By Kathleen Brady, originally published in: Student Lawyer, May 2008, Vol. 36, No. 9, All rights reserved
The time span historically afforded new associates to learn the ropes and make a smooth transition from law student to lawyer has been shortened considerably. This is true especially for new associates at large firms, where the salaries are highest. Partners have far less patience for the learning curve and now expect new associates to hit the ground running quickly. Even for those at smaller firms and organizations such as nonprofit, public interest, and the government, where the learning curve may be less condensed, the transition takes commitment. By following the guidelines below, you’ll be able to meet your employer’s expectations and more easily morph from law student to lawyer.
Pay attention to the spoken and unspoken rules
During orientation, policies and procedures are reviewed in painstaking detail. Listen! Knowing the rules will save you from potentially embarrassing, career-altering goofs from which it might be difficult to recover. The written rules will explain things like time-off policies, reimbursable expenses, perks, and benefits as well as established procedures for photocopying, proofreading, requesting additional support services, and so on. It’s helpful to review the lawyer handbook and any other manuals you receive during orientation to familiarize yourself with such information. As important as it is to know the written rules, knowing the unwritten/unspoken rules is even more vital. Simple observation can uncover mountains of information. For example, the written rules might indicate that office hours start at 9 a.m., but through observation you may learn that the partner in charge of your department arrives at 8 a.m. every day. In that instance, you should adjust your schedule. The bottom line is pay attention to what people do as well as what they say.
For more information about making the transition from law student to lawyer, read the full text of the article available here.