There’s nothing worse than strained chit chat with a stone-faced potential client. So, what’s a good way to break the ice? Laughter.
Today’s New York Times sheds some light on this ill understood social phenomenon in What’s So Funny? Well, Maybe Nothing. As the article notes, laughter is “an instinctual survival tool for social animals, not an intellectual response to wit. It’s not about getting the joke. It’s about getting along.”
So, lawyers (especially the most serious ones) should certainly attempt to laugh (or at least smile) at their clients’ jokes–no matter how poor. Lawyers can also try to break tense client communication with some laughter because, as the article notes, “mainly it’s a subtle social lubricant.”
Lawyers working on cross-cultural matters should pay close attention to cultural differences in humor. What’s funny in one country doesn’t always translate abroad.
If you don’t know what constitutes humor in a particular foreign culture, try to gather some data in advance. Read books like those in the Culture Shock series or Roger Axtell’s Do’s and Taboos of Humor Around the World: Stories and Tips from Business and Life and Gestures. Speak to consular representatives from that country, or US State Department personnel assigned to the relevant country desk, and ask about culturally appropriate humor. Foreign language professors and businessmen with experience in the relevant country can also shed light on the topic.
If you find yourself in the middle of a client conversation without time for advance research, pay attention to any humor introduced by the client. Gauge what constitutes acceptable humor and, more important, what does not. And if you make a cultural gaffe as I did (see Oops–You Forgot to Say Buenos Dias), apologize, if necessary, make a self-depricating joke about your cultural slight, and above all, learn from your mistake.
For more on this topic, refer to my prior post Address Touchy Subjects with Humor–but Carefully.
Lawyers wanting to work abroad should take a very quick look at this Guide to Working Overseas for attorneys published by international recruiting company Michael Page Legal. This quick guide shares some very basic facts–like common billable hour requirements–for attorneys working in select jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands and Dubai. Although cursory, it’s also filled with luring photos.
Are you a law student interested in an international career? If so, studying abroad has many advantages including: (1) signaling employers that you are interested in and have exposure to the international arena, and (2) making international contacts.
Unless you have a fabulous clerkship offer, the 1L summer can be an ideal time to study abroad. Future employers usually don’t look askance at studying abroad during the 1L summer (in contrast to the 2L summer during which study abroad may signal an inability to get a clerkship). Spending a semester abroad during the 2L spring or 3L fall are also good options; doing so will give you a more substantial foreign living experience, and, as a more senior law student, you will better appreciate and understand the subjects studied overseas.
How do you choose a program that’s right for you? If you are drawn to a particular geographic region or legal specialty, you might choose your program accordingly. For example, if you want to jump in the Chinese bandwagon, choosing a program based in China and focusing on Chinese law seems logical.
You should certainly also research and check the caliber of the professors who have participated recently in the program. Find out whether foreign professors or merely US professor transplants will be teaching. It can be enriching to study under foreign professors; they will become future overseas contacts and approach the legal world differently than your US professors. Foreign professors (and foreign students) can also help you with future international networking. When examining the faculty at a study abroad program, delve into the professors’ professional backgrounds. How are they linked to legal specialties or geographic regions that interest you? Who are the contacts that they might have?
Be sure and consult with recent program graduates and inquire about their experiences. A program with a large enrollment of native students will make your study abroad experience feel more authentic and teach you a lot about foreign legal systems.
Helpful websites include:
http://www.nyls.edu/pages/241.asp
http://www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/abroad.html (with links to summer, semester, and co-operative programs).
Interesting summer programs include:
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/international/study_abroad/paris_summer/index.cfm
http://www.law.duke.edu/internat/institutes.html
http://www.law.case.edu/summer-institute/
Good luck with your study abroad adventure!
In Continue Lifting Foreign Restrictions, Ken Siegel, the managing partner of Morrison Foerster’s Tokyo office, describes the history of, and calls for Japan officials to lift further, the restrictions on foreign lawyers practicing in Japan. The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan published this article in its January newsletter, but check out its website for additional helpful advice on doing business in Japan.
Welcome to the International Lawyer Coach Blog! My goal is to is to share information through this Blog that will make life easier for my fellow international lawyers.
Blog posts share practice tips about ways to enhance your international law practice, develop more clients, travel more efficiently, work smarter, and the like. I will also pass along recommendations from other practicing international lawyers about ways to enhance your practice.
What kind of information would you like to see in the Blog? Please review the categories below, and email your suggestions to: Janet@InternationalLawyerCoach.com.
Please also contribute tips to share with your peers - favorite international business hotels or other travel tips, helpful resources, and the like.
Whether you are an active international lawyer, an aspiring international lawyer, or one who is contemplating transitioning from the practice, we welcome your input!
