It’s practically mid-December and the Season of Giving is finally upon us! And what’s arguably the best part of Holiday Season, you ask? Holiday movies, of course! And the best part about these childhood & family classics is that they can still teach you invaluable life lessons—lessons which also can be applied to your legal practice and offer ways of coping with the current state of the world as a business owner.

Don’t Give Up

The 1964 made-for-television Roemer & Nagashima stop motion classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has provided generations of children with messages of tolerance & self-acceptance, but an often-overlooked theme in the film is never giving up on your dreams. During the course of the film, Rudolph teams up with several misfits to help save Christmas and although all of the characters are rather memorable, the film’s deuteragonist and Rudolph’s best friend, Hermey the Misfit Elf, offers up a very valuable lesson in perseverance & goal setting. You see, Hermey’s dream is to become a dentist. He’s a sub-par toymaker who’s devoted all of his free time (and even some of his work hours) to studying dentistry. A major milestone along his journey to becoming a world-class dentist is when he saves Rudolph and their ice-climbing companion Yukon Cornelius from Bumble "The Abominable Snow Monster" by using his fantastic dental wizardry to subdue the beast. And, finally, at the end of the film, we get to see Hermey become the official dentist of the North Pole.

So, what can this teach you about handling your practice during this particular holiday season? Well, despite the many setbacks that this pandemic has thrust upon us, you can always look towards setting realistic goals for the next quarter. Perhaps you want to better manage your various case documents? Or help your intake staff improve their daily operations and methods of handling claims? Expand the areas you service or gear your practice to a new area of law or practice type? Maybe would like to explore new avenues of marketing and give online lead generation a try? Setting attainable long & short-term goals are one of the greatest cornerstones of running a successful, long-lasting practice and are key to unlocking your lifelong dreams & professional aspirations.

Your Hard Work Matters

In Adam Sandler’s 2002 foyer into the world of animation with Eight Crazy Nights, Sandler tells the tale of not only the self-destructive Dave Stoney in search of a Hanukkah like the one he used to share with his late parents when he was a kid, but also of the timid, good-natured Whitey Duvall. Whitey, the geriatric, ailment-addled punching bag of the fictional New England town of Dukesberry, N.H. has spent his entire life servicing its people and has never once received any proper recognition or thanks for his unbelievably hard work, especially kind heart, and countless good deeds. During the film’s finale, Whitey is gifted with every Dukesberry All-Star Patch ever awarded to the various residents of the town, and although it took him 35 years, he finally got to live out his dream and receive the love & respect that he so rightfully deserves for his decades of selflessness and unwavering kindheartedness.

So, why mention this during the 2020 Holidays? Well, many attorneys and advocates are unable to celebrate with their fellow legal experts & communities. Local bar associations’, chambers of commerce’s & downtown business associations’ end of the year award ceremonies/holiday parties have been canceled or made virtual, and many hardworking lawyers & representatives may feel as though they’ll go unrecognized for all their sacrifices this year. Given this, it’s important to remember that it’s not strictly about the accolades or the fun holiday bash, but rather that you, your clients, your colleagues & your community know how truly devoted and fun you are. There’s always next year! None of these canceled or heavily altered holiday & year-end festivities can take away from that fact you’re a highly skilled, hardworking and well-respected legal expert with so much to offer both your profession and community.

Be Willing To Embrace Change

Will Ferrell & John Favreau’s 2003 Elf was an instant classic and still remains a beloved family holiday favorite seventeen years later! Many fans remember Buddy’s journey from the fun & frosty North Pole to the chewing gum-coated sidewalks of New York City, but the message of change is often lost on some viewers. You see, it isn’t Buddy who has genuine difficulty adjusting to the changes in his new and unusual surroundings, but rather his biological father, Walter Hobbs. Walter’s transformation from emotionally distant father, disinterested husband and corner-cutting children’s book publisher to loving family man, co-creator of a hit new children's book and Santa believer is the defining part of the film’s message of holiday spirit & cheer.

So, how does this benefit you? Well, it’s important to continue evolving with the ever-changing work trends that this virus has forced us into, and a great way to do this to rely on a combination of the aforementioned advice, particularly a willingness to invest in new methods of lead acquisition and case management.

If you’re interested in exploring lead generation and making your Holiday Season & New Year more manageable, then please do not hesitate to contact us today! Please give us a call at 617.800.0089 so we can answer your questions about online case lead generation. And remember, even though a pandemic has drastically altered the legal realm, it can’t cancel the Holiday Season!