Advice for Young Lawyers On How to Achieve Success

Recently I have read several advice columns for newly-minted lawyers. This kind of mentoring never goes out of style and a lot of it never changes. Law is a profession slow to evolve.

The truth is that how to be a successful lawyer is not covered in law school. Most lawyers you know will agree with this, and the ABA Journal recently reported on a survey finding that 73% of the attorneys surveyed agreed that law school did not adequately prepare them for the realities of legal practice.

Law schools are focused on teaching students about the law but do not spend much time on how to function well and successfully as a lawyer. If law school got down to the practicalities, however, it might need to become a four-year grind. And I doubt anyone wants that, especially the students themselves — and anybody else who is paying for it.

So how are newly-minted lawyers to get the practical skills to survive in a very demanding profession?

My most recent book, New Lawyer Launch: the Handbook for Young Lawyers, is a good place to start. It includes advice for both law graduates and law students on how to hit the ground running at law firms, and a lot of the advice also translates to other venues of law practice. For more information about the book, see my website at www.bestfriendsatthebar.com.

As much as I hope you read my book, I do not have a monopoly on this type of advice. So I have included below snippets from other recent sources to complete your education!

From Original Jurisdiction:
*Act like you want to make partner [because some day you might want it].

*Take the initiative in your cases or deal [in other words, act like a partner].

*Acknowledge receipt of emails.

*Be discrete in discussions about client confidences — in public places like elevators and restaurants.

*If your business clients watch CNBC, you watch it, too!

From Pursuing Justice and Above The Law:
*Come early to work to give yourself time to settle [before the craziness begins].

*Get the paid version of Grammarly and always use the active voice.

*Get published — even if you start small.

*Go to lunch with your colleagues and get a hobby.

And I might add, become proficient with AI and other new technologies affecting law practice. In that one regard, law practice is changing very, very fast.

There you have it! Pay attention to the advice from seasoned lawyers as an investment in your future. And think about my book as a perfect stocking stuffer for family and friends! I am a shameless self-promoter!