Jay Harrington
Traverse City
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Articles by Jay Harrington
The 12 Questions Every Lawyer Should Answer to Build a Sustainable Practice
Building a legal practice isn’t a one-time project. It’s an ongoing process of defining your goals, designing your approach, executing consistently, and adapting over time. Whether you're just starting out or hoping to take your practice to the next level, it helps to have a framework—something to guide your decisions, keep you grounded, and surface the questions that matter most. Below is a 12-step model I use with lawyers who are building their practices.
USERRA Does Not Require Paid Military Leave...Or Does It? | JD Supra
The landscape of federal military leave law may be shifting. In the past three years, four federal appellate courts have held that an employer may be required to offer paid leave for an employee’s military service where the leave is comparable to paid leave offered by the employer for non-military reasons. Employers in these jurisdictions and other jurisdictions should consider reviewing their leave and paid leave policies with legal counsel to assess their potential obligations.
The Risks Junior Lawyers Face by Switching Firms Too Soon, and the Benefits of Staying the Course Original
A recent International Bar Association survey reveals a striking reality: 54% of lawyers under 40 think they might leave their jobs within the next five years, and 20% are even pondering a departure from law altogether.
The Power of Client-Centric Selling
In my hometown there are two bike shops located across the street from each other. I recently went shopping in search of a new mountain bike, and had two drastically different experiences. I walked into the first shop, and was immediately greeted by a salesperson who asked me what I was looking for. “I’m thinking about getting a new mountain bike,” I said.
Episode 134: Jared Correia on How to Grow a Small Law Firm — Harrington - Thought-Leadership Marketing for Lawyers and Law Firms
Episode 134: In this episode, Jared Correia, founder or Red Cave Law Firm Consulting and podcaster extraordinaire, shares his expertise on how to run a small law firm like a business and grow it sustainably and profitably. Jared, Jay and Tom discuss Jared’s three-step system for growth, which involves establishing processes and systems, hiring effectively, and learning from data and analytics.
Make Better Decisions by Only Making Them Once
Every decision we make throughout a day progressively depletes our ability to make good decisions. This is called decision fatigue. Most mornings, I’m a model of productivity. I get up early, make coffee and am typically at my computer by 5:30 a.m. I get important work done, make a to-do list for my day, and fit a workout in before my kids get up. I eat a healthy breakfast, get the kids off to school, and then it’s back to work. In other words, I have a good morning routine.
In 1899, Teddy Roosevelt delivered a speech in Chicago in which he extolled the virtues of what he called “the strenuous life.” “[T]he life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph,” said Roosevelt.
The Single Most Important Factor in Leading a Happy, Fulfilling Life-According to Science
Working out at the gym got a lot easier the day I realized the sweat served a higher purpose. I’m 43, and have three kids under 8 years old, so if I want to be around—healthy and active—for my grandchildren, I better put the work in now or face regret later. Activities that aren’t inherently joyful, like clocking time on a treadmill, get better when done in service of something bigger. The same can be said of cleaning out one’s closet.
“Marketing Champions” with Jay Harrington from Harrington Communications
Jay Harrington President at Harrington Communications Website Address: www.hcommunications.biz On “Marketing Champions,” our host speaks with experts within the marketing community. This week our host speaks with Jay Harrington from Harrington Communications. To learn more check out www.hcommunications.biz. What is the biggest change in marketing that you see coming in the next 2 years?
Episode 98: An "Ask Us Anything" Session About LinkedIn — Harrington - Thought-Leadership Marketing for Lawyers and Law Firms
In this episode, Jay and Tom give you a behind the scenes listen to some of the insights they share with members of the Thought Leader Collaborative, a training platform and community for LinkedIn thought leaders. Some of the issues they address in response to Lab members’ “Ask Us Anything” questions include: When I’m creating content on LinkedIn, what audience metrics should I be focusing on? How do I translate LinkedIn connections into new client opportunities?
Scale: The Three-Step Formula to Grow a $1 Million+ Legal Practice
Do you have the capacity to be a million-dollar lawyer? Here’s how to embrace the principles of scale and go beyond your perceived limitations. Time is often described as the world’s most valuable asset because everyone wants more of it but it’s impossible to attain … or is it? Across the economy, entrepreneurs struggle to unshackle themselves from the constraints of time. A few succeed. Most fail. The only way to break free of the ticking clock is to execute strategies that help you achieve scale.
Launch Your Story Before Launching Your Product
One of the biggest challenges facing start-up brands is gaining attention and awareness. This is particularly true for a new e-commerce business. The Internet is the great equalizer that allows a founder to reach a vast audience, but when you’re just getting started, trying to get attention on the Internet can sometimes feel like getting dumped into the ocean without a life vest. It’s easy to thrash about without anyone noticing.
Thought Leadership for Beginners — The Thought Leadership Project | JD Supra
By listener request, Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon address the issue of how to engage in thought-leadership content marketing when one feels they don't have the accomplished career or track record to claim a title of "thought leader." Common to junior associates and recent law school graduates, this phenomenon comes up quite a bit, so this show will help people in that position overcome some limiting beliefs.
You Don’t Need to be on More than One Social Media Platform
You don’t need to do all forms of marketing. You don’t need to be on all platforms. In fact, the more you diversify your approach to marketing, the less effective your marketing may be. More is not better. The argument for being on multiple social media platforms for marketing purposes is that each one can offer some benefits and it takes relatively little effort to create content once and share it everywhere.
How to Create LinkedIn Content That Resonates With Your Audience
A great deal of LinkedIn content shared by lawyers is self-focused as opposed to audience-focused. Therein lies an opportunity. I graduated from law school as a competent writer, but I had a lot to learn. I still do. Upon starting my career, one of my mentors, a litigation partner, taught me an important lesson that I didn’t learn in law school: Know your audience. Write for your audience. A seasoned judge doesn’t need a full page and 11 citations on the standard for granting summary judgment.
Workshop Replay: Learn How to Write High-Engagement Posts on LinkedIn
Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon recently hosted a workshop titled “Learn How to Write High-Engagement LinkedIn Posts” during which they discussed how to plan and write posts for LinkedIn that generate results. From topics to format to structure, watch as Jay and Tom teach the essentials that will help you become a thought leader on LinkedIn. You have ideas. Your market is looking for solutions.
Generosity, Abundance, and Personal Branding, with Winter Wheeler - The Thought Leadership Project | JD Supra
Personal branding is often mistaken for professional bragging, but it’s really all about generosity, selflessness and abundance. That’s the view of Winter Wheeler, founder of Winter Wheeler Mediation & Arbitration, and it’s one that Tom Nixon and Jay Harrington share. Winter launched her mediation business shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite all the challenges she faced, she and her business thrived.
Complimentary Webinar: How to Write High-Engagement Posts on LinkedIn
If you’ve ever experienced it, you know it can be something of a rush. If you’ve never enjoyed the experience, you wonder what you’re doing wrong. We’re talking about the occasional LinkedIn post that goes something close to “viral.” Tons of comments, lots of likes (and other reactions), and great conversation. Each time you get the notification of some new activity on the post, you get a small adrenaline rush.
LinkedIn, from Beginner to Mastery, with Callie Schweitzer of LinkedIn —Thought Leadership Project | JD Supra
Callie Schweitzer is a senior news editor at LinkedIn, where she leads the editorial coverage of the marketing industry for the platform’s 740+ million global members. Who better to turn to for advice on maximizing your efforts on LinkedIn?
Set Priorities. Build a Practice. Gain Autonomy.
Numerous studies show that autonomy is the number one predictor of happiness and satisfaction in life and in work. To be autonomous is to gain more control over your circumstances, your decisions and your time. There are a number of ways to gain autonomy in our careers, and it doesn’t require making the leap to entrepreneurship. As a lawyer, you don’t have to hang a shingle. Within a law firm, you can gain more independence by building your own practice.
Say Farewell to Sunk Costs
I can’t tell you how many hours I spent laboring over the decision of whether or not to leave the practice of law, but it had to be in the hundreds. And most of that time was wasted. Don’t get me wrong, there were some important issues I had to work through in order to make an informed, smart decision. For example, I needed to understand whether I could support our family and be sure my new career choice would provide more of what I was missing as a lawyer.
Make Better Decisions by Only Making Them Once
Reduce decision fatigue by automatically putting some tasks on your list—with no option to back out Most mornings, I’m a model of productivity. I get up early, make coffee, and am at my computer by 5:30 a.m. I get important work done, make a to-do list for my day, and fit a workout in before my kids get up. I eat a healthy breakfast, get the kids off to school, and then it’s back to work. In other words, I have a good morning routine.
Simple Ways to Spend More Time Outside as a Family
Making outdoor adventure a part of life can bring profound changes in our children We have a child who, to put it mildly, can be difficult at times. She’s intense, opinionated, stubborn, and argumentative. I love her for it. Her spunk will serve her well in life, but it can be a challenge. Fortunately, she’s not always this way. She has an alter ego when she’s in the great outdoors. When she’s outside, she’s light and carefree—still determined and competitive but playful.
How to Execute a Big Idea on Limited Time
Giant goals require dedication and a willingness to sacrifice for a distant pay off If I was to offer you $100 today or $120 a week from now, which would you choose? If you’re like most people, you’d choose the hundred bucks now. That’s the conclusion of a classic study that found that, when it comes to decision-making, most of us opt for immediate gratification. Why does this matter?
We Are All Cats, Aren’t We?
We are all cats. You know what I mean? Perhaps not, if you were quarantined from social media and missed the video of the lawyer in Texas who joined a virtual court hearing via Zoom using a kitten filter. The lawyer couldn’t figure out how to turn off the filter, the judge tried to help, and hilarity ensued. The lasting punchline was the lawyer trying to reassure everyone by saying, “I am not a cat.” In our increasingly digital age, we’re only one click away from internet infamy.
Instead of Coming Up with the Perfect Plan, Just Start Taking Action
It took 30 years and 9 rewrites for Allan Scott to bring The Queen’s Gambit into our living rooms. John Grisham spent 3 years writing his first novel, A Time to Kill, and 28 publishers passed on it. Bruce Springsteen spent 6 months doing lyrical edits for just one song—Born to Run. Julia Child worked on Mastering the Art of French Cooking for 10 years. We’ve all heard by now that “overnight success” is largely a myth.
7 Reasons a Small-Town Lifestyle Can Make You Happier
Almost every time my wife, Heather, and I used to go on vacation, we’d spend time during the car or plane ride home going back and forth about how nice it would be to live full-time in the destination we had just visited. By the time we got home, we inevitably talked ourselves out of the idea. Too hot. Too cold. Too expensive. Too isolated. Too big. Too small. Too … whatever. No matter the destination, we came up with a reason why it wasn’t realistic. That is, until we visited Traverse City, Michigan.
Get Ready for the Next Chapter in Your Life
The struggles we’re enduring can be a call to retreat—or encouragement to push forward In screenplay and novel writing, the inciting incident is the event that gets the story rolling. It’s the action or decision that introduces the problem that the story’s main character must overcome. In “Jerry Maguire,” it’s the moment that Jerry writes his manifesto about the need to put people first in the sports agency business. It leads to his firing and he walks away from his power job to start over.
Harnessing Flow State to Become a Thought Leader — The Thought Leadership Project | JD Supra
We all have access to a superpower. It’s called flow state. A 10-year McKinsey and Co. study found top executives were 500% more productive when in flow. It’s the state in which we operate at our highest levels of performance—like an athlete “in the zone.” Listen in as Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon discuss the ins and outs of flow state, including: - How multitasking and distractions prevent flow state - How vision and goals promote it - Why See more + We all have access to a superpower.
The Long, Slow Path to Progress
I stopped writing for nearly two years. I had intended to return to my Life and Whim blog long ago, but various circumstances too mundane and uninteresting to recount got in the way. At least that’s how I rationalize things in my mind. Certainly, the COVID-19 crisis didn’t help, but my departure long predates the pandemic. In fact, there is no good reason why I stopped doing this thing that once brought me great joy.
Do the Thing You’ll Wish You Had Done
How many times have you looked back and regretted things you wanted to do but never did? If you’re anything like me, it’s probably more than you’d like to admit. I have a did-not-do regret list a mile long. Some things are relatively trivial, others quite significant. I wish I had worked harder to excel as a college athlete. I wish I had traveled more during my 20s. I wish (and still do) that I was better at staying in touch with family and friends.
Ask A Mentor: How Can Associates Deal With Overload?
Experts answer questions on career and workplace conundrums in this Law360 Pulse guest column series. Have a question you're afraid to ask your law firm chair, practice area leader or mentor?... Want to continue reading?
Create Structure and Routine to Be Effective Amid the Chaos
Mise-en-place is a system chefs use to prepare themselves and their kitchens in the hours leading up to meal time. The “Meez,” as professionals refer to it, involves studying recipes, making lists of necessary ingredients, prepping food and assembling the tools necessary for cooking that day’s menu. Although it's been a long time since I worked at a stainless steel countertop, the Meez is a mindset that has played an important role in my life and work—and I bet it can for you too.
Kids Crave Experiences Over Things
Every January, in the winter wonderland of northern Michigan that we call home, ski season kicks into high gear for our family. Four to five days a week, we are at the ski hill getting exercise and fresh air. Our girls love skiing. Our twins, now 7, and our eldest daughter, now 10, have been on skis for the past five years. They’re adventurous and love speeding down the hills.
Challenges Beat Resolutions-Every Day of the Week
Set yourself a task with a clear completion, however small, and start your streak As a young comedian, Jerry Seinfeld hung a big calendar on his wall. He began writing jokes every day. After he wrote, he put a big red X over that day. According to Seinfeld: “After a few days you’ll have a chain… Your only job is to not break the chain.” Seinfeld didn’t resolve to become a great comedian. He challenged himself to write every day. See the difference? It’s not just semantics.
Marketing During a Pandemic? The Top Law Firm Marketing Articles on Attorney at Work in 2020
Published on January 9, 2021January 9, 2021 • 0 Likes • 0 Comments Joan FeldmanFollow Editor-in-Chief at Attorney at Work From Jay Harrington’s 30-day business development plan and Mike Ramsey’s step-by-step online marketing tips to Sally Schmidt and Gina Rubel, who flawlessly delivered on the fundamentals, here is our countdown of the top 20 legal marketing and business development articles published on Attorney at Work in 2020.
Getting to 20,000+ Followers on LinkedIn, with Patricia Baxter - The Thought Leadership Podcast | JD Supra
What does it take to grow a network of 20,000 followers on LinkedIn? In short, consistency, creativity and generosity. In this episode of the Thought Leadership Project, Patricia Baxter, managing partner of Morgan & Akin’s Philadelphia office, discusses reaching the 20,000-follower threshold with Jay and Tom. It’s not a vanity metric—it’s a reflection of concerted effort to create great content and deliver value to an audience.
My Marketing Mantra for 2021: Create More Serendipity
Throughout my career, as both a practicing lawyer and consultant, the best new business opportunities have almost always arisen at unexpected times and from unexpected places. Shortly after starting a small law firm, I reluctantly said yes to an invitation to attend a fundraiser in my community. I wanted to say no because I was stressed about a lack of work and felt like I needed to keep grinding instead of “wasting my time” at the event.
The Best Way to Keep up Is to Slow Down
Henry was a bright student and attended Harvard, where he studied Greek, Latin, and German. After graduating, he wasn’t sure what to do next. After a period of drifting, he founded a school with his brother, but the venture failed a few years later. He subsequently met a mentor who introduced him to Transcendentalism, an idealistic philosophical and social movement. Henry began to think deeply and write about what it means to live a good life.
The Discomfort of Happiness
I recently finished the first draft of a new book I’m writing. Almost every moment spent writing this book, like the previous ones I’ve written, has been tedious and arduous. It wasn’t enjoyable. But completing the draft made me happy. The same goes for every race I’ve run. Every challenging project I’ve completed. Every difficult conversation I’ve had. I didn’t really enjoy doing any of these things. But I’m happy for having done them. Conversely, I’ve spent hours binge watching television.
How to Overcome Three Common Obstacles to Positive Change
Amid the crisis of COVID comes an opportunity to break through and pick up dreams left by the wayside So much of life is spent on autopilot. Years pass by, then decades. The more time passes, the more we lose sight of who we wanted to be, and the more we accept who we’ve become, despite the gap between our hopes and our reality. We recognize the dissonance, but explain it away because the dreams of our youth are, we believe, impractical.
Life’s Limitations Can Set You Free
In 1944, a 39-year-old Austrian man named Viktor Frankl and his wife Tilly were processed into the Auschwitz concentration camp. He spent approximately 18 months in the shackles of the Nazis, shuttled from one camp to another, before being liberated by American soldiers. Frankl survived the Holocaust, but his wife, mother, and brother didn’t. Despite suffering such great trauma, Frankl went on to become one of the most important and influential neurologists and psychiatrists of the 20th century.
The Less-is-More Approach to Business Development for Young Lawyers
There are many things you can do to position yourself for success. Rainmakers come in all shapes and sizes and take many different paths. You have to carve your own path. Here are a few ideas to help you get started. Image by Zenzen/Shutterstock There comes a point in every law firm associate’s journey toward partnership when business development becomes a priority. But you can’t simply flip the switch when you need to.
Don’t (Necessarily) Avoid That Difficult Partner
Commentary It won’t be easy, but if your objective is to advance and make partner at your firm, then you’ll need to hitch your cart to senior allies who wield power. Many who fit this bill are “difficult.” Angry businessman shouting on the phone There’s at least one partner, sometimes many, in every law firm who has a reputation that sends associates scurrying for cover. Demanding. Exacting. Difficult.
Complimentary Webinar on December 9 at 1 p.m. ET: "The Power of Positioning: Narrow Focus Leads to a Bigger Legal Practice"
Are you struggling to gain traction with your legal practice? Are high-quality clients hard to come by? Do you feel scattered? Does your practice lack a strategic focus? Join us for a webinar presentation by Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon of Harrington Communications on Wednesday, December 9 at 1 p.m. ET. This webinar will address the key issues lawyers should consider to position themselves for success with their ideal clients. Most attorneys think too broadly about their potential target market.
Think Big, Act Small: The Power of a Niche to Grow Your Business | JD Supra
I started a small law firm in Detroit in 2009 with a friend of mine. I had six years of legal experience at that point, and no clients to speak of. I was betting there would be so much corporate restructuring work (my practice specialty) that business would simply arrive once I hung a shingle. Things didn’t work out as planned. Work, of course, didn’t magically appear.
The Power of a Niche
I started a small law firm in Detroit in 2009 with a friend of mine. I had six years of legal experience at that point, and no clients to speak of. I was betting there would be so much corporate restructuring work (my practice specialty) that business would simply arrive once I hung a shingle. Things didn’t work out as planned. Work, of course, didn’t magically appear.
Create More Engagement on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the most important and powerful social media platform for lawyers. More than 700 million professionals worldwide are now on LinkedIn. The platform has experienced a surge in user traffic since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a great place to see what others are doing and be seen yourself. And the valuable relationships that can be formed on LinkedIn have the potential to lead to new business opportunities.
Scale: The Three-Step Formula to Grow a $1 Million+ Legal Practice
Time is often described as the world’s most valuable asset, because everyone wants more of it but it’s impossible to attain … or is it? Across the economy, entrepreneurs struggle to unshackle themselves from the constraints of time. A few succeed. Most fail. The only way to break free of the ticking clock is to execute strategies that help you achieve scale. In business, scaling involves taking steps to add new revenue at a faster rate than new costs.
Always Be Learning
Commentary If you’re not making learning a priority, you’ll grow stagnant. You won’t get any smarter. And you’ll have trouble advancing in your career. Credit: Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com Lawyers go to law school in order to get a job, and then their real education about what it takes to be a successful practicing lawyer truly begins. That may be too harsh an indictment on the impracticality of many aspects of legal education, but it’s not far from the truth.
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