With bar results coming in from many states this week, it’s an opportune moment to recommend resources for newly minted lawyers. One good resource is Gary Muldoon’s book The Education of a Lawyer: Essential Skills and Uncommon Advice for Building a Successful Career. It has many good passages; here’s an anecdote on being receptive to feedback. Muldoon recounts how he was working on an article and sought out a prominent co-author:

The impact of the article would be greater if another person in the community was also on the byline, so I sought him out. He was receptive to the idea I was trumpeting and liked the article. Except for one sentence. He hated that sentence and would not allow his name to appear unless it was removed. The trouble was, it was easily the best sentence, in my mind, bringing the whole article together.

He could not be dissuaded, so I finally agreed, and the article appeared with both our names, minus that one sentence. No one was aware of the sentence that I so much enjoyed, so its absence was not noticed. The article had the effect I had hoped for.

Much of what we do in a law office is a team effort. In writing a brief or arguing a point at trial, I regularly solicit input from others in the office. If it’s my case, I’m responsible for the end product and have the final say, but is including their ideas important to make them feel like they have contributed? Should one care how they feel? Well, if I’m going to be asking for their ideas in the future, I better care. And yes, their comments, ideas, and changes are essential. You can do a good job on your own, but you need others to help bring out the best in your client’s case.