Whether you’ve been out of school one year or five, the art of time maintenance is one you shouldn’t ignore. Just like the balance between your personal and professional life should be important to you, you should also work to keep your law firm schedule and work habits as balanced as possible.
Following the pace of a law firm, its partners, and its clients as a former law student might be difficult at first, but time will show you what you’re made of, as hard work and perseverance pays off if you want to make it in the world of Biglaw….
Early Bird Gets The Word: In most cities, attorneys hit their office before 9 a.m. Lawyers need to be available throughout the normal hours of a law firm’s work day. Being both mentally and emotionally available may be hard at times, especially if you consider the looming deadlines, cases, and research you might have to undertake. Regardless, you will be given assignments that require your utmost attention and diligence.
Prove Yourself: Looking to make partner? Fitting into the culture at your firm is key. Whether you’re a summer associate or fourth year associate, having a first-in-last-out mentality is a smart choice. As a matter of respect to senior level members in your firm, be early — for everything. Tardiness sends a message that you believe your time is more important than that of those who called the meeting.
Master Assignments: The biggest and most efficient use of your time comes from understanding exactly what the lawyers you are working for want. As clients are already aware of the issues at hand — the reason they’ve come to you — your responsibility is to find answers and solutions. To do this, some key things to remember in order to master your assignments are the deadline, the type of answer requested — informal, short memo, or an extensive report, the amount of time spent, and determining what materials to review. If you take the time to listen, take notes, and ask questions when first given the assignment, you have a better chance of completing the task and asking questions during the middle of your work.
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