New Lawyers

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 ...

It is said that new lawyers only face two challenges when opening their own practices: not knowing how to practice law and not knowing how to manage a practice. Other than that, the rest is easy. Other than that, the rest is easy. In ...

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 ...

Having your own clients and business has long been characterized as “critical” for lawyers in firms of any size. Now that’s elevated to the survival level. The days of paternalistic law firms maintaining client-less lawyers at their long-time ...

I have always considered myself an introvert. I always admire those individuals who show no restraint as their laughter booms across the room, or who talk excitedly to someone they have just met. But, alas, that has never been me. As such, I ...

OK, for starters, don’t panic. I know the idea of bringing in clients can be daunting. Secretly, most associates seem to feel that success in this area is either unlikely or impossible. Most associates want to have their own clients, but ...

It’s widely accepted that law schools don’t do a very good job — or in many cases don’t do anything at all — to teach law students how to develop business. Many commentators lament this failure, criticizing schools for not focusing on business ...

As a professional mountain climber, I’ve faced my share of life or death situations — all the way from the tundra of Denali Park to the summit of Mt. Everest. But as frightening as these encounters have been, they don’t compare to the career ...

Like most new associates, you know you should probably focus on marketing, but where? In this month's edition of "Ask the Experts from the Legal Marketing Association," Tina Emerson, Jim Jarrell and Ian Turvill answer the question, "As a law ...

When it was all over, I took a few days off. When I returned, the managing partner wanted to see me. I entered his office ready to be fired. It was the first big case I had led, and there had been quite a few problems.