Questions Your First Year Associates Need Answered
It is orientation season, at least it is for those firms that did not push back the start date for their new first year lawyers. I will be speaking to a group of first year associates on Monday. I will focus on the importance of taking responsibility for their careers, developing a plan with written goals and using time wisely.
I know that many first year associates, especially those who have never had a "real" job before, show up for work unprepared for the "real" world and they do not leave orientation prepared to deal with questions that arise later. I have put together a list of questions that may arise. I don't know if orientation is the time to deal with these, but I do know they will come up at some point. Your firm should be prepared to answer them.
- What do you do when you are working for the firm bully who abuses associates and staff by yelling and using foul language?
- What do you do when you are assigned to the "big case" to do only document review and you have no other work?
- What do you do when you do not understand your assignment?
- What do you do when you don't know the answer?
- What do you when you make a mistake and make the partner you are working for upset?
- What do you do when you have too much work and another partner wants you to do an assignment for them?
- What do you do when you are short of work and others in your practice group are busy?
- What do you do when you have a personal commitment you really need to tend to that will prevent you from timely finishing an assignment?
- What do you do when you are getting no feedback on your work?
- What do you do when you go home exhausted every day from sitting in front of the computer and working all day?
- What do you do if you are not getting secretarial support or help from a legal assistant because their allegiance is to a more senior attorney?
- What do you do when you are asked to attend an important recruiting event and you have a brief a partner expects to receive the next morning?
