Friend, here's The Timesheet for July 2008

These three study aids, together with 2nd Helping of Chicken Suit for the Lawyer's Soul—which covers everything from trusts & estates ("My Will") to torts ("Why Don't We Get Drunk and Sue") and criminal law ("Probation Polka"), along with our Classic Billable Hour® Watch (to watch those precious minutes ticking away)—comprise the Billable Hour Company's Bar Exam Survival Kit (passing score not guaranteed).

All of these items come artfully arranged in a first aid-themed gift box, protected by a clear celo bag topped by a huge 4" red bow.

Sometimes, the relationship between the professional and personal sides of life becomes blurred. That may be a work/life balance issue that calls for reflection on the degree, if any, to which the lawyer wants to separate the two.

But sometimes, a lawyer will experience a personal problem that he can’t keep entirely separate from his professional life. Serious illness is one example, though the challenge there tends to come when the actual crisis is over, when recovery begins. My take on that situation is rather clear: do whatever is necessary to ensure your reclaimed health, no matter what professional consequences may follow, but conduct your affairs so that your clients don’t suffer. For more on one lawyer’s solution in this circumstance, see The Complete Lawyer article entitled The Healthiest Lawyer.

Then there are the personal circumstances that don’t have the potential for personal life-or-death consequences. Examples are a family member’s prolonged illness or death, or facing the prospect or reality of divorce. Although most of us are practiced at putting on the "game face" and getting on with work, events of this magnitude may make it difficult or impossible to manage that. Each person is, of course, different, and no solution will fit everyone. Here, however, are some ideas of coping mechanisms.

Support. Get the support you need, whether that’s counseling, a support group, a coach, or some blend of the three. Asking for help may not come naturally, but it can help you avoid mental or emotional tunnel vision and help you identify your best options.

Consider whether to share your news. Depending on the situation, you may need to let a colleague or supervisor at your firm know what’s going on. There’s no need to share details, but especially if you suspect that there will be an actual conflict between your professional responsibilities and your personal ones, it’s often best to let someone else know.

Practice centering exercises. Whether it’s meditation, yoga, or just deep breathing, physical activities can help you center yourself so you are better prepared to deal with work while you’re working and less likely to be pulled away mentally or emotionally by whatever is causing you distress. This can be as simple as sitting in silence for 3-4 minutes and paying attention to your breath, gently releasing any thoughts that may come up. The beauty of a practice this simple, of course, is that you can revisit it at any moment, without even letting others know you’re doing it.

Excellent self-care. Get enough sleep. Eat real, healthy food. Don’t drink too much alcohol. Keep your body well-hydrated. When you’re under severe stress, it’s easy to let this go, but the extra effort will serve you well.

Be realistic. You may need to cut back on your hours, take a "vacation," or even take a leave of absence. Or you may not. Just don’t try to be a hero. A realistic appraisal of your energy will keep you from taking on too much, causing yourself to crash and burn.

Reflect. Journal writing can be a terrific tool for working through difficult issues.

Manage your energy. Take advantage of the days when you have sufficient energy to work hard. Although you can take steps to keep your energy as high as possible (the other steps suggested here, for instance), it’s a reasonably safe bet that your energy will lag at some point, and you’ll be able to work with that rhythm if you maximize your output when you can.

Remember that this, too, will pass. It’s a trite saying that may not offer much comfort in the moments of deepest pain, but the difficult times will not last forever.

Julie Fleming Brown, J.D., A.C.C. provides attorney development coaching and consulting to law firm associates and partners, focusing on topics such as leadership, client, and professional development; career strategy; and work/life integration. A certified leadership coach (Georgetown University), Julie publishes the weekly email newsletter Leadership Matters for Lawyers and posts often on the Life at the Bar Blog. Learn more at www.LifeAtTheBar.com or by contacting Julie by telephone at 800.758.6214 or by email to jfb@lifeatthebar.com.

©Stu Rees. All rights reserved.

Did you know that Stu also licenses his artwork for use in newsletters, presentations, print publications and on websites? He even offers special rates for student and teacher use.

You can also purchase original artwork and custom prints (framed or unframed) from Stu.

Timesheet readers get 15% off all licensing orders, original artwork and custom prints (use coupon code BILLHOUR). Click here for information on licensing or purchasing "You'll Do Great" or one of the hundreds of other images Stu offers. For more information on original artwork and custom prints, click here.

We we saw the image below, we knew it would be a big hit at the Billable Hour Card Store. Luckily for us (and you), Mark agreed.

©Andertoons. All rights reserved.

Mark lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats, a dog and several dust bunnies.

Publications that use his cartoons include: Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Barrons, Woman's World, Harvard Business Review, Saturday Evening Post, American Legion Magazine, Funny Times and many more.

Corporate clients and other publishers include: General Electric, Walgreens, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, IBM, MapQuest, McGraw-Hill, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Sports Authority and numerous others.

You can find more of Mark's hilarious cartoons at www.Andertoons.com.

©Dan Rosandich. All rights reserved.

Like this cartoon? Send it to friends, clients or colleagues on greeting cards. To order, visit The Billable Hour Card Store.

After watching this video, you'll ace any evidence questions on the bar exam:

To watch more of the funniest law-related videos from all over the web, join us at The Video Venue!

Disorderly Conduct™ helps demystify the law, so you can learn more about how our judicial system works while having a lot of fun! This is a perfect game for dorm rooms, family night, law offices and parties. You can test your legal knowledge with 350 multiple-choice questions in 7 legal categories: property, torts, evidence, general practice, constitutional and criminal law. Each question is based on real case law, with answers on the back of each card supported by actual case precedent. To win the game, a player or team must be the first to correctly anser one question from each category, and then head to the center of the board (the "Courthouse") to answer one final General Practice question.

The eye-catching triangular game board contains three portals that let players jump to other sides of the board. This allows players access to unanswered questions easily to gain a competitive advantage.

Three different kinds of Action Cards keep the game moving quickly and the competition heated. Like a well-written decision, each Action Card gives a reason for the action taken. So, for example, you can lose your turn for losing an unopposed motion. On the flip side, you can take a turn from the opponent of your choice when (for example), your law school names you alumn of the year in recognition of your dedicated legal work for the poor and underprivileged.

The game is designed for two or more individual players, or for 3 teams of multiple players. Ages 15 and up. A Michigan administrative law judge created Disorderly Conduct after encountering many unrepresented petitioners who didn't understand how to proceed in their hearings or know what their rights or duties were. The ALJ's wife, formerly a practicing lawyer, uses the game as coach of the mock trial team at an alternative high school for at-risk youths. Although the school is small, the team has done better than expected against large schools with very established mock trial teams.

You can find Disorderly Conduct™ in our Games & Books Department. It's also part of the Fun & Games Set and the Board Games Set.

For all those taking the bar exam this month, here's a cheat sheet for the MPRE:

click here to enlarge (large file; please be patient)

©Suzan Charlton. All rights reserved.