Nine Must-Have Law Books for Beginning and Seasoned Lawyers

You could fill a library with things they don’t teach you in law school. You’re not learning how to run a business, you’re not learning how to build engaging relationships with customers, and you’re certainly not learning how to handle a heavy workload. While school may have taught you how to pass the bar exam, there’s so much more to running a successful practice than working cases. Fortunately, a number of pioneering lawyers have taken it upon themselves to publish work that covers everything that’s left out of the law school curriculum – from balancing your sanity to getting more clients in a crowded market.

Here are some of the most notable lawyer books you to have to add to your list.

The client-centric law firm

By Jack Newton

Jack Newton offers an easy-to-understand approach on how to run your law firm in a client-centric manner. His theory is that by creating a business model based on client experience rather than simply providing legal services, you can create a successful law firm rooted in client loyalty.

One of the key ingredients, says Jack, is to make things as easy as possible for your customers. Consumers want a frictionless experience, whether it’s their movie streaming services or their legal departments. From that perspective, Jack details how you can retain clients with a bespoke, modern approach to running a law firm, citing other companies like Netflix and Uber that have thrived with the same methodology.

The game-changing lawyer

By Michael Mogil

As the legal market finds itself saturated with more than 1.3 million lawyers in the United States, competition is fiercer than ever. If you’re looking for ways to stand out and get more customers, this book is for you.

This book is your all-in-one game changer for establishing your brand identity and running your law firm like an entrepreneur, not just a lawyer. From start to finish, you’ll find practical, easy-to-read information that will put you in the CEO mindset necessary to grow your business.

How to Start and Grow a Law Firm

By Jay G. Foonberg

Jay Foonberg, a Beverly Hills-based estate, trust, and business litigation attorney, has long been the go-to source for starting your own law firm. Although this book may be considered outdated – as it lacks many of the technological aspects of running a law firm in today’s modern market – it still contains incredibly useful information for starting a law firm. lawyers fresh out of law school.

It’s a great general guide that covers all the most important points of what you’ll need to start your practice and establish yourself as a trusted attorney.

The tools of argument

By Joel P. Trachtman

There is being a lawyer, and there is being a lawyer who won. If you are looking for how to win in simple terms, then this book is your answer.

The art of winning an argument is broken down into practical steps without legalese or overly complicated complexities. It’s as simple as effectively persuading an audience and using reason to make your point in any debate. Simply put, this is your bible for how to win.

The Electronic Myth Advocate

By Michel Gerber

There’s so much to juggle when running a law firm that you’ll need a comprehensive set of tools necessary to run a successful business. E-Myth’s Lawyer should be an essential part of your toolkit as it explains how to start running your law firm from a business perspective.

Michael Gerber’s approach is simple: stop wasting your time on time-consuming and ultimately unprofitable tasks by implementing effective management solutions. Time is money, above all when it comes to running a law firm.

Solo by choice

By Carolyn Elephant

Written for independent lawyers looking to forge their own path, Solo by Choice offers advice on how to create a successful tech stack to replace staff, automate tedious processes, strike a work-life balance, and , ultimately, develop your practice.

Now in its third edition, this book is one of the most modern guides on this list covering everything from the right software to use, to how to take advantage of social media and other online marketing tactics. Soloists looking to overcome challenges and create new opportunities need look no further than this book.

Narrative for lawyers

By Philippe Meyer

Lawyers have to do a lot of things in the courtroom: break down facts, build arguments, and debate. Yet all of this makes no sense without a good narrative behind them. What sets good lawyers apart from great ones is the ability to tell a gripping story that exudes humanity in a seemingly dry case.

By painting a picture that puts clients in the best possible light, lawyers can captivate an audience and sway even the toughest jury. This book by Philip Meyer is packed with strategies to start creating your own powerful stories to make a bigger impact in the courtroom.

The happy lawyer

By Nancy Levit

Despite the public perception that becoming a lawyer is the ultimate American dream, a recent study concluded that more than 20% of lawyers suffer from mental health issues. Additionally, no less than 6% said they had had suicidal thoughts at least once in the past year. The workload, the pressure and the hours can push even the most balanced lawyers to the emotional breaking point.

Many lawyers don’t know how to ‘stop working’, while others are just too proud to ask for help. As such, the legal industry is left with serious concerns for the mental health of legal professionals.

This book is for lawyers who are in doubt about their career choice and how to get back to a place that made them love practicing law in the first place. Filled with relatable stories and plenty of research, it takes a closer look at what it takes to find joy in the legal profession.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

By Stephen Covey

Successful lawyers are not born, they are made. A law degree aside, much of a lawyer’s success stems from their leadership skills, discipline, and ability to think strategically – all of which are formed by habits to be learned. Although this is an industry-independent guide, it contains the basics for any successful career.

You are responsible for growing your law firm, and with the principles in this book of integrity, teamwork, and fairness, you can become the lawyer you want to be.

Knowledge is nothing without the right tools

There’s something for every type of lawyer in this comprehensive list of must-reads. Yet getting your hands on the right knowledge is only half the battle. You’ll need the right tools to stay on track to meet your growth or efficiency goals.