(June/2013)
I find writing the most rewarding — yet most difficult — part of my job. I start with a blank page that I must fill with words, As the page begins to fill up (or down, depending on how you look at it), my goal is to carefully craft and convey a message that resonates with my audience. I realize, of course, that I’m not performing coronary bypass surgery. Still, I take my job seriously. As do Docket authors. Continue Reading
Being valuable is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.
- Margaret Thatcher
In-house counsel must be focused on providing value in today’s corporate legal environment. Failure to do so likely will have adverse consequences for your career. So, I offer these 10 “rules” to help you prove your value in the corporate setting:* Continue Reading
(May/2013)
I get to my job at ACC via a commuter train. Most of the people I ride with work for the government, hospitals and nonprofits. Some of them are contractors; others are military personnel. I spend three hours commuting, round trip. If you see me tweeting at o’dark-thirty ET, this is why. Continue Reading
Introduction by ACC Docket’s Publisher & Directory of Surveys Kim Howard:
This month’s issue of the ACC Docket covers employment and human resources issues. I have managed different work situations and staff, but I have never worked with or managed someone who openly had a life-changing health issue. I turn this month’s blog post over Bret Parker, who announced his Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis almost exactly one year ago to the public and his office. Here, Bret gives us the employee side of the story, and shares how his legal department received his news. Continue Reading
Lawyers like to benchmark. After all, we frequently rely on precedent when we make decisions. Of course, at its simplest, precedent (like benchmarking) merely compares what someone did previously to help decide what we do today. Many law departments use this technique to see how they stand relative to their peers and recognized leaders in key areas.
The challenge is to identify a meaningful standard and actually take action when or if you come up short in the comparison.
The chance to benchmark against your peers is one of the many reasons to join ACC. After all, the association offers an unparalleled global network and a wealth of resources. Continue Reading