James Dolan

October 01, 2012 | Texas Lawyer

"Look, I didn't go to law school to be a salesman," said Gary, a partner in an established firm who had worked on mergers and acquisitions for most of his career.

By James Dolan

6 minute read

March 21, 2012 | Law.com

Fear is something all attorneys feel but few are comfortable acknowledging, writes James Dolan. Many rush past feelings of fear, preferring the emotions of anger or blame. To overcome obstacles in their practices, however, attorneys must learn to face the dragons of their fears, rather than avoiding those things that scare them.

By James Dolan

5 minute read

January 14, 2013 | Texas Lawyer

A key concept in Jungian psychology can help attorneys survive life in a firm and avoid disastrous self-sabotage (see, for example, Gen. David Petraeus). It's the concept of the shadow. The shadow is the bearer of instinct and negative emotion: rage, lust, envy and grief.

By James Dolan

5 minute read

November 02, 2011 | The Legal Intelligencer

In contemporary law practice, particularly in litigation, the expert witness in psychology — psychiatrists, forensic psychologists, psychotherapists and so on — increasingly is a member of the teams on opposite sides of a courtroom.

By James Dolan

7 minute read

April 22, 2010 | New York Law Journal

By James Dolan

6 minute read

February 25, 2013 | Texas Lawyer

Many firms are brimming with hatred and all its manifestations: rage, gossip, sabotage, contempt, yelling and abuse of power. But understanding the origins of hatred can free lawyers from its toxic power.

By James Dolan

6 minute read

October 17, 2011 | Texas Lawyer

The best tools deployed by lawyers are discourse and argument developed so arduously in law school and professional life: the ability to argue to a win, says James Dolan, a professional coach and psychotherapist. But there is a sad truth: There can be nothing more destructive to a marriage than the lawyer who comes home and practices law there.

By James Dolan

5 minute read

October 23, 2008 | National Law Journal

Feuds and fiefdoms exist everywhere in law firms, says professional coach and psychotherapist James Dolan. They are omnipresent because human beings run firms. It's human nature to have difficulty living together under one roof, whether as spouses, families or professional services firms. The problem, Dolan says, is that when lawyers feud with each other and run to their separate fiefdoms, each side doesn't necessarily grow stronger and more profitable; rather, a lot of human capital can go down the drain.

By James Dolan

6 minute read

November 05, 2010 | New Jersey Law Journal

Understanding the uses and misuses of the word 'integrity' can help attorneys navigate the sometimes tricky interpersonal relationships at their firms.

By James Dolan

4 minute read

January 28, 2010 | The Recorder

If you're not a born leader, you can still teach yourself to be an effective one.

By James Dolan

5 minute read