The New Untouchables: Lawyers Who Can Imagine a Better Way
Lawyers at one Washington law firm who survived layoffs—the untouchables—had the ability to imagine a better way of working.
The unidentified firm is mentioned in an article by a New York Times op-ed columnist who argues a better education system is key to the nation’s economic recovery. Until workers have the skills to compete globally, the recession fueled by the end of credit and asset bubbles won’t abate, columnist Thomas Friedman says.
Those who survive the recession will have the imagination to make themselves “untouchables” because they can imagine smarter ways to do old jobs or attract new customers. He illustrates with this example:
“A Washington lawyer friend recently told me about layoffs at his firm. I asked him who was getting axed. He said it was interesting: Lawyers who were used to just showing up and having work handed to them were the first to go because with the bursting of the credit bubble, that flow of work just isn’t there. But those who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables.”
According to the article, “Just being an average accountant, lawyer, contractor or assembly-line worker is not the ticket it used to be.”
