As we move into 2024, one of your resolutions may be to read more books. Making time for reading can keep your brain active, make you more empathetic, and help to relax you. So what books should you add to your reading list for the new year?
Below is our list of must-read books for lawyers. From self-help classics to firm management how-tos, discover the books that will transform your firm this year.
Tiger Tactics by Jay Ruane, Ryan McKeen, Billie Tarascio, William Umansky, and Theresa DeGray
Jay, Ryan, Billie, William, and Theresa all have experience growing and then selling a multi-million-dollar law firm.
Tiger Tactics: Powerful Strategies for Winning Law Firms gives actionable tips for everyone from experienced firm owners to solo practitioners just starting out.
You’ll learn how to grow a firm and set it up to scale seamlessly.
The Happy Lawyer by Nancy Levit and Douglas O. Linder
Law is a demanding field of work, and many attorneys struggle with burnout, stress, and work-life balance.
The Happy Lawyer helps you reconnect with the reasons you started practicing law in the first place and teaches strategies for how to manage the pressure of the modern legal world.
The Client-Centered Law Firm by Jack Newton
Often when you’re planning your law firm marketing, it can be easy to start focusing on you – what you offer, why you stand out from your competitors, etc.
But this can lead to a disconnect in your marketing that drives away potential clients. The Client-Centered Law Firm teaches you how to reexamine every one of your processes, from intake to trial, to make sure they’re focused on your clients’ needs.
Fireproof by Mike Morse
If you’ve ever looked at other firms growing faster and bigger than you and wondered how they do it, this is the book for you.
Fireproof by Mike Morse lays out a road map to help you figure out what’s missing in your firm and optimize for profitability.
You’ll learn how to run your firm like a business and get all the expertise they didn’t teach you in law school.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
This classic book is a must-read for anyone, not just lawyers, and it’s no surprise that it makes our list.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People lays out the habits that successful people have in common and teaches you how to integrate them into your own life. You’ll find a new way to connect with others and inspire those around you, becoming a true leader in your firm and your community.
How to Start and Build a Law Practice by Jay G. Foonberg
Starting your own firm is an exciting, terrifying, overwhelming process. How to Start and Build a Law Practice covers all the points you’ll need to know when starting your firm.
Although the book is a little older and doesn’t cover all the technological aspects of running a modern firm, it still provides solid guidance as you strike out on your own.
The E-Myth Attorney by Michael Gerber
The e-myth is an approach to building your business in which someone could easily take it over from you in the future. Whether or not you plan to sell your firm, this approach can give you a better work-life balance and make your firm more resilient.
The E-Myth Attorney teaches you how to set up your firm so that it doesn’t live and die with you, giving you some of your life and freedom back.
Storytelling for Lawyers by Phillip Meyer
Storytelling is a critical skill for attorneys; often, success in the courtroom comes down to telling a persuasive, engaging story.
You need to be able to breathe life into the facts and details of the case and make a jury truly feel for your client. Storytelling for Lawyers teaches you how to take the elements of a case and turn them into a compelling story.
Solo by Choice by Carolyn Elefant
Running a solo practice can give you an unbeatable level of freedom, but it can also become all-consuming. Solo by Choice discusses how to make this path manageable.
You’ll learn how to automate processes, replace staff, and achieve good work-life balance while still running a firm on your own.
The Tools of Argument by Joel P. Trachtman
If you’re looking for a definitive examination of how to make effective arguments, look no further than The Tools of Argument.
Joel Trachtman breaks down the components of a good argument and explores how to use reason to persuade an audience. This book will teach you more than just how to mount a good argument; it will teach you how to win.
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Pat Lencioni
Managing a team of employees is an important part of running a law firm, and you may find yourself stuck in a cycle of rapid employee turnover.
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team can help you figure out what components you’re missing in your team building. You’ll learn how to address these gaps and manage your team successfully.
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
It will come as no surprise that negotiating is a critical daily skill for attorneys.
In Never Split the Difference, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss teaches you to think through how you work toward outcomes. He also teaches powerful negotiation tactics that will help you get better outcomes for your clients.
The New Lawyer’s Handbook: 101 Things They Don’t Teach You in Law School by Karen Thacker
Law school teaches you about research and presentation, but there’s a lot it doesn’t cover. Being a colleague, a boss, and a service provider calls for a lot of skills you may not have developed yet.
The New Lawyer’s Handbook covers all the things you need to know to practice law well that you may not have learned in law school.
Law is a Buyer’s Market by Jordan Furlong
Each year, more and more attorneys flood into markets like personal injury. This market saturation means that clients have their pick of who they want to work with, and the onus is on the lawyers to make themselves stand out from the competition.
Law is a Buyer’s Market teaches you how to create marketing messages that are geared toward your ideal client and that can really make an impact.
You Can’t Teach Hungry by John Morgan
Growing a law firm can be a demanding, grueling process, and it takes a certain amount of outright hunger for success to make it work. John Morgan can help you optimize this process.
With three decades of experience growing successful firms, he teaches you how to focus your efforts and get a better return on your investment in your firm.
Playing to Win by Alan G. Lafley and Roger Martin
When you’re running a law firm, you’re likely to hear a lot of talk about strategy, but what does that really mean?
Playing to Win breaks down best practices in strategy into five core concepts: defining winning aspirations, determining your market, standing out from the competition, determining what capabilities you need to thrive, and building the management systems you need. You’ll learn how to build a firm based on proven strategies and winning tips.
Traction by Gino Wickman
Do you ever feel like your firm team is out of step and you can’t figure out how to get everyone back in sync? Traction can help you reset your goals and your routine practices to give your firm the fresh start it needs.
You’ll learn how to run ninety-day sprints, use weekly meetings effectively, and set meaningful metrics that are aligned with your growth goals.
Play Bigger by Christopher Lochhead, Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, and Kevin Maney
Often, lawyers come out of school with a lot of ideas about what they “should” be doing – only some of which may connect with reality. Play Bigger helps you reexamine those concepts, turn them on their heads, and find a system that works for you.
You’ll discover an innovative approach to practicing law and learn how to stand out in a crowded market.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
One of the biggest struggles adults (lawyers and otherwise) face is keeping habits. But far from being a failure of willpower, James Clear says that our inability to keep up with those habits is the fault of the systems we use.
Atomic Habits will teach you how to build a system of habit-making that actually works and allows you to follow through and meet your goals.
Expand Your Knowledge
As the new year begins, you may be looking for opportunities to improve your firm, your personal wellness, and your work-life balance. The books we’ve discussed here all contain valuable information for lawyers. From advice on how to build a successful business to lessons in personal development, you’ll be better for having read these titles.
If you’re looking for some additional ways to refresh your firm, LawRank is here to help. We provide SEO for lawyers, PPC, and web design services for law firms looking to stay at the top of their markets. Contact us today to start getting legal marketing that works.
