Conrad Flaczyk

Tech & Privacy Lawyer. I regularly post about LS, the legal profession, and substantive matters. Are you a lawyer? Let’s connect on LinkedIn - link below.

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

New to #Twitter --

Any #lawyers or #lawstudents I should be following?

#law #lawschool #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Frankly, I’m impressed with the next generation of lawyers. I recently interviewed a few summer students, and the amount of clubs, side hustles, speaking engagements, journal involvement, mooting, tech experience and overall enthusiasm for the law was encouraging. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

A lawyer’s entire job is essentially to translate complex or convoluted information, into information that’s digestible and easy to understand. Whether for the courts, clients, colleagues, or the public. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Some of the most successful lawyers I’ve come across are also some of the most humble. It’s their ability to relate to anyone that makes them trustworthy and persuasive. Ultimately, being genuine and down-to-earth can do wonders for you in this profession. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Happy to share the publication of a book chapter, Cybersecurity Laws and Regulations in Canada 2023, a granular look at the core statutes, regulations, bills, and recent decisions by courts and regulators in Canada on emerging cybersecurity matters. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

As a senior lawyer, be the ‘senior’ you needed when you were just starting out. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

It’s a beautiful thing, in the legal profession, when both the client and lawyer have a mutual respect for one another. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Spell check your work. Don’t give someone an opportunity to attack your otherwise strong analysis or effort. You can spend hours researching a complex issue and proposing strong arguments, but a few mistakes exposes you to criticism that your work was rushed. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

It takes no effort to give a quick shout-out to a student or junior lawyer (e.g. “Quick shout-out to X, who did a great job coordinating this file”), but it can be professional valuable for that person, build respect and loyalty, and promote quality law firm culture. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Work at a law firm where conversations in the hallways are about interesting files, potential client collaborations, new bills, regulations, or weekend plans. This is in contrast to those where you’ll hear gossip about other colleagues, office politics, or people’s dirty laundry

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Drafting a commercial contract is something that sounds easy in theory, but requires years of experience to properly execute. Using schedules, defined terms, headings, and ensuring consistency and coverage are largely skills learned on the job not in school. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

If you’re in it for the long haul as a lawyer, it’s important to work in a practice area that you genuinely enjoy (and not one that you can merely tolerate for 2-3 years). This will get you through the tough times, and will make the good moments worth striving for. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Surround yourself with lawyers, law clerks, and legal assistants who are great at what they do. So much can be learned in the legal profession from simply watching others handle their files, clients, and overall practices. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Here are a few law firm roles for anyone less interested in the traditional associate route:

(1) Knowledge lawyer
(2) Compliance lawyer
(3) Pricing lawyer
(4) Conflicts lawyer
(5) Innovation lawyer
(6) Current awareness lawyer

#law #lawywitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Big respect for lawyers who regularly mentor others. Everyone’s busy in this profession. More hours can always be docketed. But these lawyers recognize that mentorship is an equally important responsibility, even if it requires substantial time, effort, and patience. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Great legal talent exists at all schools. Often, what makes a candidate great is not what school they came from, but their attitude: taking initiative, eagerness to learn, people skills, and ability to work in teams. Legal skills can be picked up on the job. #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

If you’re finding that 5 page law school assignment challenging, wait until private practice where 5 pages becomes a 0.9 slotted between 1 and 2 pm. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Setbacks in law school, at the recruitment stage, or in the early years of a law career are not the be-all-end-all in this profession. Law careers can last some 30+ years and merely graduating and getting your licence are major steps forward, sometimes overlooked #law #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

I recently came across good advice: ”Sometimes, the client’s instructions are unclear and the background facts are inconsistent. As counsel, it’s our job to make sense of it, seek clarification, and advise in a clear manner. We are being paid to clarify.” Thoughts? #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

Set a deadline of 4 days, deliver in 3, and you exceed expectations. Set a deadline of 1 day, deliver in 2, and you miss the mark. Expectation management. #lawtwitter

[Conrad Flaczyk @ConradFlaczyk]

As a junior lawyer, you will likely end up adopting a similar style of practice to the senior lawyer(s) you work with most closely, so, if possible, don’t settle. #lawtwitter