Friday, July 6, 2012

How to take a vacation

Lawyers are busy.  We have many clients with varying degrees of complexity in their cases, some of which require considerable availability on the part of counsel.  What this can mean for the lawyer is that vacations become dreams rather than reality.  Unfortunately, we still need a break from the hustle of practice to refuel and reboot.  Seven months is way too long for me to be sitting at my desk pounding at the keyboard without at least a little break.

When I was a school teacher, it was easy to take a break.  For starters, we had holidays and summer factored in to the school schedule, but if we needed a day off for an extended trip to the Caymans, we just had to ask one person to get the time off.  Not so in the legal community.  While I no longer have a principal overseeing my time, I traded that in for numerous judges that can dictate when I must appear in court.  This was a difficult transition for me, but after a few years of practice I have a good handle on how to leave the office without hurting your practice, reputation among judges, and keeping your clients happy.  Please enjoy my list to ensure a successful and restful period away from the office.

1.  Book in Advance.  You have to make time to get away.  If you don't, you will never be prepared enough to leave the office.  With a vacation slot in mind, you can schedule around the time you want to leave, ensuring that fewer people will be looking for you while you are away.

2. Get your Leave of Absence letters out EARLY!  This step is a must, because without it, a judge has the authority to hail you into court at any moment.  I get mine done as soon as I take in a new case (that is active), which becomes part of my initiation packet of documents to generate.  I typically write a letter every six months (January and July) which keeps me on top of things.

3.  Use cloud services to hold files.  Some attorneys are nervous about keeping client information on the cloud, and rightly so, but many providers now offer 128-bit encryption that keeps your information safe.  Once you find a service you are comfortable with (I use Dropbox), put what you think you might need in your folder for easy access.  No need to carry around files you think you might need in case of emergency!

4.  Notify your clients.  Some might say this should be number 1, but I disagree.  My clients do not get to dictate when I am in and out of the office, so why would I consult them when planning a vacation?  Once you have planned your trip, notified the court, and put the requisite information in the cloud, you do need to let your clients know that you will be out.  For a single day out of the office, I won't give prior notice, but if I know I will be out for an extended period, I let all my clients know that I will not be in to avoid the inevitable melt-down when they can't reach me.  I typically also give them alternate forms of communication in the event they need help right away.

5.  Automated Email Response.  I don't know about you, but I get inundated with email daily.  A lot of it is junk, but I do have many emails from clients and opposing counsel that I need to get back with.  Having an automatic email response letting them know that I am out of the office is a big help so no one will be expecting the speedy response they might otherwise be used to.  Your clients and colleagues will thank you for the reminder that you are out.

I won't tell you how to conduct yourself while on vacation, but hopefully this list will at least help you get away.  Just remember:  you took time away from the office to recharge, so don't spend all your time on the laptop like you would at work.  Slow down and enjoy a break.  Your work will be better and more focused when you return.  Now book that cruise!

JD


John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.