New and events of the Philadelphia Bar Asso.
Issue link: https://thephiladelphialawyer.epubxp.com/i/574228
– the secretive checking of the mobile device has become much more open and acceptable. I have even had canines rub against my leg in some lawyers' "homestyle" offices. And do not get me started on the lack of civility – that is an entirely different article (Can we please stop yelling at each other, and will you stop pointing at me with your threat to call the judge? As a judge recently said to the parties who were getting a bit vociferous in his courtroom, "It's only money folks. Nobody's going to jail."). What I am talking about, however, is a different and, in my view, very troubling trend – the failure of lawyers to invest in a mirror. What is with the jeans and polo shirts at depositions? No folks, a deposition is not a Sunday barbeque or a stroll down Main Street in Manayunk. When I last checked my rules of civil procedure, a deposition was an important event in the discovery process, which, as a matter of practice, often serves as a key moment in determining the outcome of a case. Let us also remember who are often present at depositions – opposing counsel, plaintiff, defendant, lay witnesses, expert witnesses, a court reporter and, yes, sometimes the event is even captured on video for posterity. Karen Kaufman, an expert in the field of impression and relationship management, notes that there is nothing casual about business: "an impression is always made before we have a relationship with someone." She says that it takes under seven seconds to make an impression, and 7-10 different experiences to overcome that first impression. She notes that "when people are hiring attorneys, they expect them to act and be professional. A 'well-pressed' attorney recreates the look and feel of the courtroom. Dress is a non-verbal signal that people equate with credibility." Kaufman emphasizes that you should never underestimate the power of looking the part for both its internal and external effect. In fact, many firms have reversed their dress-down policies for this very reason. Our profession has taken enough hits in recent years. Let us not fall prey to the urge to dumb down our dress to appeal to the everyman. The lawyer is not an everyman. Our profession can only stand as a great and noble calling if we stand apart – and look the part. Now put on that tie. David S. Wolf (dswolf@mdwcg.com) is a shareholder at Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin. the philadelphia lawyer Fall 2015 29 She says that it takes under seven seconds to make an impression, and 7-10 different experiences to overcome that first impression.