14 Tips For Every New Lawyer

Bruce J. Ruzinsky is a partner at Jackson Walker LLP where he chairs the firm’s bankruptcy section, heads the Houston office litigation section, and chairs the firm’s diversity committee. Mr. Ruzinsky serves on PracticePro's advisory board and has been an invaluable advocate of the Diversity Scholar Program since its inception in 2014. To read Mr. Ruzinsky’s full bio, please refer to this link.

Each fall, thousands of a newly-minted law graduates embark upon their journey of practicing law. Whether working for a law firm, a corporation, the government, or a non-profit, being a new lawyer can be daunting. Bruce Ruzinsky shares the following invaluable tips to help new attorneys rise to the challenge.

1. The most important thing you have as an attorney is your integrity.

There is nothing more valuable to lawyers than their integrity. Never allow anyone to persuade you to compromise your integrity. You will interact with many individuals during the course of your legal career, including opposing counsel, opposing parties, clients, prospective clients and judges. Occasionally some may try to persuade you to take a questionable course of action. Don’t do it, or there will likely be a heavy price to pay. There will be times in your legal career where the difference between right and wrong is not so clear. Never be afraid to consult with someone who you trust and whose opinion you value, on how to proceed.

2. Treat everyone with respect and dignity.

From the senior partners to the janitorial staff, and everyone in between, always treat everyone with dignity and respect. Everyone at the workplace should be considered a part of the same team, not just the attorneys you work with.

3. Treat staff like gold.

You will be surprised what you can learn from staff, and how helpful they can be to your career. Most of them have been around much longer than you, and they know a lot of practical and not-so-known things that will help you advance your career. Show your appreciation by acknowledging their hard work and rewarding them on appropriate holidays.

4. Be a team player.

We all know what that involves. It only takes one or two bad apples to make the work experience a negative one. Don’t be that person. Be the one who takes the initiative to help your colleagues on assignments or covering for them during emergencies, and they will return the favor for you when you need them.

5. Don't give anyone a hard time just to give them a hard time.

There may be times where giving someone a hard time is necessary, but most of the time it is uncalled for. What goes around ultimately comes around. The legal community is extremely small, and having a reputation for regularly giving others a hard time can negatively impact your career.

6. When you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it and move on.

Everyone makes mistakes and nobody is perfect. Instead of dwelling on your mistakes, own them and learn from them. How you respond to your mistakes and any related criticism can say a lot about you. Everyone can benefit from constructive criticism.

7. Exercise good judgment.

This advice is broad and covers a variety of situations. For example, you may have lunch plans with a contemporary, but then are asked by a senior partner to go to lunch. Instead of foregoing the plans with your contemporary colleague, offer to have them join you for a group lunch with the senior partner . Be sure not to treat people in senior positions better than everyone else, because believe it or not, people notice.

8. Manage expectations.

Expectations are important. Be honest about what you can handle and when you can complete a project or assignment. If you commit to do something by Friday, be ready to deliver by then. If something comes up on Wednesday so that you cannot complete the project or assignment by Friday, then tell the person who assigned you the project as soon as you know on Wednesday. People will respect you for it.

9. Keep up with your conflict checks and time entry.

Complete your conflict checks and enter your time each day. Make sure your time entries are professionally written and accurately convey the value of your work. Conflict checks help avoid professional liability, and entering time helps pay bills. Both are important.

10. Regularly arrive at the office early or stay late, but not both.

If you do one on a regular basis, you will develop reputation as someone with a strong work ethic. There will be times in your career you will have to do both. However, doing both all the time will lead to a burnout, and your life at work and your life outside work will most likely suffer.

11. Always give your best effort - every case or project is an opportunity to impress or disappoint.

If you perform ten things well but do one thing poorly, the latter will likely stand out. No one is perfect, but strive to give your best effort all the time.

12. Remember that whatever you do professionally, you do so not just as a representative of a firm client, but also as a representative of your law firm.

Lawyers and their law firms earn reputations. If you are in court and acting unprofessionally, not only is the judge likely to draw negative conclusions about you, that judge may very well also draw negative conclusions about your law firm. Such a result would be unfair to your colleagues who may be drawn into a negative situation they do not deserve.

13. When in doubt – ask.

You should have a lot of questions, especially if you are a new lawyer. Never be afraid to ask questions if you need clarification or help! Those who work with you will appreciate your willingness to learn.

14. Get involved in your community.

There are many opportunities to be involved in your community outside of work. Lawyers have a responsibility to help the communities in which they live. Community involvement is also a great opportunity to meet and impress prospective clients and people who know prospective clients. When you do things that you enjoy that are unrelated to the law, you tend to do them well and develop relationships with others doing the same.

Everyone needs a life outside the office, and community involvement is a great way to do so.