Brian McMahon was a lawyer at the Minneapolis law firm of Gray Plant Mooty some years ago and he went on to a successful solo business litigator practice in St. Paul for several years. Now he is the one-man Minneapolis office of the biggest lawyer/law firm recruiter around, Major Lindsey & Africa.
Brian has advice for Minnesota civil litigators: as you go to the doctor and dentist for annual check-ups (at a minimum) (or if you don’t, you know you should), you might consider an annual check-up with Brian McMahon and Major Lindsey & Africa.
“Why?” you ask, “I love where I am. I am not looking to move.”
Yeah, right. Just as you should not go to the MD unless you are sick, right? Seriously, give some thought to checking in with Brian, someone with his ear to the ground as to opportunities (and risks) in your business 24/7. You might be right. You might be professionally perfectly situated. Maybe not? Compared to where? And let’s say you are professionally perfectly situated. Wouldn’t it be nice to have that self-diagnosis confirmed by a second opinion?
I view private civil litigators as rafters being rushed down the torrent of a river.
Where we are is undoubtedly not where we will be in a few years. We might be on the same river. We might be in the same boat. We are not going to be in the same place. (Heraclitus pointed this out a few years ago.)
And do not over-estimate the amount of control over the direction that you (or your law firm) are headed.
If you are trying to chart your course (and, of course, you’re a fool if you are not), it makes sense to check in with someone who has a unique and unsurpassed view of the legal seascape.
You are truly disserving yourself if you don’t.
What are the downsides? Time: Really? You can’t afford to spend 1 hour/year checking in with Brian? Confidentiality? (One might disturb one’s happy position with your current firm if word gets out that you are considering other options, you might fear.) Brian has spent quite a few years in practice as a civil litigator. He knows about confidentiality and he has a network throughout the community who can attest to that.
Call Brian McMahon, Major Lindsey & Africa, just to check in. It’s basically a risk-free proposition. (651) 698-2103
Incidentally, at a recent meeting, Brian suggested that lawyers might want to think a lot more about a business plan than they generally do.
Do you have a business plan? Want to think through why you should and how you can?