We’ve got artisan beer, artisan coffee and artisan pizza.

Why not artisan attorneys?

It just might be an easy way for you to stand out from the pack.

Transparency and Immediacy

You can walk into any grocery store and buy a loaf of bread. But if you want a slice of no-knead Boule, you will have to go someplace special.

That’s the rationale behind any artisanal product. We appreciate – and are willing to pay extra for – expertise, quality and craftsmanship.

An artisanal approach adds value because the product is:

• Made with high-quality ingredients.
• Fresh.
• Created – at least partly – out in the open and right before our eyes.
• Produced by someone who wants to give the customer a positive, memorable experience.

That is why an artisanal pizzeria might choose to place its oven in the center of the dining room, where customers can witness the entire process of preparing the perfect pie.

Artisanal Alternative to LegalZoom

An artisanal attorney can accomplish the same result. Here’s how:

• Sell relationships and personal service – not documents and file folders.
• Show new clients around your office.
• Introduce them to key members of the team that will be working on their case.
• Offer advice that is not canned or rote.
• Emphasize that no two cases are alike and that every legal problem requires a strategy customized to the client’s individual needs.
• Present yourself as a real person – one who listens, empathizes and cares about your client’s problems.
• Point out that every single client gets a relationship with a skilled professional who has a name and a contact number, not a phone tree or voice mail.
• Focus on solving problems, not delivering a product.

One commentator says the artisanal approach is the best way to beat LegalZoom at its own game.

“Have you seen the ‘Peace of Mind Guarantee’ LegalZoom offers,” writes Thomas M. Cooley law professor Victoria Vuletich. “It is simply a guarantee that everything is spelled correctly in the document and that the document is free of typos. But the consumer knows exactly what they are getting for the price. And many consumers believe the value is in that document.

“As attorneys we first have to persuade potential clients that the value isn’t in the document. That the value is in the other things attorneys bring that can’t be downloaded, precisely because they are so valuable.”

Becoming an Artisan-at-Law does not stop at promising excellent service. You also have to deliver. That means caring about your clients and giving them a meaningful, unique legal experience.

And it means finding solutions rather than just filing paperwork.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Source: Lawpportunity http://lawpportunity.com/why-we-shouldnt-worry-too-much-about-legalzoom/#!

Workplace bullies come in different shapes and sizes – from seemingly harmless jokers to shockingly hurtful jerks.

Whatever form it takes, bullying is counter-productive and costly.

And it is most likely to occur in high-stress work environments like law offices.

A whopping 37 percent of U.S. workers – or 54 million people – report being bullied at work, according to one poll. Many will suffer anxiety, panic attacks, cardiovascular issues or some other health problem as a result.

“This is a huge problem that is only beginning to get attention because so much of it occurs under the radar screen, and there are no laws to protect targets of bullying,” according to Psychology Today.

Bullies in the Locker Room

Schoolyard bullying has gotten a lot of press in recent years. Investigative reports, court cases and an award-winning documentary film have all drawn attention to the issue.

But bullies on the job have been largely overlooked.

That is, until recently, when Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin quit the team and sought medical treatment for emotional problems allegedly stemming from locker-room hazing.

Some said the incident lifted the curtain on the widespread problem of bullying in professional football. Others blamed Martin for lacking what it takes to play in the NFL.

One point was indisputable: the entire sad episode was bad for business – not just for the Dolphins but for the NFL in general.

Words Can Sometimes Hurt You

Bullying in the workplace can occur through:

• Verbal abuse.
• Threats, humiliation or intimidation (subtle or overt).
• Conduct that interferes with or prevents work from getting done.

The rub is that state and federal laws do not generally prohibit job bullying until it rises to the level of discrimination or harassment.

“It’s very serious because it destroys people’s health, jobs and careers,” said Gary Namie, director of the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Washington. “It’s a major, major problem, but it’s not illegal, so employers don’t have to deal with it.”

Bullies in the Law Office

Being proactive in recognizing and eliminating bullying in your office can mean lower absenteeism, higher morale and better client service.

Here are four ways to do just that:

• Recognize bullying when it happens. Educate yourself on signs and symptoms of bullying. Listen to staff complaints. Talk about the problem openly.
• Take action. Bullying often takes place behind closed doors. When it happens out in the open, it is important to act immediately. This might involve nothing more than a few words of admonition.
• Quash idle chatter. Tap into the office grapevine to see if specific individuals are being targeted for gossip, jokes and rumors. This is often a precursor to outright bullying.
• Hold people accountable. “In order to make a true commitment to stopping workplace bullying and protecting targets, organizations need to create anti-bullying policies and leaders need to enforce them. Ideally, it can be part of a larger safe workplace initiative - one that protects the rights and dignity of all workers. It is a policy that will pay off for the organization as it becomes more productive and a healthy and happy place to work.”

You want employees who enjoy coming to the office and feel safe when they get there. Without this baseline level of comfort, a healthy law office can quickly sink into dysfunction.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• Psychology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201105/four-steps-stopping-workplace-bullies
• Workplacebullying.org http://www.workplacebullying.org/category/workplace-bullying-laws/
• Forbes http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/22/health-bullying-office-forbeslife-cx_avd_0324health.html
• Professional Liability Matters http://professionalliabilitymatters.com/2013/11/14/workplace-bullying-more-than-a-dolphins-problem/

It is said that hard cases make bad law.

The same is true for crazy cases – those with facts better suited for the tabloids than Thomson Reuters.

But they sure are fun to read.

Take, for instance, the woman in Kuwait who filed for divorce after discovering that her husband used a slice of bread instead of a fork to eat peas. After witnessing this “shocking sight,” she said she could no longer live with him, according to published reports.

Another case of wedded woe involved a tube of toothpaste, which an insensitive groom insisted on squeezing from the middle and not the end. This sparked “endless and irreconcilable arguments.”

Here are some other wacky lawsuits pulled from true-life headlines:

• A prison inmate in Virginia claimed to have violated his own civil liberties by committing his crime while intoxicated, which clashed with his religious beliefs. He filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself. He lost.

• An Oregon man sued Michael Jordan and Nike for $416 million, alleging that his physical resemblance to the basketball icon had caused emotional pain, suffering and permanent injury. The plaintiff said he could not ride a bus or dine out without being mistaken for Michael – despite being half a foot shorter and considerably less coordinated. He dribbled his lawsuit out of bounds without recovering a dime.

• A Minnesota man brought legal action demanding that David Blaine and David Copperfield disclose the secrets of their magic tricks. He claims they actually stole the tricks for him. He also claims to be God.

• A beer drinker sued Anheuser-Busch in 1991 for false and misleading advertising. He says the company’s television ads – showing beautiful women going gaga over beer guzzlers – depicted scenes that did not actually happen when he popped open a can of Bud Light. He claimed emotional distress and mental injury but wound up with nothing more than an empty, crumpled can.

• A newspaper carrier for The Tribune Company named Mark Guthrie was understandably elated when he found an unexpected $300,000 in his bank account. Unfortunately, the money was intended for the Chicago Cubs pitcher with the same name and had been deposited in his account by mistake. When the employer moved to recover the funds,  Guthrie – the newsie, not the knuckleballer – froze his account. This sparked litigation, which ended with the right Mark Guthrie finally getting his dough.

• A Los Angeles woman sued Victoria’s Secret for eye damage that she says happened when she was trying on a thong. The tight, stretchy undergarment gave way in the dressing room, causing a metal clip to fly off and hit her in the eye. Turns out the plaintiff is a traffic cop. Guess the light was not in her favor.

• A woman in Israel sued a local television station for inaccurately predicting the weather. The forecaster said it would be a fine day. Actually, it rained, which the plaintiff said made her go outside underdressed, leading to a nasty case of the flu, lost income, medical expenses and emotional distress. She sued for $1,000. And she won.

The lesson: be wary of predicting a specific outcome in a case, especially if you look like Michael Jordan and are drinking Budweiser. Or trying on a thong.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_cases_make_bad_law
• Time http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1899500_1899502_1899496,00.html
• ListVerse http://listverse.com/2009/01/28/top-10-bizarre-or-frivolous-lawsuits/
• Daily Mail UK http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2537566/Woman-sues-solicitors-did-not-explain-finalising-divorce-terminate-marriage.html?goback=%2Egde_2691620_member_5828196193498316804#%21

We spend a lot of time serving the needs of clients, employees and families.

Too often we neglect to take care of ourselves.

But of course you know that already. You are deluged with self-help advice every day. The last thing you need is another article on how to lose weight, earn money and be happy forever.

Which is why a pair of recent blogposts jumped out at me. They approach the business of self-care from two different perspectives: finding peace within and reducing conflict without.

10 Tips for the Attorney’s Soul

The first is from Robert Minto, the founder and former president of Attorneys Liability Protection Society, which insures lawyers all over the country. In his long career, Minto has seen the good and bad of our profession.

He says if we treat ourselves with indifference or neglect, those around us suffer the consequences. To be a great lawyer, he believes, requires nurturing of the soul.

Here are his 10 tips for doing that:

1. Plan your time. Schedule time to work, play, exercise and be with your family. Make this as much a priority as preparing for an upcoming deposition.
2. Create time for family events. Clients want a lawyer who is a whole person – meaning one who has a life outside of the office.
3. Get regular exercise. It yields emotional, mental and spiritual benefits.
4. Make play a part of your daily routine. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy – and a one-dimensional lawyer.
5. Don’t take your work home. Admit it - you never open the briefcase anyway.
6. Schedule vacations and long week-ends. “I don’t believe that a lawyer can take too much time off,” writes Minto. “Good balance requires both long periods (more than a week) of time away from the office and a good number of four day weekends.”
7. Schedule a stay-cation. You don’t always have to go off to get away. Turn your phone off, shut down your computer and spend a day at home – or at the office – cleaning up your to-do list.
8. Find time to read. Legal periodicals, court opinions and discovery documents don’t count.
9. Nurture your social life. Open your perspective to the world outside the law.
10. Get involved in your community. Join a service club, pound nails for Habitat for Humanity, deliver meals to the home-bound or volunteer at the local food bank.

Cutting Down on Conflict

The law is all about conflict. We represent clients in disputes. We go up against other lawyers. We get paid for winning the battle.

And yet engaging in conflict saps our energy and diverts us from more productive pursuits.

“Conflict is inevitable,” writes blogger Susan Ingram. “How we handle it is a choice.”

Here are her suggestions for handling conflict in ways that will improve – not impair – our lives:

1. Be open to a different perspective. Issues are rarely black or white. Look for shades of gray in an argument or negotiation.
2. Use “I” statements instead of “you” statements. Saying “I” tells the other person where you are coming from. Saying “you” places blame and passes judgment.
3. Focus on interests, not positions. Positions are rigid and personal. Interests are flexible and shared.
4. Look forward, not back. Don’t get stuck in the past.
5. Explore options together. Instead of unilaterally laying out proposed courses of action, talk about them openly.
6. Listen. Active listening takes practice. It requires eye contact, feedback and empathy. It also requires you to stop talking.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• Robert Minto, Attorneys Liability Protection Society http://www.alps411.com/blog/the-view-from-the-corner-office-2/top-10-ways-to-care-for-the-attorney-soul-v2?goback=%2Egde_1780513_member_5816574337649500160#%21
• Susan Ingram http://www.susan-ingram.com/2014/01/6-tips-for-resolving-conflicts/?goback=%2Egde_2691620_member_5828188237209812992#%21

We are told that multitasking is a necessary skill in an increasingly complex world.

We might be getting bum advice.

Research suggests multitasking does not increase one’s productivity – in fact, it wastes time. Perhaps more importantly, it erodes our ability to concentrate, analyze and even empathize.

The late Stanford psychologist Clifford Nass spent much of his career studying people juggling computers, phones and other activities.

“[M]ultitaskers are terrible at every aspect of multitasking,” he said in an episode of PBS Frontline. “They’re terrible at ignoring irrelevant information; they’re terrible at keeping information in their head nicely and neatly organized; and they’re terrible at switching from one task to another.”

We Are Not Laptops

The dictionary defines multitasking as “the concurrent performance of several jobs by a computer.”

The operative word is “computer.” It might be fine for a laptop to spell-check a document while doing a disk cleanup, searching Google and recharging its battery. But we are not computing devices.

We are all too human, with limited memories and attention spans.

Blogger Merrilyn Astin Tarlton points out these downsides of multitasking:

• People who multitask show signs of cognitive deficiency. “Researchers are nearly unanimous in showing that people who chronically multitask exhibit an enormous range of deficits,” Tarlton writes. “They’re basically terrible at all sorts of cognitive tasks, including multitasking.”

• Multitasking has a ripple effect. Over time, chronic multitaskers lose the ability to filter out irrelevancy. Quantity trumps quality. Checking email becomes as important as working on a past-due brief.

• Multitasking alters your behavior in ways that might be long-lasting. “Multitasking behavior — particularly involving screens — mimics chemical addiction in many ways,” says Tarlton. In other words, even if you manage to curb your tendency to text, drive and listen to the radio simultaneously, it may be too late. Your brain might have lost its ability to fully readjust itself.

• Multitasking affects those around us. We have all had the experience of dining with people who can’t stop checking their smartphones. But this behavior might be more than simply annoying. It might actually be harmful to others. Research indicates that people who multitask inappropriately in public (ex: checking email during a meeting) causes those around them to grow distracted and anxious.

• Multitasking costs time and money. Interruptions from our tablet or device can throw us so far off track that it takes an average of 23 minutes to return our full focus to the original task, according to one researcher at the University of California. The solution: set aside blocks of time each day for specific tasks. Stick to the schedule. Don’t let your Facebook time spill over into other activities.

The best advice is also the simplest: Try “single-tasking” for a change. You won’t be as stressed and you will probably end up getting more done.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/business/clifford-nass-researcher-on-multitasking-dies-at-55.html?_r=0
• NPR Science Friday http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/05/10/2013/the-myth-of-multitasking.html
• Attorney at Work http://www.attorneyatwork.com/the-multitasking-mess/?goback=%2Egde_2691620_member_5827536253846831104#%21
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multitasking

It is a rare day in risk management that we stumble across a story that includes both Andy Warhol and Charlie’s Angels. 

But it happened recently, when I read about a nasty legal wrangle over a multi-million dollar portrait of Farrah Fawcett.

Underlying the squabble is a risk management lesson on the importance of documentation.

Let’s start by looking at the facts.

Farrah, Ryan, Andy and the University

Fawcett, who attended the University of Texas at Austin, left a sizable art collection to her alma mater when she died in 2009.

The university happily accepted the bequest. But it claimed one painting – a Warhol rendering of Farrah – was missing. That particular piece is hanging on the wall of the Malibu home of Ryan O’Neal, the star of  Love Story and Farrah’s on-again, off-again partner for more than 30 years.

O’Neal says the portrait – appraised at up to $12 million – was given to him by Andy himself, and that it was never Farrah’s to give away. The university’s lawyers disagree.

The dispute will likely go on for months or years. It will no doubt involve many thousands in attorney fees.

And the whole mess could have been avoided if the parties had taken a moment to scribble a few lines on a piece of paper.

Write It Down

Risk managers love to preach about the importance of documentation. But some lawyers still haven’t gotten the message.

Here, then, are six benefits of putting things down in writing:

• You provide better legal service. Doctors understand that a well-documented medical record is not just good risk management – it’s an indispensable element of quality care. The same is true for lawyers and their case files. A well-documented file offers an accurate picture of what has happened to date, and it provides a roadmap for going forward as well.

• Your clients get continuity of care. If a file is nicely documented, others can pick it up and begin working on it without missing a beat.

• You earn more money. Lawyers who keep careful, detailed records of what they do on a case are better able to bill for their work – and get paid for it.

• You can mount a stronger defense. “Nothing is happening in my case,” is a common accusation of clients who complain to Lawyers Mutual or the State Bar. A well-documented file can refute the charge that you have been asleep at the wheel.

• You can repurpose and recycle valuable work product. We sometimes don’t get maximum bang from the pleadings, forms and legal research we do on any given case. Many of these documents can be used later. A forms bank or research database can save time, manpower and money.

• You avoid disputes down the road. The Farrah Fawcett litigation illustrates how failing to document an important event when it happens (such as the gift of a million-dollar portrait of your girlfriend) can lead to disagreements in the future.

Technology can make documentation a breeze. Creating a document can be as easy as saying open sesame. Cloud computing lets us store a vast amount of data at little or no cost.

So don’t be like Ryan and Farrah. The next time a famous artist asks you to sit for a portrait, pay attention to the details – and put them in writing.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• http://www.theexpertinstitute.com/appraisal-expert-witness-testifies-heated-battle-andy-warhols-portrait-farrah-fawcett/?kmi=jay.reeves@ymail.com&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=blog-andy-warhol&utm_campaign=1203

• http://compliance.med.nyu.edu/departments/faculty-group-practice-compliance/coding-reimbursement/importance-documentation
• https://manager.clearrisk.com/Resources/RiskTool/Construction_-_Importance_of_Documentation
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010959/

It seems every day brings a new story of cyber-crime, data theft or computer hacking. 

Usually it turns out that the bad guys gained access to online accounts and information by stealing user passwords.

In December, for example, a cyber-security firm uncovered a stash of two million stolen user passwords for major social media sites. Included were 320,000 email accounts, 318,000 Facebook accounts and 21,000 Twitter accounts, sources reported. 

“We don’t have evidence they logged into these accounts, but they probably did,” said security manager John Miller in a story at CNN Money.

Here are additional details about the purloined passwords:

• Thousands were variations of “12345 …” or other simple sequences of letters or numbers.
• Thousands more were the word “password.”
• Only five percent of passwords were considered “excellent,” meaning they used all four character types (uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters).
• Only 17 percent were “good.”
• Six percent were deemed “terrible” because they had four or fewer characters of only one type. The number of “terrible” passwords exceeded the excellent ones.

Creating a Better Password

Facebook data security expert Nick Berry told Yahoo!Finance that most people are “staggeringly unimaginative” in selecting passwords.

Here are some tips for becoming more imaginative:

• Double your protection. Some services – such as ATM machines – require dual-factor authentication before you can use them. That means two things are needed to access the account – a traditional password and something tangible you actually hold in your hand like an ATM card or smartphone.
• Make your password strong and unique. Use combinations of letters, numbers and characters. If the service requires only six characters, create a password using seven or eight.
• Write it down. The more complex your password, the less likely you will be able to remember it. So put it in writing – and store that information in a safe place.
• Safeguard your email first. Your email account is often the gateway for bad guys to get access to other vital information.
• Use fake answers to secret questions. That way, you will thwart hackers who may happen to know your hometown or your mother’s maiden name.
• Be careful about saving your password. Sure, it’s a pain to have to type your password every time you log onto an account. But you’ll curse the auto-save function if you lose your cellphone or laptop.
• Mum’s the word. Duh. The whole point of a password is to keep it secret.
• Use discretion. A little common sense goes a long way. Be selective about the places you frequent online. Stay away from sketchy sites.

And if you suspect your account has been hacked, change your password and take other preventive actions. Before it’s too late.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Sources:

• CNN Money http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/04/technology/security/passwords-stolen/index.html?iid=HP_LN
• Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-s-the-secret-to-hacker-proof-passwords-214756837.html

Here’s one you don’t see every day.

A former Department of Justice attorney in DC has been disciplined for practicing without a law license – and she got away with it for more than 20 years.

The story offers a cautionary lesson for all practicing attorneys.

Two Decades of Unlicensed Practice

Here’s how it unfolded:

• The attorney was licensed in Ohio.
• She took a DOJ job in 1986 and joined the Washington, DC bar.
• She let her Ohio bar membership lapse in 1989.
• Her DC bar membership became inactive in 1990.
• Despite being unlicensed, she continued practicing at the DOJ for more than 20 years.

How could this have happened?

Simple. She toiled in the tall weeds of government bureaucracy, where nobody paid much attention to her.

This is from the ABA Journal:

“Because [she] worked in the DOJ’s antitrust division and rarely appeared in court, her bar status was not questioned, according to the [Blog of Legal Times], which relies on information in a letter of admonition by District of Columbia bar authorities.”

The attorney left the DOJ in 2013 and no longer practices, according to the above sources. She was charged with failure to maintain an active license and providing false information to the DOJ about her status.

She took full responsibility for the lapse, the record shows. No cases or clients were adversely affected. She also had no history of disciplinary problems in either DC or Ohio.

As a result, she received an informal admonition – the lightest possible penalty. The DC Bar Counsel wrote that his office took into consideration “that you took this matter seriously, cooperated with our investigation, and have accepted responsibility for your misconduct.”

What about you? Have you paid your bar dues, fulfilled your CLE requirements and done the other things necessary to keep your license current? How about the other attorneys in your firm?

It might be worth taking a moment to find out.

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441 

Sources:

• The Blog of LegalTimes http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2013/12/doj-lawyer-disciplined-for-lapsed-bar-membership.html#more

• ABA Journal http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/former_doj_lawyer_who_practiced_without_active_license_for_20_years_is_admo/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email&goback=%2Egde_2691620_member_5824998046819172354#%21

In a recent poll, librarians picked The Bible and To Kill A Mockingbird as the two books that have had the greatest moral impact in America.

Last year, LinkedIn did something similar. The professional networking site asked leaders in business, academia and government – people referred to as “Influencers” – to identify one book that had made a positive difference in their lives. Selections ranged from “7 Habits of Highly Successful People” to “5 Little Monkeys.”

The post proved so popular that LinkedIn repeated it – only this time instead of polling Influencers on worthy tomes, senior editor Francesca Levy solicited book suggestions from random LinkedIn members.

Some of the choices of regular folks mirrored the selections of Influencers. Others reflected a different perspective.

One book was mentioned more often than others: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Lincoln biography “Team of Rivals.”

This is what LinkedIn member Patricia Sullivan-Taylor said about it: “Rather than attempt to ignore his weaknesses, [Lincoln] chose to place people around him that were a good complement to his skills. I’ve discovered this is both a good rule for business and marriage.”

Top 10 Book Picks of LinkedIn Members

1. Mandela’s Way: Lessons on Life, Love and Courage, by Richard Stengel. “The book explains how Mandela saw the hidden aspirations in his people – to be equal.” (LinkedIn member Pramod Kumar Srivastava) 
2. 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, by Stephen R. Covey. “Often common sense is hidden in the routine, and therefore when someone like Mr. Covey brings it to the surface again, it starts making even more sense.” (Inna Stelmukh) 
3. The Alchemist, by Paolo Coelho. “The journey of Santiago and following his personal legend has changed the way I look at my life.” (Charles Hurst)
4. How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. “Understanding your customer in depth is a brilliant yet obvious and often overlooked concept.” (Barney Popkin)
5. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. “[Rand] was a bit ahead of her time, but also very much a woman of her time. There is much to admire about her, and also much to disagree with.” (Donna Greiner)
6. Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo. “It teaches us the importance of justice, redemption, words with actions, commitment and endurance, faithfulness and love. And it’s a great story.” (Chris Burton)
7. As A Man Thinketh, by James Allen. “It’s a short, pithy read, advocating a change in thought process to change outcome. I sing its effectiveness whenever I can!” (Erika Powell-Burson)
8. Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. “Nothing has changed me more. I would be grinding away in medical school if it wasn’t for Napoleon Hill.” (Terry Husayn)
9. The Bible. “The proverbs are full of incredible wisdom regarding how to conduct yourself in your personal and business life.” (Sam Lee)
10. Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. “Lincoln’s understanding of people, of the necessity to listen, to bring divergent opinions into the conversation and take decisive action … are all things we should learn.” (Ross Gibson)

Jay Reeves a/k/a The Risk Man is an attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly he was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. Contact jay@lawyersmutualnc.com, phone 919-619-2441.

Source: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131203190537-28723569-the-top-10-books-for-professionals-plus-doris-kearns-goodwin-answers-your-questions-on-leadership?trk=eml-mktg-inf-m-booklist-1204-body