For many of us, the thought of reading when we already do so much of it at work is either an absolute turnoff or a guilty pleasure!! Yet it is probably one of the best things we could possibly do, not only for our professional development but also for the thinking it provokes and for the endless opportunities it can create!
Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.
Tyron Edwards
Invest just 1 hour every day!
Some are business books, others are specifically written with lawyers in mind but here are a handful of books I believe every lawyer should make time to read. Apologies to those who have already received this recommendations from me personally but these are fundamental reading.
Rainmaking Made Simple, Mark Maraia. Apart from technical development, building client relationships is without doubt one of the most important skills a lawyer can do well to master. Without putting to finer point on it, this is what will be your key to real career success. Everyone can be a ‘rainmaker’; you just have to learn how.
Recommended reading for graduates through to law firm partners.
Linchpin: Are you indispensable?, Seth Godin. Now this is a book to truly set you apart. Seth Godin for those who have never heard of him is a world-renowned author and ‘marketing guru’. And no, you don’t need to be a marketer to enjoy it. It is in fact, one of those books which, regardless of what we do, applies some basic fundamental concepts to developing our careers and in the process getting far more personal fulfillment. This is a book that truly reinvigorates and inspires!
Recommended for lawyers at all levels who are serious about their careers AND want to stand out!
True Professionalism: The Courage to Care About Your People , Your Clients and Your Career. David Maister. Now this is a book that lays the foundation for excellence in client service and focuses on the importance of values. The title says it all it brings together the most important elements in legal practice.
In my view this should be essential reading for all law graduates.
Managing the Professional Service Firm, David Maister. In this book David Maister takes us into the mechanics of running a successful professional services firm. This book answers many of those questions about law firms and partnerships but you were too afraid to ask. From profitability to practice development, to the mysteries of partner compensation.
This is an absolute must-read for those either contemplating, or on a path to partnership.
Hell Has Harbour Views, Richard Beasley. I just had to include this book and NO there is nothing career advancing about this fictional novel just sheer entertainment value. With a satirical insiders view of a major law firm, the characters and personalities in this hilariously funny novel can be found in the corridors of most law firms we know. The identity of the firm this book was supposedly based on, has also been the topic of much debate.
Recommended for anyone associated with the legal profession…but just be sure to take it with …a pinch of salt!
Add them to your bookshelf!
Most of these books are available from good bookstores, but you may have to order the David Maister and Mark Maraia’s books in. The other alternative is to buy directly from Amazon.com by clicking on the book titles above. For more recommended reading check out our e-book store on our home page.
Feel free to share your thoughts on any of these books or if you have your own favorites to add please tell us about them. I have a stack of books I am working my way through…. so watch this space for more recommended reading!
