The VBA Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Bar Association.
Issue link: http://vba.epubxp.com/i/80228
LAW PRACTICE MUSINGS BY JAMES P. GUY II CHAIR, LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT DIVISION 5 I Law Practice management lessons I learned singing in bars 1. 'LSSWI XLI VMKLX FERHQEXIW. Talent is first but not foremost. You need people around you who can perform at the highest level. At least as important is compatibility. Performing is intensely personal and emotional. Bandmates all have to do exactly the right thing at exactly the right time. You have to pay constant attention to one another and coordinate your parts perfectly. It also matters if you like each other. A lot. 2. 2EQI XLEX XYRI. Starting out, I always said that I played "a little bit of everything." Did that make bar managers want to hire me? I got my first weekly gig in law school at an "eclectic cowboy bar." So I played "classic American music." I still played a little bit of everything, but the name made it seem more intentional and coherent. 3. 0MWXIR PMWXIR PMWXIR So, I'm strumming a guitar, singing, paying attention to my bandmates. Te room is dark, except for the lights in our eyes. We're amplified – and I'm wearing sunglasses. Still, I have to .MQ +Y] GLEMV SJ XLI 0E[ 4VEGXMGI 1EREKIQIRX (MZMWMSR ERH PIEH WMRKIV SJ -VMWL %QIVMGER TYF FERH 9MWGI &IEXLE; ½RHW TEVEPPIPW FIX[IIR XLI [SVPHW SJ QYWMG ERH PE[ Photo by Marilyn Shaw t's not true that I practice law only to pass time between pub gigs. I love practicing law, but I've learned a lot about practicing law singing in bars. listen to the audience. Are they engaged? Restive? Should the next song be fast or slow? Sad? Funny? I have to listen to put on a good show. Otherwise, we're just playing music around other people. 4. 0SZI ]SYV GVI[ I get the glory, the attention and the applause. But there's no show without lights, sound gear and someone to wrangle and run them. Always thank the crew. Let them know that even though they're not on stage, they are members of the band. 5. =SY´VI RSX XSS GSSP XS WMRK Danny Boy . Every type of music has overplayed songs that fans love. In bluegrass, it's Rocky Top. In Southern rock, it's Sweet Home Alabama. In everything else, it's Freebird. Danny Boy is schmaltzy, maudlin and arguably not really Irish. But every time I've performed this song, someone in the room – maybe only one person – has a moment. It's a favorite for a reason. It matters to people. Do what matters. FOR MORE LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT TIPS, VISIT THE LPMD PAGE AT WWW.VBA.ORG/LPMD. FOR MORE ABOUT JIM'S IRISH-AMERICAN PUB BAND, UISCE BEATHA, VISIT WWW.UISCEBEATHA.COM. 8 t VBA JOURNAL