Having danced the vast majority of my life, I was surprised to find that dealing with attorneys was a lot like dealing with dancers. While attorneys help their claimants receive monetary benefits and dancers perform in groups for an audience, these two distinct professions have more similarities than first meets the eye.
Success Isn’t Immediate
A five year old girl who dreams of being a ballerina does not magically turn into a beautiful dancer after her mom signs her up for ballet classes. At best after the initial class, she’ll learn how to run around the room with a tiara on her head, claiming she's a ballerina princess. A ballet dancer is only successful after years and years of exercises that build on each other.
Although different areas of law experience different rates of payment, a contingency-based attorney might not see cash flow for his or her cases for a while. For example, a Social Security disability case could take one to two years to be resolved, meaning that the attorney would only see rewards from that client two years after signing him or her up. This might cause an attorney to back away from SSD leads. However, investing in Social Security disability leads could allow the attorney to see a 400% return on their investment.
The same can be said for other areas of law, such as personal injury or workers’ compensation. A personal injury or workers’ comp attorney may wait for well over a year for a judge to settle a trial, and even then, the settlement may later be adjusted. Patience is key!
Core is Fundamental
In ballet, a dancer must have good balance in order to perform the choreography well. Solid balance comes from a strong core and allows a dancer to complete each movement with control. Without balance, the dancing would be sloppy, and pointe work would be nearly impossible.
For an attorney, that strong core could be a platform that would allow the attorney to balance his or her hectic life, from intake phone calls, to drafting letters, preparing for hearings, attending hearings, and so on. An important platform that could help an attorney find balance between his or her responsibilities would be an effective lead and case management software, such as eLuminate. Case management software allows firms to streamline pending cases and organize upcoming trials. Having that strong core of software could help the attorney perform his or her duties in a quicker and more professional manner, just like having a strong core could help a dancer balance beautifully on her pointe shoe.
Practice Makes Perfect
A ballet dancer will practice for years, and perfection will still be nearly impossible to attain. A dancer must practice a variety of movement, like turns, jumps, partnering, and more, even if the dancer doesn't enjoy some exercises. However, practicing almost every day and giving it their all is what turns a decent dancer into a great dancer.
Similarly, if an attorney has worked in all areas of the firm, he or she will understand best what needs to be done for the firm’s future success. For example, this could include managing the administrative details of running a firm, like the initial intake process of a lead with a lead and case management software. Whether the attorney is doing the intake process or delegating the tasks to staff members, practice allows the firm to eventually save time and make their lead and case management close to perfect.
Routines are Important
The best way for a dancer to continue practicing until perfection is to create a routine. A ballet technique class always has the same structure, regardless of age or level. Working with a structured routine allows a dancer to improve his or her basics, while also advancing and progressing with the exercises. These exercises are later choreographed into unique combinations by the teacher, which adds creativity and alterations to the routine.
Likewise, a successful attorney will have a routine set in place for handling his or her clients. For example, the attorney could do their initial intake via phone and record the claimant's case information in the lead section of their case management software, like eLuminate. If the claimant is worth pursuing, the attorney could send the claimant his or her initial packet. Once the paperwork is returned electronically, the attorney should schedule an initial office appointment. A routine helps attorneys stay organized and efficient, which in turn will grow the firm. However, just as a dancer adds creativity to the routine through different choreography, an attorney must add customization to their cases by focusing on the specific needs of each of their clients.
Performance is Necessary
A dancer's favorite and culminating moment is when he or she performs on stage for an audience. This is what all the hard work is for. However, the performance isn't just the technique that has been practiced. A major part of the performance is the theater - a dancer must sell themselves to the audience so that the audience not only enjoys the dancing, but also believes the role the dancer is playing.
An attorney needs to show his or her value through performance as well. Besides paperwork and efficient management, an attorney has to sell themselves multiple times - first, to the claimant, so the claimant will agree to sign up; second, to the judge, when helping the claimant win his or her case. For instance, a Social Security disability attorney might sell him or herself to the claimant by highlighting that they will only be paid if they win, and that most initial applications are denied. These two performances are what seal the deal for the attorney and help him or her make their living, just like a ballet performance is what helps the ballet company receive revenue.
In short, ballet dancers and attorneys are quite similar: hard, repetitive work allows both to grow professionally. The work is a journey that takes time and effort, but is an extremely rewarding experience when a dancer can perform for a cheering audience and the attorney can help a claimant win their Social Security benefits, personal injury claim, employment law, or more.