I’m an older, experienced lawyer who believes I can do what the younger, less experienced lawyers can’t do. I’m better because of my age and experience. I believe it.

I tell people that my belief is the truth. They often listen to me because I’m an older, experienced lawyer.

We package the story we tell with concern for the client, professionalism, Rules of Professional Conduct, and lots of wise looks and nodding from our brethren. If we have blogs, we write it, and our cohorts and the suck-ups agree with us. If we give continuing education talks, we speak it, and some fearful young lawyers accept our wisdom. When we talk to young lawyers at the courthouse, we pat them on the head as we deliver our sage advice.

When I was a young lawyer, I didn’t buy that stuff. I did it anyway. I tried not to let the advice I was ignoring create too much doubt. I gave it a shot. It often worked out pretty well, and I was successful at defeating some of the older, experienced lawyers. Of course, sometimes it ended in disaster (which still happens now—age and experience doesn’t always prevent disaster).

It’s self-serving of us older, experienced lawyers to sell you this line of bullshit. It helps us maintain an advantage in the marketplace.

It’s not that we don’t believe our bullshit. Lots of people believe their bullshit. We’re good at stating our case. We even convince ourselves. Chiropractors probably believe they can cure cancer. But believing it doesn’t make it true.

You might as well believe your own bullshit instead of buying into mine.

Test my theory. Investigate the older, successful lawyers. How many of them waited? How many of them bought into the bullshit? Our advice is self-serving. This game involves real money. Are you winning? Or are you following our advice and letting us win?

Food for Thought

• Mark Zuckerberg took Facebook public at age 28.
• Malala Yousafzai received a Nobel Peace Prize at age 16.
• Paul McCartney went solo at age 28.
• Galileo Galilei became chair of mathematics at the University of Padua at age 28.
• Jane Austin died at age 41.
• Wolfgang Mozart died when he was 35.
• Diana, Princess of Wales died at age 36.
• Jesus Christ died at age 33.
• Eva Peron died at age 33.
• Martin Luther King died at age 39.