As
a
finite
supply
of
business
exists
in
the
legal
industry,
practitioners
need
to
compete
against
each
other. Clients
consider
many
attributes
when
selecting
counsel,
including
abilities,
costs,
and
the
capability
to
handle
a
given
representation. When
a
lawyer
suffers
a
health
issue,
it
can
create
difficulties
in
maintaining
client
connection,
since
clients
might
believe
that
they
should
select
other
counsel
without
the
same
health
challenges.
For
this
reason,
many
lawyers
may
try
to
hide
health
issues
from
clients,
which
can
create
a
number
of
problems
in
an
attorney-client
relationship.
Earlier
in
my
career,
I
worked
in
an
area
of
the
law
that
was
dominated
by
a
particular
firm
in
our
region. I
never
worked
for
this
firm
myself,
but
I
knew
many
lawyers
who
did
at
one
time
or
another
and
who
loved
to
share
stories
about
the
sometimes
unconventional
practices
at
that
shop. Multiple
lawyers
told
me
that
a
name
partner
at
this
shop
suffered
a
health
setback
while
working
there. This
became
a
source
of
gossip
at
the
firm,
since
attorneys
could
tell
that
this
name
partner
was
not
available
while
he
dealt
with
health
issues.
I
heard
from
colleagues
that
once
this
name
partner
returned
after
handling
those
health
issues,
he
made
sure
to
tell
people
not
to
discuss
his
health
issues. He
said
that
discussing
his
health
issues
could
make
it
more
difficult
for
the
firm
to
generate
new
business
and
might
convince
clients
to
move
to
different
shops. Accordingly,
it
was
in
everyone’s
best
interest
to
keep
the
lawyer’s
medical
issues
under
wraps.
I
also
once
worked
at
a
shop
that
was
run
by
several
partners
who
were
in
their
late
60s. The
partners
at
the
firm
had
a
practice
of
going
to
a
gym
by
the
office
during
lunchtime
most
days. I
have
to
admit,
the
main
partner
at
that
law
firm
was
in
amazing
shape!
Not
just
for
someone
in
his
60s,
but
for
any
age. One
time,
I
was
discussing
the
partner’s
fitness
ritual
with
him,
and
he
told
me
that
being
healthy
and
in
shape
was
important
to
clients’
perceptions
of
him
and
the
law
firm.
He
said
that
clients
want
to
know
that
lawyers
are
vigorous
and
they
might
not
want
to
assign
work
to
lawyers
who
might
appear
elderly
and
less
capable
of
handling
matters.
Hiding
health
issues
from
clients
obviously
raises
a
number
of
ethical
and
practical
concerns. If
a
lawyer
cannot
handle
a
representation
due
to
a
physical
or
mental
limitation,
they
should
make
arrangements
to
have
another
lawyer
step
in. In
many
situations,
it
might
be
important
to
inform
clients
of
arrangements
that
are
taken
to
ensure
that
the
lawyer
can
continue
to
work
on
a
matter
with
clients
even
though
the
lawyer
is
suffering
from
medical
issues.
However,
it
is
probably
unavoidable
that
lawyers
will
try
to
hide
medical
issues
and
problems
related
to
aging
from
clients. So
long
as
the
legal
industry
remains
a
competitive
profession,
attorneys
will
try
to
make
themselves
look
as
capable
and
vigorous
to
clients
as
possible.
Jordan
Rothman
is
a
partner
of The
Rothman
Law
Firm,
a
full-service
New
York
and
New
Jersey
law
firm.
He
is
also
the
founder
of Student
Debt
Diaries,
a
website
discussing
how
he
paid
off
his
student
loans.
You
can
reach
Jordan
through
email
at jordan@rothman.law.