Last week I dispelled some prevalent myths about solo attorneys.
Here’s another myth worth examining: young lawyers should take every piece of advice and immediately act on it.
Seeking input from other attorneys is a good idea. But blindly following external advice is a terrible idea.
Sometimes the best advice is to ignore everyone else and do what you think needs to be done.
Young attorneys are frequently crippled by a lack of morale and inability to trust their gut to make decisions.
For me, the most frustrating aspect was bouncing an idea of another attorney, only to be told: “no, you have to do it this way.”
Wrong. There is more than one way to achieve your client’s goals, and your way is just as likely to lead to success.
It’s OK not to know everything about the law, even though your friends and family assume that you do, because you went to law school.
Doctors run tests to diagnose ill patients. Pilots run through emergency checklists to diagnose aircraft malfunctions. Parents ask questions (of themselves and their children) to diagnose the source of temper tantrums.
But, because you went to law school, you are assumed to know everything about the law. It makes new lawyers uneasy. Your skill at quickly and accurately diagnosing a problem (just like other practical skills) will inevitably get better with time and experience, but until then—and even then—we should know why it’s OK for a lawyer to tell a client “I don’t know.”
Dear Senior Lawyer,
I am writing in response to your letter dated January 17, 2013. In it, you imply that it is my responsibility to help you write your blog, create video ads, and come up with unique and exciting ways to use technology in the practice of law. Although I consider myself tech-savvy, I believe your expectations are unrealistic.
For the past few years, I coached an undergraduate mock trial team. While I stepped down from my role this past September, I am still reaping the benefits of the (unpaid) position. How can coaching mock trial help a newer litigator out?
I traveled with a colleague to New Orleans this past week. We had a great and productive trip, but our travels did get me thinking about work trips. Instead of simply being at your desk all day, a work trip provides a lot more room for error: meals, drinking, socializing, and that’s before we even get to the substantive work part. Here’s what’s worked for me in the past (and what hasn’t).
As a young attorney, you will experience more WTF moments than you would like. Fortunately, there is more than one way to deal with, and get past those moments.
Another solution is to avoid them in the first place. Here are three ways to decrease the likelihood of those hair-pulling/cringe-inducing/cry-to-your mom moments.
Young attorneys face all sorts of challenges: from dealing with opposing counsel, to starting their own law firm, and that minor distraction of having children.
Unexpected moments of “WTF” are also more common than anyone likes to admit.
The next time your jaw drops, here are some tips to get it off the ground and move forward.
Whether you work at a firm or run your own, one of the toughest challenges for a young attorney is having kids.
Most parents will tell you that the best way to handle is first few weeks is to focus on survival.
With that in mind, here are a few tips that will help you get through the first weeks of newborn magic/sleep-deprivation and keep your legal career from going down the tubes.
If you are a new attorney—solo or otherwise—dealing with opposing counsel can be a royal headache.
It’s one thing to be honest about your experience (or lack thereof) to your clients. Opposing counsel, however, is probably well aware of your relative inexperience and will likely try and take advantage of it.
The next time they try to pull the wool over your eyes, be prepared, and take ‘em to task.
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