Essential tips for junior attorneys to succeed in private practice

Despite all of the moot court competitions, trial advocacy, judicial internships, and clinics during law school, there is nothing quite as exhilarating as beginning to practice law.  Nor is there anything to truly prepare young attorneys for what comes with the actual practice of law - including the rigors, hours, legal comprehension, billing requirements, client management, courtroom experience, and learning curves, to name a few.  Some law students, even those at the top of their class, can feel lost once practice begins.  This is so given the simultaneous demands on them from their bosses, clients, colleagues, themselves, and even the demand of knowledge and comprehension of the law itself.

Although law firms often invest significant resources into training new associates, they can still sometimes feel overwhelmed by the expectations, particularly given the stark differences between law school life and life as a junior associate in a law firm.  Below are tips for recent law school graduates to use to hit the ground running.

Be proactive

When junior attorneys can pick up on and recognize the work that needs to be done before they are asked to do it, partners and management will realize the value and contribution these attorneys add to the group.  It does not necessarily need to be anticipating the winning legal strategy either.  Whether it is absorbing an email a junior attorney was only cc'd on, performing a regular task without having it repeatedly assigned, or taking notes during and asking questions after a call, taking steps to anticipate others' needs will go far. 

When approaching a new case or assignment, consider follow-up questions to ask to understand the case, assignment, or purpose better.  Or consider reviewing the scheduling order or calendar to get an idea of any upcoming proceedings for which senior attorneys might be preparing.  Then, offer assistance where needed.  Often, legal cases do not hinge on one monumental action but are instead the product of hundreds of small actions each and every day.  Demonstrating utility and helpfulness to assist the work of more senior colleagues will not go unnoticed. 

Think of partners as clients

New associates are usually getting work and opportunities from the partners for whom they work.  It is a good tip for those associates to treat the partners as if they are the associate's clients.  By taking steps to make themselves indispensable to those people, associates can ensure that those partners will never want to work without them. Creating this type of relationship can help associates develop longevity at that firm.  It also builds trust and rapport, which leads to more opportunity, the sharing of more knowledge, and the natural growth of one's own career.

Another benefit of that approach is that there can be opportunities for junior associates to work directly with more senior colleagues' clients, where the junior associate has demonstrated his or her value. Because a partner's relationship with a client may be the result of several years of work, the partner may be wary of introducing the client to an associate who has not demonstrated their skill or value. Thus, until associates have clients of their own, treating the partner they work for like a client can be a strong path to success.

Ask questions

It is important for junior associates to ask questions and communicate often.  Communication helps place partners at ease.  It helps increase trust in that working relationship, which can lead to more and bigger opportunities later on.

In addition, not asking questions or under-communicating can have serious ethical consequences.  From time to time, ethical issues may arise that create challenges to the practice of law.  It can be helpful for associates to familiarize themselves with the rules upon beginning practice to help associates ensure that they are acting ethically.

Indeed, all attorneys at all levels have an obligation to ensure compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct.  Under Rule 5.1 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct, a lawyer may be responsible for the ethical violations committed by another lawyer, where that lawyer orders, has knowledge of, or ratifies the conduct, or where that lawyer has managerial or direct supervisory authority and knows of the conduct when the consequences could have been avoided or mitigated.  See Rule 5.1(b)-(c).  In addition, under Rule 5.2(a), "[a] lawyer shall comply with these rules and the State Bar Act notwithstanding that the lawyer acts at the direction of another lawyer or other person."

If a junior associate has concerns about whether he or she is being asked to violate a rule of professional conduct or is otherwise facing an ethical dilemma, one option is to seek help, whether from in-house counsel, a mentor, or some other person who handles issues of risk. Sometimes, talking through the issue out loud is all that is needed to ensure one is on the right path and comporting with ethical obligations.

Billable hours matter - but be mindful

Private law firms keep the lights on and the doors open with revenue, and junior associates are a part of that algorithm.  At its core, law firm revenues, in the form of fees received for billable hours, must exceed costs, namely salaries and other expenses.  Thus, a law firm's ability to meet its financial goals is often predicated on associates meeting their billable hour expectations and working efficiently. The practice of law can be a demanding profession, but it can be helpful for junior associates to keep in mind that the success of the law firm can be impacted by whether the associates keep up with their assignments or devote too much time to nonbillable efforts.

It goes without saying, however, that overbilling a client matter does not make for the most successful associates, either.  If associates are not being mindful of the budget or the scope of the assignment, they may find that their hours cannot be billed to the client, impacting the financial bottom line.  It can be helpful, then, for associates to ask the more senior members of their team how much time the associate should be expected to spend on a specific assignment or to ask if there is a budget that has been set for their work, so that they are efficiently producing work product that meets both the budget and client expectations. 

Applying some of these best practices can help junior attorneys to develop their professional relationships, comport with ethical obligations, be profitable, and succeed in their new careers.

Brittany De Vries, a managing associate at Dentons US LLP, contributed to this article.