Today's Texas Lawyer (courtesy of Law.com)has a great article on how lawyers should treat their staff. The article is written from the perspective of a legal secretary. It reminds lawyers, and particularly new lawyers or young associates, that staff can be your most valuable asset - if you know what to expect and how to treat them.
Some of the nuggets of wisdom in the article include:
Recognize the assistant's superior knowledge of procedures and leverage that knowledge. (This wisdom comes in handy with court clerks, too). If you're new and the staff person isn't, chances are that they know a lot more than you do about what really happens on a day to day basis. They can be your biggest asset if you let them.
Be self-sufficient. This includes not expecting your assignment to be finished the moment it's transmitted to the secretary, particularly if the secretary is working for other lawyers in addition to you. Even if you're a solo, you need to let your secretary or assistant know your expectations. If you've got an assignment that's a 'rush' or a priority, make sure you let your assistant know that so they can budget their time accordingly.
And my personal favorite: Don't be arrogant. The author says it best when she says, "Never forget that the true measure of a person is how he treats those who rank beneath him."
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