3. Pay Attention to the Small Things - Some of you may have heard this story about former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.  The first day of practice, he would make his team practice putting on their socks.  The players complied, but were perplexed by the process.  Why would a coach like John Wooden waste his time coaching young men how to put their socks on? Coach Wooden would later explain: "If there are wrinkles in your socks or your shoes aren't tied properly, you will develop blisters.  With blisters, you'll miss practice.  If you miss practice, you don't play.  And if you don't play, we cannot win."  In life or in business it is very easy to get caught up in the grand strategic context and to ignore the small things.  When a huge success is celebrated, it is usually because of the culmination of many small details done right.  In our personal lives, these could be simple things such as being grateful, smiling more, working out, etc.  Over time, the little things add up.  This philosophy is also applicable to each of our practices.  It is important for each of us to pay attention to how we treat our clients; how well we handle even the smallest cases on our docket; and what kind of team culture we foster in our firms.  These little things make up the fabric of the firm and can make or break its chance of sustained success.

4. Make Your Timeouts Productive - Although we do not see the players in action during timeouts, these are a crucial part of the game.  Players and coaches catch their breath, revisit their game plans and adjust their direction at these junctures.  Likewise, successful attorneys and law firms do a great job of carving out time in their schedules to recharge and reflect on how they are faring, measuring key performance indicators and adjusting their direction on a regular basis.

• promoting a better understanding of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights;
• encouraging greater respect for law and the courts;
• stimulating a deeper sense of individual responsibility so that citizens recognize their duties as well as their rights;
• contributing to the effective functioning of our institutions of government; and
• fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the rule of law.