I have been criticized before, but never by a famous criminal defense attorney. They know how to throw and land punches. Here is Scott Greenfield’s response to my Gen-Y post. “The Slackoisie Fight Back”
Here is my response as posted in his comments section:
Scott,
I enjoyed meeting you as well, knowing that you are sincerely a nice guy made it easier taking your abuse. You make some interesting points in your article. But you aren’t REALLY responding to my post. You are using the platform to rant about the undeserving and lazy members of Generation Y.
Oh yeah, we are also selfish:
“They believed they were hard working. They believed their work was competent. That no one else agreed with their self-assessments didn’t seem to phase them in the slightest. They were right. No one else mattered. Me, me, me.”
I believe working insane hours and missing out on watching my children grow up would be pretty selfish. Of course its not about the money for you, its all about the client. I get that. But is it really? Is it possible to take on fewer clients at a time? Is it possible that you can lay it all on the line everyday for each client- but take on a lighter load?
I grew up with a father that was an expert at a life saving surgical procedure, and rather than turning down patients he just kept piling them on. It was all about the patient for him, and I respected that- but was he the only doctor in the US? Could someone else have helped some of these patients? Are you the only Criminal defense attorney?
You tell us we don’t understand responsibility (and we don’t- we are after all in our 20’s and early 30’s)
“Being a lawyer is different. We have chosen a profession where we are responsible for the welfare of others. Would our touchy-feely GC be as willing to put work-life balance ahead of excellence if a critical deadline passed unmet, his corporation was bankrupted by a massive loss, because the lawyers paid to represent them had something better to do that day?”
Nobody in the audience at your panel suggested giving anything less than 100% to the clients. What they did say is that they didn’t want to come in to work on Saturday just to put in face time. To which Dan and you replied, “They should come in Saturday looking for work to do!”
Really? We don’t see it that way, and as much as you want us to change the way we see the world- its not happening.
The truth is, you agree that life-balance is important. You even say so in your post:
“We work hard, play hard, enjoy life to its fullest.”
You are completely satisfied with your life-balance. So was Dan Hull. When I spoke with him after he asked, “You don’t think I know the names of my kids do you?” That’s not it at all.
You each have built great firms, provided great service to your clients, and apparently lived life to the fullest in the process.
We want to do the same, but for us
“living life to the fullest” means something different.
So there it is. Partners, if you want to know what living life to fullest means for us- you might want to ask us.
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well said Adrian. If wanting to have a life outside of work makes me selfish then I guess I am.