Four Key Tips for New Lawyers

It can take lot of work to become a lawyer, and for those entering the field, a an intensive academic process awaits. Afterwards, these young professionals stand ready to represent clients, navigate trials, and ultimately find their niche in a longstanding and prestigious field of work.

However, despite this huge accomplishment, it is crucial to remember why it remains so lofty in the first place: being a lawyer can be as challenging as it is rewarding. Often, it takes just as much time to find rhythm and comfort in the role as it took to prepare for it, and there are numerous common pitfalls associated with the process.

To avoid these issues and expedite your success, here are four crucial tips for new lawyers.

Learn the language

An easy way to find your footing at a new firm is to emphasize strong, consistent written correspondence. Your communication abilities will play a huge part in solidifying your professional credibility — both with cohorts and clients — so treat every memo, email, and letter as a chance to flex these muscles, so to speak; this is not to say you should lean too heavily on fluff or contrived vocabulary, but remember to consider yourself a professional legal writer from the moment you join the firm.

Properly equip yourself

The legal world, like most fields, has become contingent upon technology, and you will want to dedicate time to installing all appropriate client software, scanning all important physical files, and taking inventory of any issues or deficiencies that could hinder your ability to work on a personal computer. Additionally, equip yourself with working knowledge of the firm you are now representing, getting acquainted with co-workers and connecting with the goals and credos making up the firm’s foundation.

Develop your own style

There is no harm in emulating a superior or someone who, in your mind, exemplifies success in your role, but remember to use everything you glean as pieces of your own law identity. Each piece of advice you receive will be filtered through the lens of that person’s own experience, and you stand to continue this cycle; this will remain constant throughout your career, but it is a critical concept to absorb right away.

Embrace failure

It can be easy to feel vulnerable in any new role, let alone one in the legal field, and this is a quick gateway to perfectionism. While you should take pride in your achievements and never settle for mediocrity, remember that mistakes and roadblocks are going to appear along the way — whether it is a bad loss in court or an organizational mistake in the office. Rather than dwelling on these moments, store them away and use them as a jumping off point towards better days.

Originally published on JeffreyFRyan.com