I have been practicing law for just under two years. In my present position I do not have contact with individuals in the "corporate" world and therefore I feel I am missing some basic insights as to what options are available to me. I was looking for some advice, insight or direction with regard to the options available to me if I choose to move from the practice of law to a new career. This new career is currently undefined, in large part due to the fact that I don't have personal access to individuals "in the know." I of course have a J.D. but not an M.B.A. is this a hinderance or help?

-- Brian McNulty (BMcNulty@hmmlaw.com), December 12, 2000

Answers

Brian, I took the liberty of reading your profile and together with your BA and recent JD qualifications, I don't see an MBA to be a barrier for you to play a successful role in the business world. Many university programs today offer dual degree programs, which reduce the number of credits required to complete an MBA, so they see a JD as a complimentary qualification. Certainly an MBA would be an extra feather in the cap but so is successful and any relevant experience you are gaining from your legal background. A business qualification can provide you a broader perspective but a post- graduate law degree is a degree that ranks alongside an MBA.

As for being "in-the-know", I only found out what Juris Doctor is because I had to research it today. I am sure at the Board of Directors of level of business that most Chairman (or whatever the politically correct word for a Chairman is today) know what a JD is. Judging by the information about your practice, law seems to play a big part in your family tradition and I am sure you are very proud of having achieved a distinction that other members of your family value highly. Seeing that you are a younger member of those who have achieved JD qualification status, there is a part of me that says you might have the inkling to do something different somewhere down the road in your particular career journey. Now that is something that is personal and entirely in the realm of how you wish to develop your career. All that I like to stress is that sometimes our own territory is so familiar to us that we take it for granted rather than see it for the absolute strength that it is. When your environment is built on a strong family tradition it is easy to begin to think that you may be missing some basic insights about the business world. That seems strange to me because as a lawyer you are in business so that is why I take it that by "corporate" you are referring at the board level of business rather than from a CEO's point of view.

In terms of options available to you, the strongest ones are rooted in your achievements to date. In a business world that seems to be more focused on branding and image, your physical presence gives you a great advantage. Obviously as people of integrity and of an authentic nature we like to see our value in our ability and the skills we have acquired, one however, should never underestimate our natural advantages, because they do dictate a perception which in turn increases the number of options available. I personally believe your strongest options are rooted in connection with your law practice. Your area of practice may not currently provide you with opportunities to deal with CEO's or Boards of Directors at a business level but I see the corporate world as a series of relationships and specialties. Those options increase with your ability to form relationships and by the nature of your own personal goals. It is always a valuable exercise to map out the possibilities. One good way of doing that is to study what other successful lawyers of your caliber have done because that gives you a good initial roadmap of possibilities and as time passes you can build and refine that picture and align it with where you want to be. At a personal level I believe the greatest strength that is undervalued today is the unity you have with your family. Just like Bill Walsh's San Francisco 49ers, good things happen with successfully knitted dynasties. Such gifts are not that common so I think you should look at your options through the eyes of a gift called having a solid foundation.

For a person like me who didn't know at the start of reading your note what a JD was; I hope you found my thoughts stimulating and of interest to your life journey. Like everything in life, take these thoughts with a pinch of salt since I don't see myself as someone "in- the-know" but I do see myself as someone who offers a thoughtful opinion with an aim of being a helpful and kindred spirit which also gives me an opportunity to learn a little more as a result.

M.

M Profile at: http://www.fastcompany.com/fasttalk/replypost.html? p=9738

"To be or not to be that is the question" A quote by Willy Shakes. Mantra of M. "Life is about Private Relations not Public Relations"

-- Mark Zorro (zorromark@consultant.com), December 12, 2000.