DIVERSITY NEWS
BY JOANNA HORSNAIL
QUESTIONS WOMEN SHOULD ASK DURING A LARGE LAW FIRM CAREER
THE ROAD TO BECOMING A LAWYER IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND THE GOALS ARE CLEAR: get into law school; graduate from law school; pass the bar; get a job. And there are rules of the road. Admissions offi cers can off er information about admission criteria. In law school, professors tell students what they expect. To pass the bar, law school graduates can take bar preparation classes. And while ge tting a job isn’t always easy, there are career services offi ces and plenty of other resources to understand the opportunities and the interviewing process. Once you get the job at a large law fi rm, the path to success
44
is less apparent. Doing great work isn’t the only measure of success, but the other measures aren’t always clearly identifi ed. Women tend to be more hesitant than men to inquire about the unspoken rules for career success. And they are not in the “old boys network” where this information may be informally shared. So it’s all about asking the right questions. Understanding what is required and rewarded at each
stage of a law fi rm career can be critical to success and fulfi llment. T ese things are not always intuitive—outside guidance and information are critical to understanding what is expected and valued. In the fi rst half of your career, it is important to ask questions to secure your success. In the second half of your career, it is important to ask questions to ensure you create the legacy you desire. In “lean in” style, the following are questions women (and men) should consider asking at each stage of their law fi rm careers:
FIRST AND SECOND YEAR ASSOCIATES: How do you feel I performed on the matter that just concluded? How can I improve and better serve our clients?
You need feedback to improve your performance and excel. Supervising attorneys are usually smart and driven, but they are not always eff ective personnel managers. Ideally, you will receive detailed and constructive feedback about your work product, but if that doesn’t happen ask for it. Ask after some- thing important or challenging has come to a close. Come prepared with your own views about what went smoothly and what can be improved the next time, and some specifi c ques-
DIVERSITY & THE BAR® NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
tions about the substance of the deal or decisions the partner made. T is will help you become a better lawyer, and show that you care about how you are doing and how you are being perceived in the workplace. Also, by linking your discussion to the client demands and desires, you are showing that you understand the importance of client services. Another benefi t of these discussions: T ey may naturally lead to mentoring relationships with your supervisors. Potential mentors are likely to be most interested in helping young attorneys who are engaged and thoughtful about their work and career.
THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR ASSOCIATES: Can I work with that client or be staffed on that matter?
At this point in your career, you should have a feel for what you like to do, and what your professional niche and specialty may be for the future. Critically analyze the opportunities that may be available to you if you work with certain clients or on certain types of matters, identify potential growth areas, and discuss your thoughts with one or more mentors or trusted advisers. T en, when you hear of opportunities that match your skill set or professional development needs, ask to be on the team. Alternatively, if you know which partners may get those projects, tell him or her in advance that you would love to work on such a client or matter and have an opportunity to learn from the partner (everyone likes fl attery). One of my partners says that an associate in our fi rm regularly searched our confl icts bulletins identifying potential new matters and asked to be staff ed on the critical projects for a large client with challenging deals. Now, she is a partner and great at coaching younger associates to get what they want out of their careers. Remember this is a question that you will need to keep asking for many years to come, even as a junior partner.
FIFTH AND SIXTH YEAR ASSOCIATES: Am I on track for promotion to partnership? Can we discuss the process?
If you are getting regular feedback, you already know at least some of the answers to these questions. However, it never hurts to make sure you have all the facts and express what you want.
MCCA.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52