Ten Tips for New Associates (with some additional commentary)

I have been in Florida visiting my parents for the past few days, so I’ve been slacking on blogging. But I saw the above article on the ABA Journal website and thought it was interesting.

Associate David Dummer of Weil, Gotshal & Manges in Dallas writes (my comments in italics):

1. Don’t be afraid to be a new associate. . . .A first-year associate who is uncertain about an assignment should ask questions and seek clarification. Don’t ask TOO many questions – there is a fine line between asking pointed intelligent questions and sounding like you never went to law school.

2. Managing supervisors’ expectations is half the battle. . . . Keep supervising attorneys aware of time-management obstacles and other issues as they come up, so they can adjust staffing, deadlines and expectations. But keep in mind partners don’t care if you are there 24 hours a day. They want someone who can get the job done. Try to limit “time-managment” issues to situations where you must be out of the office – for depos, hearings, due diligence in Dubuque, Iowa.

3. Learn to work with assistants, paralegals and support staff. . . . Partners want to work with associates who complete projects efficiently. Someone who performs administrative tasks rather than utilizing an assistant will spend more time on projects than his or her peers — resulting in a competitive disadvantage. Just remember, MOST of the “support staff” know more about the law than you. Treat them with respect.

4. The seeds planted today can make it rain tomorrow. Being a lawyer involves more than billing hours. . . . [M]arketing legal services is a long-term process, you will never regret starting early.

5. Stay in touch with friends . . . from work, college and law school. In a few years, many of them will be potential clients. Just make sure you don’t over-sell them.

6. Tap others’ knowledge. . . . While the work will require critical thought and exacting research, do not be afraid to ask for forms and samples to reference while tackling assignments. . . . Of course, do not rely solely on the sample, as this can result in stale or inaccurate work product. Be creative and be certain to check that the law or rules have not changed. While you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, don’t give the partner a wheel when he wanted sliced bread.

7. Learn the case. When assigned projects, learn the facts and motives that drive the case. . . . Combining this encyclopedic knowledge of the facts with an understanding of the case strategy makes an associate valuable. But for God’s sake, DON’T BILL FOR IT. Nothing will piss off the partner more than that 50 hours of billable time he will have to write off. If you weren’t asked to do it, don’t bill for it. Consider it an investment in your future.

8. Be prepared and be early. When invited to attend meetings, even if they are just with other attorneys in the office, be a few minutes early and be prepared. . . . You will never be chastised for being ready, and others will notice that you are on top of your game. And remember this simple rule – in a meeting, the most junior person in the room (YOU) should act as the scribe – take copious notes.

9. Know the rules. The few minutes you take to carefully read the rules (including the local rules) will save you major headaches down the road. “Minor” things like font size, line spacing, margins and calculation of deadlines can mean the difference between winning and malpractice. I remember a story where the Georgia Court of Appeals once dismissed an appeal from a government law office because the brief was formatted incorrectly. I can’t find the story online, but it cost the governmental entity millions.

10. Your nameplate is your shingle. . . In many ways, you are a solo practitioner, and the partners and senior associates in the office are your clients. Think about what makes these clients want to hire you — consistently good work, value-added creativity and efficiency. Run your office so that you can deliver this type of work product to your clients every day.