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Time is a 4-Letter Word

1 min read

Guest Blogger Karen Thalacker digs deep into that short, little 4-letter word that we just don’t seem to have enough of these days.

 

What is the 4-letter word that annoys lawyers the most? That 4 letter word is “time.”  Most of us feel like we don’t have enough time on a normal day so when an event occurs that requires our immediate attention and then the preparation and filing of a document, it can be a challenge.

Here are 3 suggestions for what to do when time is short and the pressure is on:

1 – Stay focused.  This is not the time for multi-tasking. Continuing to send emails and take phone calls on other cases may lead to mistakes.

2 – Reach out to someone in your office.  Let them know what’s going on and have them proofread your document prior to filing.

Finally – Never forget that your emergency is not someone else’s emergency.  Courtesy matters even when you’re running short on time.

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Authored by:

Karen is a graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, and Drake University Law School in Des Moines, IA. She began her legal career as a prosecutor before entering private practice. For over 20 years, her practice has focused on family law and general practice. Karen is trained in Collaborative Law and also acts as a parenting coordinator for high conflict parents. Since 2009, Karen has served as a judicial magistrate in Iowa. She is also the Chief Compliance Officer and pre-law advisor at Wartburg College. Karen is the author of “The New Lawyer’s Handbook: 101 Things They Don’t Teach You in Law School” and also two knitting books for children. Her commentaries and guest opinions have appeared in the Huffington Post and the Des Moines Register. She and her husband Pete have 4 children.

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