Lived & Learned: Laughter belongs in your work life, says Bobbi Liebenberg

When her career was getting started in the 1970s, a partner interviewing Roberta “Bobbi” Liebenberg for an associate position asked if she would cry when things went south in court. “Why, do you want me to?” quipped Liebenberg. In this episode of the Asked and Answered: Lived and Learned series, Liebenberg says that in her career as one of the few women appointed as lead counsel for plaintiffs in multidistrict litigation, she’s learned that laughter has a place in the workplace. Humor plays a significant role in diffusing the tension that come with practicing law, says Liebenberg, now a senior partner at Fine Kaplan and Black in Philadelphia. But it’s something many law firms overlook, even though it can lead to a more collegial work environment and help with attorney retention.