Lawyers: In 2021 Can You Reinvent Yourself?

Originally published by Cordell Parvin.

Over the Christmas weekend I watched The Bee Gees documentary on HBO Max.

There were at least three things that amazed me.

1. Their first hits I remember came out more than 50 years ago.
2. They reinvented themselves at least three times. The last time was when disco music became toxic and the “disco sucks” movement took hold of Mid-America, with a night of bedlam at Comiskey Park in Chicago. They received death threats.
3. They wrote well-known songs recorded by other artists. See: 8 songs you didn’t know were written by Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees

As you may know, John Travolta owes a great deal of his success to The Bee Gees.

What does that have to do with law? If your career lasts as long as mine, you’ll most likely have to reinvent yourself.

Reinventing yourself means taking risks. I know I did it more than once. After leaving the United States Air Force and starting work in my first law firm, I was a “commercial” litigator and also handled insurance defense cases. I knew as early as two years later that the legal market was changing and I had to change with it or rot on the vine. I purposely left a practice I had established myself in to a practice I had to both learn and development.

As I may have shared, I am writing my third novel. I started writing in 2019 and the story started in 2019. I originally planned for the trial to take place in 2020. In fact, I picked a Monday in March for the trial.

Guess what? I am not aware of any jury trials taking place in Dallas after March 12, 2020. I believe trials are now being scheduled for January, 2021 and beyond. My protagonist, Gabriela Sanchez may have to reinvent herself. Will the jury wear masks, be seated six-feet apart and have plexiglas protecting them. How about witnesses? Will witnesses be wearing masks? Will they be protected by plexiglas? Isn’t it likely judges and juries will be less patient than before?

What will change in your law practice in 2021? Will you have to reinvent yourself.

If you want to learn more about reinventing yourself in difficult times, see: 5 Strategies for Reinventing Your Career in Uncertain Times

The post Lawyers: In 2021 Can You Reinvent Yourself? appeared first on Cordell Parvin Blog.

Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.

from Texas Bar Today https://ift.tt/3pAgL5g
via Abogado Aly Website