceptualizing a practice and selling it. It is not merely enough for a stage six attorney to say, “I manage the firm’s X practice,” she must be able to articulate the particular benefits of the practice to a given client or prospect as well as her firm’s competitive advantage. Selling the practice is an important piece of leadership—almost as important as keeping the ship afloat. Managing costs and revenue. Ultimately, practice leaders are expected to manage a business unit within the firm, complete with profit and loss accountability. Looking at the practice as a business. Managing the business of one’s practice goes beyond the finances. A practice leader must endeavor to increase competitive advantage and position the practice as a leader in the marketplace. Developing a sense of ownership about the practice. While the vast majority of newly appointed practice leaders will be filling someone else’s shoes, there is great opportunity—and need—to make the position one’s own. Managing complexity. Every practice consists of multiple personalities, diverse individuals, cross- functioning teams and complex processes. A stage six attorney must master the subtleties of each and manage the interconnectivity in order to create and promote a successful practice. Being highly visible. The visibility at this stage can be intense and quite different from any role the attorney has yet experienced. A stage six attorney serves as the face of the practice to others within the firm, both above and below, and the face of the firm to external audiences. Practice leadership, just like every other stage, requires the mastery of a unique set of skills and an intense learning process. But unlike nearly every other stage, being a successful stage six attorney also requires managing your public persona and maintaining calm in the midst of what will undoubtedly be hectic times.