Sometimes the little frustrations of life and work can bring inspiration and fulfillment.

Small Law Columnist Jeff Wheeler urges in-house counsel to distinguish between “must have” and “nice to have” contract terms.

Small Law columnist Jeff Wheeler reflects on 2020 and what he is doing to "Pick Himself Up" this year.

Beyond just telling them where the boundaries are, what techniques do you employ to impart key compliance concepts to your teams?

Building relationships and trust with others in the company — outside the context of providing legal services — can make a big difference in one’s effectiveness when attention turns to more challenging issues.

Haven’t most of us benefitted from someone making an introduction that helped us along our career path? Aren’t we game to do likewise when the opportunities present themselves?

In good times and bad, we accept that self-care is inherently a matter of personal responsibility. So, why deny ourselves opportunities for self-care solely because some of the benefits might also inure to the company we work for?

If we expect our colleagues in the companies we serve to be able to apply and fulfill the agreements we prepare for them, if we expect our employees to follow the policies and guidance we issue, we must use language that speaks to its intended audience.

What do you have on your list of things you’re not letting yourself do until you first take care of other pressing matters? Make a plan now to do at least one of those things.

We can consider how we in “legal” are often perceived and how that influences others who seek to (or must) engage us. Then we can consciously decide, somewhere between stimulus and response, to ensure that the perception-feedback loop doesn’t spoil the intended communication.

If you see the potential for unwanted consequences, ask the questions that will help you gain perspective and improve your ability to respond, not the sort that will come across as advice in camouflage.

How much does the training we receive influence the training we provide? How much should it?

Can you see the application to those times when someone seeks your counsel on an issue? Those times are when it becomes clear they’re hoping you can find a technicality that will permit them to continue on their dangerous course.

I’ve developed the habit of consistent use of my to-do list. My approach is inspired by David Allen’s Getting Things Done and the notion that holding any to-dos in one’s head when they can be offloaded to a trusted system imposes a needless drag on one’s thinking and efforts.

The minutes you spend learning shortcuts on your devices now could return hours to you down the road.

Atop the list of things I was most grateful for was the time given to me by so many people who had gone, or were still going, through this ordeal. I learned so much from their stories, was inspired by the invariably happy outcomes they achieved, comforted to know I wasn’t alone, and grateful to be able to reciprocate the support.

Columnist Jeffrey W. Wheeler opens about how finding a job can't happen without the care and support of family and friends.

This is my last column about my recent job transition. I’ve learned a lot from the experience, as you may have gathered from previous columns. Sooner or later, most of us will change jobs but this page is for Small Law voices, not Career Development voices.

Prior to law school, I worked as a server in a restaurant. I’ve often said that my experiences back then were particularly valuable in forming my worldview; their relevance certainly rushed back to the fore when I began in-house practice in a department of one.

Perhaps our collective enthusiasm for networks, connecting, and cultivating one’s personal brand should broaden to acknowledge and embrace their collective foundation, which is reputation.

Credibility is hard-earned, quickly lost, and nearly impossible to replace. Let’s be mindful of every opportunity not to damage ours.

I saw the connections and the lessons about our responsibility as in-house counsel to give time and attention to preparing for tough times not immediately before us, despite the deluge of urgent matters that we regularly face

So, yes, I’ll soon be “in transition.” The phrase most of us have adopted as the replacement for “unemployed.” It sounds like such a pleasant, peaceful state of being, doesn’t it?

The fish-to-pond ratio in a small law department shows your colleagues that having an in-house lawyer makes life easier. Targeting this low-hanging fruit can be a simple and satisfying way to demonstrate that you’re not always adding complexity. A great place to start is email disclaimers.

Getting back in touch with the student experience in this way has helped to re-illuminate the early portion of my professional journey and, in turn, has helped me shed a little light on the path of those just starting out.