Ahead of the Curve
February 2020
PURPOSE
The Professional Development Advisory Committee’s (PDAC) purpose in providing you this communication is to further its goal of periodically sharing topical information regarding the legal industry. Our hope is that one or more of the updates will provide a spark of insight to assist with your work on behalf of ALA as well as within your firm or legal department.
Past Issues
"VIEWPOINT: RETHINKING WORKPLACE BURNOUT"
Most of us are aware that burnout in the workplace is a growing epidemic — an issue we've analyzed and researched, talked about in the media, and written about in journals and books. Most of us are also aware that the epidemic is spreading broader and faster, as the current approaches to solving it aren't working.
Learn more.
Resource: Jennifer Moss, SHRM
"USE THESE 11 CRITICAL IPHONE PRIVACY AND SECURITY SETTINGS RIGHT NOW"
This is a worthwhile review/scan to see what you can do to make your iPhone and data better protected. iOS offers more tools than ever to defend yourself against hackers, nosy sites and other intruders. Here’s why they matter and how to benefit from them.
Learn more.
Resource: Michael Grothaus, Fast Company
"HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE TO CARE?' FIRM LEADERS, EXPERTS DISCUSS MENTAL HEALTH AT LEGALWEEK 2020"
A slate of experts and legal leaders, including Akin Gump Chairwoman Kim Koopersmith, swapped strategies they use to tackle the most pernicious issue surrounding mental health in law: stigma.
Learn more.
Resource: Dylan Jackson, Law.com (requires a free subscription)
"THE SCIENCE BEHIND MARIJUANA TESTING AT WORK"
If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, you now have to evaluate your drug screening requirements as to whether you should be testing for marijuana. Consideration also has to be given to at what level is an employee impaired.
Learn more.
Resource: Megan Gates, SHRM (may require a free subscription)
"THE BIGGEST HURDLE FOR LEGAL TECH INNOVATION? LAW FIRMS' BUSINESS STRUCTURE"
Legal tech companies may have a hard time breaking into the law firm market, but observers say the opportunities are too great to pass up.
Learn more.
Resource: Victoria Hudgins, Legaltech News (requires a free subscription)
"PERSONALITY TESTS ARE USELESS"
Personality tests at work are widely used. Millions of people every year take personality tests given to them (or paid for) by their employers. In fact, 89 of the Fortune 100 companies subject their people to some form of personality testing at some point in their career. Somewhere close to 2.5 million people a year take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator alone. But personality tests, most personality tests anyway, the kinds that put you into a certain "personality type" are useless. They're completely meaningless. They're of dubious origin, dubious methodology, and yet we still use them time and time again.
Learn more.
Resource: David Burkus, YouTube
