Page 4 - First Year Associates

S4 | Tuesday, OcTOber 13, 2015 | First-Year Associates Handbook
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reputation
Beware These Five Less Obvious Faux Pas
By aBigail M. norris
Every burgeoning law student considering a career in private practice is warned about the importance of avoiding the major associate blunders: having too much to drink at firm events, arriving late, getting behind on tracking billable hours, unprofes- sional dress, isolating support staff, and the list goes on. Before even stepping foot into a law firm, aspiring attorneys are warned that a single blunder may ruin the chance of receiving an offer of employment or result in irreparable damage to one’s reputation. so by the time the clock starts ticking on the annual billable hours requirement on the first day as an associate, we are well armed with an arsenal of stories—some leg- ends, others cautionary tales—of the classic associate gaffes we promise ourselves never to make.
What happens next is a whirlwind. We are thrown into the chaos of learning what it means to be an attorney, unexpectedly now coveting the feedback we once dreaded, and left to make our own mistakes, and hopefully learn from them.
so what are some of the less discussed, but likely more common, mistakes associates are not warned about in advance? This article will set forth some of the less obvious faux pas that junior associates unknowingly make that should be added to the list of what not to do.
1. Do not interrupt people before they are finished speaking, even if you think you know exactly what they are going to say.
This may seem obvious, but it happens quite often without people realizing. We have all been there: in the midst of a strategic con- versation with a partner about a case or client dilemma, listening intently and soaking in the information like a sponge, the partner begins a train of thought and it is clear where the train is going. eager and excited to showcase our accrual of knowledge and to demonstrate our ability, we finish the train of thought out loud, interrupting the partner mid-sentence. The partner may appear to ignore the faux pas; however, it was likely noticed and unap- preciated.
Or, perhaps equally as often, on a phone call with a particularly long-winded client who is recounting, in painstaking detail, events that it quickly becomes clear lack relevance. in an attempt to impress the client with our
ABIgAIL M. NORRIS is an associate at Bond, Schoeneck & King, where she focuses her practice on litigation and health care.
experience and confidence, and perhaps save time, we interject with our prediction and understanding as to why they believe this to be relevant, but then politely explain to them why it is not.
a critical part of the practice of law is thinking ahead and anticipating future events. Typically, the ability to do this serves attor- neys well. however, the inclination to think ahead has the potential to backfire, not only because most people absolutely hate being interrupted (which they do), but also because we can never be certain what exactly the speaker is going to say. either way, inter- rupting someone to finish their thought puts
us at risk of appearing rude, presumptuous, and possibly stupid.
2. Do not waste vacation days.
Many young associates have a proclivity towards over-achieving. This tendency can manifest itself in many ways, including the confounding realization that it is possible to forget to take a vacation. But it is important to force ourselves to make the time, both for per- sonal fulfillment and for the good of the firm.
it is amazing how quickly time flies when the demands of work and our personal lives leave us wishing there were more than 24 hours in a day. as counterintuitive as it may seem, the decision to take a vacation must be
deliberate and resolute, or it will be quickly subordinated to items which do not feel as elective. But vacations are important, as they provide an opportunity to disconnect from the constant and all-consuming commotion of work, gain some perspective, and recharge our brains and patience. sometimes, it takes a vacation to realize how much one was needed.
Before departing, it may be prudent to offer availability to partners should an emer- gency arise. The gesture will be appreciated, whether or not they take you up on it. But be sure to make the time to take a vacation, even if it is only a long weekend. and then force yourself to take advantage of it: resist the
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