Law Firm Associates

rainmaker lawyer
Advice to New Associates on Becoming a Rainmaker

You passed the bar and got your first job in a law firm. Congratulations. Now it’s time to start becoming a rainmaker lawyer. “Whoa,” you say. “Slow down. Become a rainmaker lawyer? I still have to become a real lawyer. You know, one whose work ...

Mike O'Horo - January 29, 2018
money management
Money Management Tips for New Associates

Congratulations! You survived law school, passed the bar and got a job. By now you’re somewhat settled in. Some partners have learned your name, and you’ve received a few paychecks. So, what will you do with the steady earnings? Since it is ...

Ryan McPherson - January 17, 2018
For a Young Associate, Practice Makes Perfect

Across professions, there is a process to mastery. Hard work and perseverance don’t guarantee success, but it’s almost impossible to achieve success without them. This is particularly true in the legal profession, which is as competitive as it ...

Jay Harrington - November 29, 2017
associates
Look in the Mirror: Associates Hold the Key to Their Own Happiness

In a 1955 essay in The Economist, Cyril Northcote Parkinson, a British historian, described a phenomenon that would come to be called “Parkinson’s Law.” His key insight: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In ...

Jay Harrington - October 23, 2017
struggling associate
Think Big, Act Small: The Cure for What Ails a Struggling Associate

When I was practicing law at a large firm, the associate annual review period was always an interesting time around the office. This may not be true at all firms, and perhaps there’s more frequent communication happening these days, but in my ...

Jay Harrington - September 20, 2017
young associate
How to Generate ROI as a Young Lawyer

Your law firm cares about your personal and professional growth. But make no mistake, the law is a business — often a cutthroat one. Your firm has made a big investment in you in terms of salary, benefits, training and overhead. It expects a ...

Jay Harrington - August 29, 2017
law firm partnership
Maybe You Should Pass Up That Partnership Offer (Really)

You're in a small firm with one or more baby boomer senior partners, and they’ve just made you an offer of partnership. Congratulations. Maybe. Before you accept, there are lots of questions you should ask. Here are just a few, starting with the ...

Dustin Cole - August 9, 2017
associate
The Stoic Associate: How to Deal With Feedback and Worry Less

For many young associates, their first “real” job is at a law firm. If you fall into this group, it’s likely that you’re receiving honest — sometimes glowing, sometimes harsh — feedback about your work for the first time. On the other hand, you ...

Jay Harrington - July 24, 2017
imposter syndrome
Three Tips to Overcome Impostor Syndrome as a Young Associate

Athletes often discuss the fact that each time they advance to the next level the game “speeds up.” The leap from high school to college ball is a significant one. Players are bigger, faster and stronger, and the game moves at a more rapid pace. ...

Jay Harrington - June 27, 2017
associates
Path to a Successful Legal Career: Learn to Love the Process

A great deal has been said and written about the epidemic of the unhappy lawyer. Surveys suggest that career dissatisfaction among lawyers, and even rates of depression, are on the rise. Law firm associates are not immune. In fact, a survey from ...

Jay Harrington - May 24, 2017
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