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That's Why They Call It Practicing Law
Author David Kempston believes focusing on the attorney-client relationship will lead to excellent lawyering—and his book demonstrates how. Written in a direct and concise manner, That's Why They Call It Practicing Law, emphasizes the application of customer service principles to legal practice. This practical book encourages lawyers to do the ordinary tasks better. Peppered with personal anecdotes, the author uses wisdom and humor to explore 22 different practice pointers. Drawn from the experience of a seasoned litigator, it expertly navigates common problems and pitfalls encountered by all lawyers.
- GenresLaw
106 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 21, 2017
63 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 30, 2018
Great book for law practitioner!
April 26, 2018
This is a unique book that is extremely valuable for any lawyer. I am not aware of any book on the law that has so much experience packed into such a manageable size. The chapters are practical, straightforward, and written with entertaining anecdotes and illustrations that capture the main point. This little book is full of expert advice and best practices that will improve any lawyer's effectiveness and also help their sanity. Kempston uses very memorable phrases to capture the essence of a lot of his points, which makes it easy to remember them and put them into practice. He provides good advice on how to take better care of your clients, but also advice on how to take care of yourself and save yourself some of the headaches and the shoot-yourself-in-the-foot mistakes a lot of lawyers make.
Part of the value of this book is that it is the fruit of over 20 years of litigation practice by a very successful attorney, who has learned his lessons and proven their value. Another part is the fact that Kempston has paid attention to the life lessons other attorneys and judges have provided to him. In other words, this book isn't just "his style" of practicing law. It's filled with the truth about what really works best for handling relationships with different types of clients or for presenting your case successfully - regardless of who you are. Normally you would have to slog through a 400 page biography of a lawyer to glean out some nuggets like this, but here they are just collected and provided right up front. Get to know this book, and keep it handy. You will be very glad you did.
Part of the value of this book is that it is the fruit of over 20 years of litigation practice by a very successful attorney, who has learned his lessons and proven their value. Another part is the fact that Kempston has paid attention to the life lessons other attorneys and judges have provided to him. In other words, this book isn't just "his style" of practicing law. It's filled with the truth about what really works best for handling relationships with different types of clients or for presenting your case successfully - regardless of who you are. Normally you would have to slog through a 400 page biography of a lawyer to glean out some nuggets like this, but here they are just collected and provided right up front. Get to know this book, and keep it handy. You will be very glad you did.
December 24, 2017
Kempston makes an approachable and entertaining case for common sense to drive the practice of law. This book is a quick read and curates wisdom from a diverse assortment of thinkers. Kempston’s sage advice is easily transferable to other professions beyond the courtroom. As a teacher, I find myself going back to Kempston’s chapter titles as succinct reminders of his levelheaded, well-practiced philosophy.
December 30, 2020
Concise Wisdom
As an attorney who rarely sees a courtroom, understanding the life and experience of the litigator is not only interesting, but vital. This book is entertaining, informative and full of useful advice and experiences that will make you a better lawyer and advocate - even if you never see the insides of a courtroom.
As an attorney who rarely sees a courtroom, understanding the life and experience of the litigator is not only interesting, but vital. This book is entertaining, informative and full of useful advice and experiences that will make you a better lawyer and advocate - even if you never see the insides of a courtroom.
February 10, 2018
Down to earth straight to the point lessons learned while practicing law told with a sense of humor good lessons for all of life.
November 27, 2017
I am not an attorney, but this book is delightfully inspiring in ways that apply to life and work outside the courtroom. The author’s extensive professional experience is evident throughout every chapter with notes and quotes on how to essentially make yourself and your customers happier and more satisfied.
Most of us are interacting with customers on a daily basis at our jobs, and if not, we’re probably googling how to develop some new, healthy life habits. Regardless of motivation, whether you are looking to enhance your daily regimen, manage clients more effectively, be more efficient with your time or be a more competent co-worker, you will find something in these pages that will stick with you long after the 1-2 hours it will take you to read this book.
At the end of the day, people will buy a product or service from the person who they feel cared about them the most. I work at a large medical device company and in our industry, our products and our competitor’s products are very similar. So what keeps our customers coming back every day and not running away to the cheapest price per unit? The answer is superior customer service. Master customer service and you will find success in business and in life.
Most of us are interacting with customers on a daily basis at our jobs, and if not, we’re probably googling how to develop some new, healthy life habits. Regardless of motivation, whether you are looking to enhance your daily regimen, manage clients more effectively, be more efficient with your time or be a more competent co-worker, you will find something in these pages that will stick with you long after the 1-2 hours it will take you to read this book.
At the end of the day, people will buy a product or service from the person who they feel cared about them the most. I work at a large medical device company and in our industry, our products and our competitor’s products are very similar. So what keeps our customers coming back every day and not running away to the cheapest price per unit? The answer is superior customer service. Master customer service and you will find success in business and in life.
April 28, 2020
That’s Why They Call It Practicing Law revolves around the theme of service. There is no end to the lawyer’s journey; there is no point when the lawyer has mastered the entire craft. Practice is a clever word. And Kempston uses it here to refer to both the business and the path that begins in law school and ends nowhere. Just like in any discipline, even the greatest in their game require practice.
Kempston pulls from 24 years of practice to bring 22 short chapters that provide guidance, insight, and sometimes surprising observations into how to better serve clients while protecting oneself from the stresses and pitfalls practicing lawyers face. Much more than a book of advice, Kempston assembles a multilayered, multidimensional approach to holistically succeed in an inherently difficult profession. As with nearly everything in life, balance in the legal field is key. Kempston does not shy away from addressing the issues of workaholism, boundaries, when and how to say no, and how to protect oneself from toxic situations brought about by the system and clients.
In many ways, Practicing is a book about preparedness. There is nothing quite like a surprise to throw off one’s efficacy. This book is not a cipher or rulebook, but rather a way to anticipate what the unknown will bring, to actively look for clues revealing what’s to come, and to enter into new situations with the confidence that you as a person are prepared for what lies ahead.
Becoming proficient in an area of law takes time and effort. And with the right amount of work, almost any lawyer can achieve competency. But being successful as a person—from home life to work life—takes an additional level of practice and discipline. With Kempston’s approach, the lawyer can implement systems to guide their path through the unknowns, removing temptations that may negatively affect other areas of life, and looking for the opportunities that will bring success and fulfillment.
Practicing is a book that can benefit anyone in the legal field, no matter the stage of their practice. As a law student who had a prior career in finance, I can say that I am very glad to have already discovered this book. Law school is great at many things, but practical advice applied to practice is not an area where most shine. This is one of those books that I will revisit and reference often—as it is a book that contains layers of insights only discoverable upon additional reads.
Kempston pulls from 24 years of practice to bring 22 short chapters that provide guidance, insight, and sometimes surprising observations into how to better serve clients while protecting oneself from the stresses and pitfalls practicing lawyers face. Much more than a book of advice, Kempston assembles a multilayered, multidimensional approach to holistically succeed in an inherently difficult profession. As with nearly everything in life, balance in the legal field is key. Kempston does not shy away from addressing the issues of workaholism, boundaries, when and how to say no, and how to protect oneself from toxic situations brought about by the system and clients.
In many ways, Practicing is a book about preparedness. There is nothing quite like a surprise to throw off one’s efficacy. This book is not a cipher or rulebook, but rather a way to anticipate what the unknown will bring, to actively look for clues revealing what’s to come, and to enter into new situations with the confidence that you as a person are prepared for what lies ahead.
Becoming proficient in an area of law takes time and effort. And with the right amount of work, almost any lawyer can achieve competency. But being successful as a person—from home life to work life—takes an additional level of practice and discipline. With Kempston’s approach, the lawyer can implement systems to guide their path through the unknowns, removing temptations that may negatively affect other areas of life, and looking for the opportunities that will bring success and fulfillment.
Practicing is a book that can benefit anyone in the legal field, no matter the stage of their practice. As a law student who had a prior career in finance, I can say that I am very glad to have already discovered this book. Law school is great at many things, but practical advice applied to practice is not an area where most shine. This is one of those books that I will revisit and reference often—as it is a book that contains layers of insights only discoverable upon additional reads.
December 6, 2024
I recently re-read this book. A slim volume by an experienced trial attorney packed with evergreen reminders of the key foundational service principles that a good attorney returns to again and again. Great gift for a recent law school grad or new lawyer, but experienced attorneys will appreciate the practice pointers, too.
February 22, 2020
This book should be required reading for all lawyers. Actually any profession would benefit from the principles suggested in this book.
January 19, 2020
There's nothing revolutionary here, just some practical wisdom packaged in a delightful manner and tailored to lawyers. Don't procrastinate. Be honest and upfront with your clients. Nothing fancy. But he uses relatable stories and catchy quotes to make the lessons stick. I started out reading it on my commute home but soon changed it to the morning to psych me up for the day.
April 15, 2020
After reading Mr. Kempston’s second book, Lessons Learned on the Run, a must read, I reread his first book, That’s Why..., and I am so glad that I did.
His writing style is so easy on the eyes and the concepts he presents sink in. Read it twice and you learn something new. He mixes clever, humor, wisdom and a lot of truth. You think this is a book for lawyers? You might, but don’t let the title fool you. This book is good for anyone who wants to maintain a good relationship with customers, colleagues, family and yourself.
Read it. Twice!
His writing style is so easy on the eyes and the concepts he presents sink in. Read it twice and you learn something new. He mixes clever, humor, wisdom and a lot of truth. You think this is a book for lawyers? You might, but don’t let the title fool you. This book is good for anyone who wants to maintain a good relationship with customers, colleagues, family and yourself.
Read it. Twice!
November 30, 2017
This is a superlative, must-read book for all budding legal eagles! The author has distilled the essence of the practice of law. At its heart, this book has a desire to create ethical, empathetic and effective legal warriers. At a time of cynicism for law and the legal community, this book comes in as a breath of much needed fresh air!
Thank you Sir, for this wonderful book!
Thank you Sir, for this wonderful book!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews