A Tip from the Machiavellian Lawyer

The Machiavellian Lawyer once said:

To excel in a law firm, make yourself indispensable. Start by identifying a type of knowledge within the firm that is highly-valued but in short supply. Exploit this shortage by making yourself an expert. Then leverage the value of your new knowledge by becoming involved in as many projects as possible.

After you have become an expert, think twice before teaching your skills to others. If you share your knowledge too freely, you will devalue the currency that has made you rich. When called upon to instruct others, learn the secret known to every Italian cook: share your recipe willingly, but omit a minor, yet important, ingredient. The cook’s students will be able to replicate the dish but will never be able to duplicate it. The cook will remain the master.

Publication note: Originally published 12/2/04.

Comments

[David Giacalone]

Many legal secretaries and other assistants have long used this approach -- by knowing how to remedy paper jams and toner problems at the office copy machine. Unfortunately, they seem to be rewarded with neither respect nor re$pect.

[JR]

David,

How true. I would have been helpless without the secretaries at the firm I clerked at. I remember the day I needed to mail a lengthy deposition to several individuals. It bothered me to make all those copies - what a waste of money! A secretary taught me how to shrink four pages to fit on one page. (Many depositions I have seen were already in that form. I don't know if that is a custom of some deposition companies, or if it is something one has to request. If someone would share an answer with me on that, I would appreciate it). The secretary's knowledge and skill saved the firm and the client money. It was also good for me - I now know how to do this too.

[Evan]

JR: I know the answer to that one. The 4-pages-on-1-page deposition transcript might be customary with some court-reporting firms, but usually you have to request it. Most people call it a "scrunch" or "minuscript" copy. The best thing about it is the word index at the end.

[Nic]

The Machiavellian lawyer prints blawg posts so that his senior partner can preview printed copies, rather than provide a username, password and admin status to the partner, which would devalue his currency as the technology guru in the firm by empowering her to know just how easy it is to blog.

[Evan]

Nic: Huh? The Machiavellian Lawyer doesn't blog--he's way too busy being machiavellian.