Creativity is becoming an increasingly valued attribute in all fields and industries, including the legal industry. My latest article, published by Attorney at Work, explains how lawyers can tap into their creative side and stand out from the pack. You can also read the full text here:

The best lawyers are often the most creative lawyers. But that doesn’t mean they are, or even want to be, labeled as “creative.” Creativity has a certain connotation to it — and it’s traditionally been a term associated with, well, creative people like artists, musicians and writers.

But that’s changing. Creativity is an increasingly valued attribute in all fields and industries — synonymous with problem-solving and innovation.

Remember the good old days? The days when hourly rates increased year after year, junior associate time could be billed for, and it was considered unprofessional to try to poach another lawyer’s clients? That wasn’t that long ago, in fact. But times have changed.

The market for legal services is flat. Since the Great Recession, there has been fundamental change in the legal landscape. Much like the housing market bubble that precipitated the economic slowdown, the legal marketplace has shifted from a seller’s to a buyer’s market. This has led to downward pressure on fees, demand for creative, alternative billing practices, and greater competition for fewer opportunities. Work has also moved in-house, as corporate law departments have looked for ways to cut costs and have become not only clients, but also competitors, to solo lawyers as well as law firms.

Change is never easy, rarely fun, but often necessary. That’s particularly true in the legal industry, in which client/consumer needs and preferences are changing rapidly, but lawyers and law firms are failing to keep pace.

In all aspects of today’s economy, consumers are trending toward specialization. In the medical field, the general family practitioner’s office is often just the first stop — many times mandated by insurance coverage — on the way to the specialist. The full-service advertising agency model of the “Mad Men” era is being replaced by agencies focusing on narrow industries and service specializations. Many advertising clients are no longer seeking an “agency of record” but rather the best agency to help with a specific project intended to achieve a specific objective. IT and software consultants are developing solutions not for mass markets, but for industries — from healthcare to financial services — that face common challenges.

These changes are happening in response to market demands — consumers are no longer looking for service providers with broad skill sets, but rather are seeking out specialists with very particular knowledge in industries and market segments. Narrow and deep, not broad and shallow, is what clients value.

My new book, One of a Kind: A Proven Path to a Profitable Law Practice, is in print! Thanks to everyone — my family, friends, colleagues and publisher — who helped make this happen.

I am hosting a free webinar on May 19 during which I will discuss some of the issues addressed in my book. It’s free to attend and I promise a crisp, insightful presentation of ideas that can help you build a profitable and sustainable book of business.

Details are below. Click here to register.

In my new book, One of a Kind: A Proven Path to a Profitable Practice, I discuss the importance of carving out a practice/industry area niche in order to build a book of business. Indeed, when it comes to business development, quality work and technical proficiency are table stakes. Acquiring the skills necessary to develop and sustain a solid client base is required, and that’s a much different skill set.

In today’s market, in which clients are looking for specialists, not generalists, developing business requires niche expertise. While the ethical rules may prevent you from identifying yourself as an “expert” in your particular field(s) of practice, you should be doing everything possible — professionally and authentically — to create this impression in the minds of others.

For years he has toiled in relative anonymity while keeping us safe. No matter the conditions, no matter the odds, he pursues his mission with relentless zeal. His bark is as big as his bite as he works like a dog fending off the enemies of American aerospace. He asks for little in return. His reward: A pat on the back, and a scratch behind the ears. His name: Piper the Airport K9.

Piper is an 8-year-old Border Collie who helps maintain wildlife control at the Cherry Capital Airport by chasing ducks, geese, owls, foxes and other creatures from runways. It’s said that every dog has its day and Piper, Traverse City’s newest celebrity, has gone viral.

If you live in or near Traverse City, it’s almost certain that you’ve heard of Piper by now. If you live elsewhere you probably have as well. For the last two weeks Piper has been an ubiquitous internet sensation and social media darling.

It all began when someone posted a short video of Piper on Reddit. He’s wearing his signature goggles, a Coast Guard helicopter in the background causing snow to swirl in the frigid air around him. Piper sits calmly, cool and unaffected by his surroundings.

Soon after, Piper was everywhere, from The Huffington Post to ABC News. As with all internet darlings, though, his notoriety will inevitably fade. Earlier this week I heard his owner, airport operations supervisor Brian Edwards, comment on a local radio station that Piper is probably on his 14th minute of his 15 minutes of fame.

While the “What” of this story is no doubt intriguing – a super cool, goggle wearing, bird hunting pooch is irresistible “click bait” – the more interesting and lasting part of the story may be the “Why?”.