Treadmill Desks. Avoiding the Barrister Belly

Gizmos and Gadgets for Attorneys Aside from running up the court house steps to file a last minute motion , the life of an attorney can be rather sedentary. Coupled with a steady diet of fast food on the run, long hours and stress, it can be a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. Just take a stroll around your local courthouse and you will see what I like to call the "Barrister Belly." Of course, an unhealthy attorney can be less productive. Increased sick days means less billable hours. It is particularly troublesome for the solo practioner who often cannot afford to miss the time out of work. Studies suggest that 84% of medical claims are the result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The United States Surgeon General suggests walking 10,000 steps per day to good health. Unfortunately, most of us walk less than half that amount as we would rather drive to our mailbox or watch a documentary about grass instead of getting up to look for the remote. But who has time to work out when you are chained to your desk? According to a recent ABA Law Journal article , some law firms have invested in treadmill desks. You can almost picture associates running full speed in wingtips with ties blowing back sweating over legal briefs. Maybe I'll just cut down on the Mickey Ds. Of course, maybe it's not really such a bad idea. The Steelcase Store offers versions from about $4500 to $6500 and can be purchased in various finishes, table sizes and can be retrofitted with a monitor arm. Too pricey? Another alternative is the Trek Desk which can be added to your existing treadmill. At about $479 with all accessories, the cost may be a little more appealing for smaller firms or those who wish to order in bulk. Still feel goofy about the idea of walking on a treadmill at work? You can try a pedal exerciser. Starting at around $40, this inexpensive option fits under your desk and you can pedal away as you work. Still too much? Check out http://www.blogger.com/www.turbowalkstation.comas an alternative. (Special thanks to Lauren for the tip.) (Editor's note: I give this advice to workout as I gaze at my own state of the art treadmill while eating a fried twinkie. I think I used my treadmill once for 20 minutes last year when the cable was out. My expertise in healthy living is limited to once accidentally eating a fat free muffin in June of 2002).

Getting in Shape Can Help Your Practice.

As the nation's undisputed leading legal blawg for rollerblading senior citizens over 85, we at the Nutmeg Lawyer often take time out of our in depth analysis of Supreme Court rulings to bring you helpful product reviews. Now I know what you're thinking. "First this guy is doing restaurant reviews and now he's rating video games. What kind of legal blawg is this? My response would be "relax." This is not the Harvard Law Review. At least I am not writing about my fascination with tying my shoes or suggestions on how to dress your cat. Needless to say, my wife needles me for blogging about a "video game." I think the word she used was "dork."

In all seriousness, a big part of having a successful law practice can be staying healthy. The life of an attorney is often full of fast food, long hours, looming deadlines and overwhelming stress. As mentioned in our Pulitzer Prize groundbreaking article about Treadmill Desks, just take a stroll around your local courthouse and you will see what I like to call the "Barrister Belly." An unhealthy attorney is usually less productive. If you are taking lots of sick days or simply lack energy, you probably produce less billable hours than your more healthy colleagues. Wondering why you didn't get that promotion? Maybe your lack of energy shows.

It is particularly troublesome for solo practioners who simply cannot afford to miss time out of work. If you are in solo practice, you know how hard it is to take even a day off from work, let alone an entire vacation. Studies suggest that 84% of medical claims are the result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The United States Surgeon General maintains that you should walk 10,000 steps per day for good health. Unfortunately, most of us would rather sit through the worst television program imaginable rather than get up to look for the remote. Besides, who has time to get to a gym when you are chained to a desk?

I am not writing this from the viewpoint of a fitness guru. I know there are lawyers out there who run marathons, climb mountains and play tennis. I am not one of them. I drive to my mailbox. When I get home, I usually watch reruns of Magnum PI while eating a loaded up grinder (hero, sub, wedge: depending on where you are in the country). I invent new ways to combine twinkies and oreos. I consider pizza sauce a vegetable. Although I don't recall what they look like inside, I am a proud member of several gyms in both Connecticut and New York. As you can imagine, I am writing for the normal lazy schlubs out there.

In our own firm, many of our staffers had no inclination or time to go to the gym. With a tight economy, no one wanted to invest in a gym membership let alone a personal trainer. We did notice, however, that many of the staffers with kids owned the Nintendo Wii. As a result, we decided to take a novel approach to improving the health of our staff. We purchased a few copies of EA Sports Active for them. I even went out and bought a Nintendo Wii for myself. If you are not familiar with EA Sports Active, it is basically a personal trainer for your home. As a member of the Pac Man generation, it was perfect for me. As long as I viewed it as a video game, maybe I would stick with it.

When you load EA Sports Active, the game allows you to input your name, height, and weight. You are then given the ability to create your player which can pretty much be a version of yourself. Most of our staffers decided to undergo the 30 day challenge (a series of 20 customized workouts). Exercises include a mix of running, cardio routines, boxing, volleyball, baseball, tennis, bicep curls, rollerblading, squats, lunges, etc. etc. I really worked up a sweat.

It is either a testament to the game's intense exercise regime or an indication of my complete lack of stamina. The game also includes a journal function that tracks your progress as well as a list of healthy living surveys. It even allows you to record activities you do outside the game such as walking, jogging or frantically running to the clerk's office to file a motion before five.

Although you'd probably get a better work out at a gym, Sports Active seems like a decent alternative. You can substitute the provided bands with heavier weights and you can control the intensity of your workouts. More importantly, it is something you can do with your family. It might be enough to encourage you to continue with the program. Just do it with the shades drawn. You probably don't want your neighbors watching you wave your arms around like a complete lunatic.

Since starting our Wii program, I have noticed a positive change in our staff. Everyone seems to have a little more spring in their step. I myself have a little more energy coming into work. I am not as tired at the end of the day and find myself getting to the office earlier. And I feel like I'm getting more work done. My focus is better. It goes without saying, exercise keeps your mind sharp. So get off your res ipsa loquitur and get into shape. Your practice will benefit from it.

Perception is Reality.

Waiting Area at the Nutmeg Lawyer's Office (former gang bar)

As a high school kid, I was able to find a part time job working for a well known attorney.  Successful in his practice, he made a name for himself during his stint as a federal prosecutor working on some high profile cases.  Retiring from his state job, he went into private practice and opened a well to do firm in Connecticut.  I was blown away by his offices located in a grand Victorian mansion.  Entering the imposing office you had to walk up a hand carved staircase to the waiting area where one found an imposing marble fireplace.  Every associate attorney had a fireplace in their office.


Although just a "gofer",  the experience gave me a chance to observe a successful attorney in his natural habitat. Each morning, he would take several minutes to walk around the office.   The daily routine involved him fixing crooked carpets, arranging misplaced magazines, and picking up an occasional empty candy wrapper.  Naturally,  I assumed he had a disorder.  I asked his secretary if she thought he finally snapped after years of law practice.   I learned my old mentor had been doing this for years.   His daily routine included a meticulous walk through the office.  He wanted every aspect of the client's experience to be positive.  Were the magazines out of date?  What could the client observe from the waiting area?  Did they see a cluttered office or a well organized operation?  Did the receptionist leave empty fast food bags out on her desk in view of the clients?  Did she greet clients when they walked in and offer them a cup of coffee?  He would even have friends call the office to see how the receptionist answered the phone.  Was the receptionist friendly?  Did she sound professional?  OK, maybe he was a little nuts.  When I asked him why he bothered with the routine he replied "Perception is reality."   Years later, I found myself taking a page from his neurotic activity.  I became a nutcase too when I started my own law practice.  

Didn't Get That Law Job? Blame the Hartford Whalers.

Controlling Your Digital Footprint.
As a college student, I spent most summers working for a rather prestigious Connecticut law practice. At the time, the managing partner had just come off a high profile murder case and business was booming. A need to hire new associates was quickly evident. Not surprisingly, the firm began searching for new hires.

I remember one particular candidate standing out from the pack. A graduate from a top tier law school, his outstanding resume almost guaranteed him a position with our firm. The white shoe candidate graduated at the top of his class, had a judicial clerkship under his belt and had participated in law review. For the purpose of this story, let's call him "Timmy." So why didn't this budding barrister get the job? You can blame the Hartford Whalers.