First, read my article about goals published by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Back already? Great! I’ve convinced you that goals matter. They help guide priorities. They provide freedom, catalysts, and momentum. So, let’s get started. What makes a good goal? I’m sure you’ve heard of SMART goals, but I encourage you to take SMARTIES. … Read more
We have to treat our time like a precious resource. It has to be used effectively. First, let’s look at what we are doing right now, and which of those things we shouldn’t be. Welcome to the Eisenhower Matrix or the 4 Ds. Which things are Do, Delay, Delete, or Dump? Put another way, divide … Read more
Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.
We’ve all done it. We’ve said we are going to do something…later. Then it never gets done. We are going to go to the gym. We are going to call our mom. We are going to write that thank you card, article, novel, etc. But it doesn’t get done. Or it gets done only after … Read more
My staff teases me a lot about certain phrases that I repeat over and over (and over). They should. I would tease me a lot, too. That doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t keep repeating those things, though. A lot of the repeat-isms are things I say to myself even more often than I say to … Read more
Today’s post revisits something discussed several years ago on this blog: fair use. If you are looking for background or further reading, check out Erin’s posts here, here, and here, as well as Collin’s post here. As a quick TL;DR to those previous posts, fair use is a defense to copyright infringement claims for a … Read more
Five men. One teenager. Four women. Three dads. Two moms. A significant number of cats. Two dogs. Two toddlers. Three adult children. One five-year-old. Army veteran. Farm owners. City dwellers. Part-time. Ohio. Wisconsin. Michigan. Minnesota. Rural. Northwoods. White. African-Jamaican. Bougie. Snarky. Introvert. Ambivert. Extrovert. Disruptors. Software Engineering. Banking. Retail. Social media. Law School. Are you … Read more
“That was good, wasn’t it?” This was the question that Republican Senator John McCain asked Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy, after having one of their heated debates on the floor of the United States Senate. Two men putting aside their staunch differences because of a friendship. Now over the years, I have noticed that more and … Read more
As another year concludes, a bit of reflection can be in order. For me, there is much to reflect on after completing one year of work as a new lawyer at a busy law firm. Amid the end-of-year deal closings, trademark applications, and other adventures in the practice of law, I wanted to close out … Read more
