Profile:
Hi, I’m Scott. I wrote The Insider’s Guide to Law Firm Land. I’m a thirty-year intellectual property attorney who protects emerging technologies, which means sometimes I get to play with new toys before the public does. I’m a husband and father of two sons, the youngest being ten inches taller than me. I grew up with cats, and now love dogs – two are my current life companions, and the little one likes to wake up before sunrise. I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well, which creates my relentless pursuit of quality. I love to tell stories to convey advice, because no one likes to be told what to do, but everyone loves a good story. And I want everyone I meet to be able to live a better life.My attorney label seems to receive a lot of attention, so let’s jump to the LinkedIn summary. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, I earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University and a law degree from George Washington University. I’ve since held the positions of Law Clerk, Summer Associate, Associate, Special Counsel, Of Counsel, Partner, and Shareholder. I spent half my career in three boutique law firms of 10-175 attorneys and the other half with two general practice AM Law 100 firms of about 400 and 900 attorneys. I am currently a Shareholder at one of the largest law firms in the world.Back in 2010 I went through a transformational moment at a retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia that focused on mindfulness and spirituality rooted in Eastern cultures. I discovered a joy in being of service to others, a personal sense of satisfaction above and beyond winning any case or taking home a bonus check. I’ve since spent over 1000 hours attending and managing retreats in personal growth and human behavior from organizations such as Landmark Worldwide and the Inner Journey Institute, and served for several years as a Board member for the IJI. I’ve witnessed and supported hundreds of people improve their lives. It is still a wonder to behold.The Insider’s Guide to Law Firm Land combines my thirty-year career in law firms with my passion for stories, personal growth, and service. It’s a book of stories to guide lawyers through the practical realities of law firms to find happiness and success in the practice of law. I’ve been giving that guidance to individual attorneys for years, and now The Insider’s Guide to Law Firm Land lets me serve lawyers I may never meet in person.For those who need more personal support than a book, I developed my Finding Success and Happiness in Law Firms courses as intimate, deep dives to reach the core of what is causing lawyers to struggle and course-correct to a more fulfilling career.
Organization:
Law Firm Land Consulting
Herndon, Virginia 20171
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“It is the responsibility of an experienced attorney to train the young.This book is my turn to do so.”~ Scott Watkins“Do you have a few minutes?” It’s how the conversation usually starts. There is a knock on my door, I turn to see an Associate or Counsel standing in my doorway with that look on their face, and they ask me the question. They don’t even have to say another word, that look tells me something has gone off the rails. I motion them to take a seat in my guest chair and ask, “What happened?”All law firms want their attorneys to be happy and successful. Unfortunately, most attorneys aren’t all that happy working in law firms, and success can be elusive and short-lived. Why? Because law firms are one of the strangest places to work, and attorneys aren’t trained to work there. Yes, they went to law school, but law schools teach law school skills, not law firm skills. So, too many lawyers can’t seem to figure law firms out, and even those who (think they) figure it out often have the rug pulled out from under them. It’s as if you jumped down the rabbit hole to a place where the laws of physics don’t apply and seemingly run by characters like the King and Queen of Hearts.It's a place so surreal I call it Law Firm Land. And most attorneys have no idea how to navigate it, so they end up getting lost and falling flat on their faces.That’s when they end up in my guest chair with that look. And when they tell me what happened, it’s always the same predictable root causes – either they didn’t understand how law firms work, or they understood but didn’t adapt. I do what I can to help. As a law firm Partner, I’ve been helping people one-on-one for decades, and over time supporting attorneys to return to a path of happiness and success has become a passion.What if they never got lost in the first place?If getting lost in Law Firm Land is predictable, it is also preventable. Attorneys just need a better understanding of how law firms work and how to adapt, and from that informed place, decide whether to adapt or pursue other options in life. Law schools could provide a course for it, supported by a solid book. Such a resource could improve the lives of so many lawyers entering law firms; far more than I ever could one-on-one.Of course, law schools don’t have such a course or a book. So, I wrote An Insider’s Guide to Law Firm Land: Tales on How to Become a Happy and Successful Lawyer and created supporting seminars and workshops to help lawyers navigate Law Firm Land. It’s my opportunity to support far more lawyers than could ever knock on my door.Because there is a pathway through to find happiness and success in law firms. I’d like to help people travel it.
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