Lawyer perfectionism is almost a given in our profession — most lawyers are by nature perfectionists.
And if we weren’t when we entered the profession, we quickly absorbed it from the people around us. The culture of law rewards precision — but sometimes, perfectionism does more harm than good.
Lawyer perfectionism can drain your most valuable resource: time.
The Hidden Cost of Lawyer Perfectionism
Lawyers pride themselves on being meticulous.
Phrases like:
“on or about the night of September 21st, 2017…”
“on five (5) separate occasions…”
“Johnson Materials Corporation (hereinafter ‘Johnson Materials’)”
These are familiar examples of what seems like diligence — but they often consume unnecessary time and mental energy. We spend hours supervising associates to ensure these habits continue, rarely asking whether they’re actually valuable in the broader context.
The real question is: Is it worth it?
What bigger, more strategic tasks might you be neglecting while perfecting these trivial details?
When Legal Perfectionism Becomes Counterproductive
Legal perfectionism can feel like a badge of honor, but often it’s a mask for mindless behavior.
You may add extra detail subconsciously to signal competence. Yet true professionalism is about judgment — knowing what level of detail is necessary in context.
When you’re on autopilot, you’re not evaluating context — and therefore not thinking critically.
A View From Behind the Bench
During my two years clerking for a federal trial judge, I expected to see brilliant advocacy in every filing. Instead, I encountered surprising mediocrity — often caused by mindless habits.
Nearly every brief began the same way:
“Now into court through undersigned counsel, comes…”
There’s no rule requiring this. Yet lawyers repeat it because “that’s how it’s done.” In reality, most judges wish lawyers would do the opposite:
Get to the point quickly, omit unnecessary fluff, and make your request clear.
Judges don’t want ornate language — they want clarity. Effective lawyering means editing out what doesn’t matter and sharpening what does.
If you want to see how clarity and brevity can improve legal writing, the American Bar Association’s Lawyer Well-Being Resources offer excellent insights into balancing performance with mindfulness.
How Lawyer Perfectionism Impacts Writing and Thinking
Poor writing is often a symptom of poor thinking.
Many lawyers cling to perfectionism because it gives the illusion of control. But the true mark of a skilled lawyer is discernment — the ability to identify what’s essential and let go of what isn’t.
Learning what to exclude, what to highlight, and how to prioritize arguments is an advanced skill. Yet mastering it can transform your practice — and dramatically improve your productivity as a lawyer.
Focus Is the Real Advantage for Lawyers
Peter Drucker once said, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
In law, that means:
“There is nothing so useless as doing perfectly that which should not be done at all.”
The most successful lawyers focus their limited energy on high-impact work — not on polishing details that don’t move the needle.
For example, the Clio Blog on Law Firm Productivity highlights that optimizing your workflow and automating repetitive tasks often brings greater returns than chasing flawless documents.
The 80/20 Rule and Lawyer Perfectionism
The 80/20 rule (or Pareto Principle) teaches that 80% of results come from 20% of effort.
Most lawyers, however, spend 80% of their time on tasks that yield only 20% of the results.
Great lawyers invert that ratio. They identify which efforts create real client value — strong arguments, effective communication, timely filings — and double down there.
The rest?
It’s often not worth perfecting.
Eighty percent is good enough when it frees you to focus on what truly matters: serving your clients, growing your firm, and improving your quality of life.
How to Overcome Lawyer Perfectionism
Perfectionism feels safe, but it’s rarely strategic.
The next time you catch yourself polishing a sentence for the tenth time or overengineering a document, ask yourself:
“Is this detail helping me achieve my bigger goal?”
If not, it’s probably time to move on.
To dive deeper into how high-achieving professionals can manage perfectionism and focus on meaningful progress, explore The Case for Perfectionism – Harvard Business Review.
Resource Links
- ChatGPT Lab (a weekly AI workshop for lawyers)
- Apply to join the ChatGPT Lab
- The 80/20 Principle (my techlaw newsletter)
- The Inner Circle (my online community for lawyers)
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