Be a Nimble Lawyer
Jim Vickaryous
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. Lawyers must be nimble. Lawyers who are not nimble in these times of legal change may get burned. The nimblest of us will be of great benefit to our clients. It makes me think of the old English nursery rhyme, “Jack Be Nimble.” The rhyme describes a folk tradition auguring the future. The nimble jumper who did not extinguish the flame had a year of good fortune. The not-so-nimble jumper could look forward to a year of bad luck. Considering that dark overtone, we all should aspire to be the nimblest of lawyers.
Just like the nursery rhyme, the nimble lawyer is likely to have a lot of good fortune in the years ahead. The practice of law has changed more in the past several years than in the past 30 years. Nowadays, we often meet our clients virtually, make court appearances via video conferencing platforms, and more frequently work remotely.