Setting career goals isn’t a one and done exercise. Regardless of how long you have been in practice, you can benefit from setting career goals to keep you inspired, motivated and moving forward in your career.
Establishing clear goals as a new lawyer can provide direction and help you build a strong foundation for future success. As you advance in your career, it is crucial to reassess your goals and make adjustments to align with your evolving aspirations. Later in your career, as you approach retirement, your goals may focus more on ensuring a smooth transition from active practice to a fulfilling retirement and passing the practice on to the next generation.
It can be helpful to organize your career goals into different categories, such as expanding your knowledge, acquiring skills, developing business, enhancing visibility and improving your finances. Your goals, and which categories you focus on, will change as your career changes.
Early in your career, your goals will emphasize expanding your knowledge, but that doesn’t mean that more experienced lawyers cannot also have career goals in this category.
Every lawyer must stay abreast of developments in the area of law in which you have chosen to practice, as well as new technologies that can improve your practice, your delivery of services to clients and any new developments that affect your clients’ legal matters. Once you have mastered the basics, developing a concentration in a niche area of law can position you as an expert and attract clients seeking more specialized knowledge.
Subscribing to legal or industry journals and publications, following relevant blogs or subscribing to legal podcasts can all help keep you informed. Training in new or existing software programs being used in the practice can help you maximize your use of these tools.
In later stages of your career, you might focus less on expanding your own knowledge and instead focus on how you can use your experience to help others. Lawyers looking toward retirement or winding down their practices may set goals to educate themselves on retirement or exit strategies, planning or legal issues affecting retirement.
Although law schools have come a long way in providing students with clinical and experiential education, many young lawyers simply have not had the time or opportunity to acquire the skills they may need in their future legal career.
Find a mentor who can guide you, give advice and make suggestions about how to improve your skills. Look for hands-on CLE or role-playing programs, such as those offered by NITA (the National Institute for Trial Advocacy), to practice your skills.
Seek out opportunities to observe more seasoned members of the bar. Accompany them to depositions, trials, client meetings, will signings or real estate closings if possible. Join bar association committees in your practice area that will provide opportunities to speak with more experienced practitioners. Ask your mentor or more seasoned members of the bar for examples to study or use as a template to draft documents, pleadings, contracts or other writing.
Litigators or lawyers practicing in a field of law that requires you to make presentations to clients or businesses might want to consider taking a public speaking course or joining an organization such as Toastmasters to hone your public speaking skills.
As a more experienced lawyer, you might want to take on pro bono cases in your area of practice to build your skills. Newer lawyers may have opportunities to do pro bono work with a more experienced lawyer who can supervise and provide feedback through your bar association or other pro bono legal organizations.
As you progress in your legal career, leadership and management skills become more important. Look for ways to volunteer or apply for leadership positions at your local bar association, community group or volunteer organization. Developing skills in financial management is essential if you are pursuing partnership, considering opening your own practice or planning for retirement.
If you are approaching retirement but want to stay engaged, you might make it a goal to hone your advisory skills for potential consulting work or board positions or brush up on your mediation and negotiation skills to prepare you for working part-time as an arbitrator or mediator.
Networking with other professionals in the industry and building and maintaining a robust client base through consistent networking and relationship-building are crucial at every stage of your career. Join professional associations, get involved in your local community, your church, a charity, or your child’s school. Attend meetings and conferences. All of these activities can open doors to new opportunities.
As your career progresses and you develop more client relationships, your business development goals may include expanding your practice by offering new services or entering new markets to drive growth, establishing regular contact with existing or former clients, or utilizing your network to make beneficial connections for others. You might endeavor to attend a certain number of networking events monthly, contact existing contacts weekly or pursuing leadership roles in groups and organizations where you have been active.
At the latter stages of your career, your business goals development may shift to identifying and grooming potential successors to take over your practice, mentoring younger lawyers, helping them build their network and introducing them to clients. Build a transition plan that includes client retention strategies to ensure continuity and stability.
Developing marketing and visibility goals can help you attract new clients, grow your practice, and build your reputation. Creating a professional online presence can highlight your expertise and attract clients if kept up to date. As a young lawyer, your goal might be to create a strategy for attracting and communicating with your ideal clients and using your social media accounts to build your professional reputation. More seasoned lawyers might also promote professional honors and awards or celebrate career milestones and contributions.
For lawyers with a bit more experience, participating in thought leadership activities, such as writing for academic journals, publishing a regular blog, or appearing in the media, can establish you as an expert in your field. Newer lawyers who do not feel comfortable writing on their own might approach a more seasoned colleague about co-authoring an article or co-presenting on a legal topic of interest.
Volunteering for speaking engagements and panel discussions or participating in industry conferences and events as a speaker or panelist can further enhance your credibility and public profile. Engaging in community service and pro bono work can allow you to give back while also improving your professional reputation.
Publicly acknowledging the contributions of your team and successors can foster goodwill and smooth the transition for more seasoned lawyers. Look for ways to promote colleagues. Suggest that they co-author an article or recommend committees they can join or engage with.
Setting short- and long-term financial targets can help secure your financial future. Adding a specific reason for that financial goal, such as paying off student loans, saving for a home, putting money away for your children’s education or for your own retirement, can make those goals even more meaningful.
Set a salary range goal and actively work toward achieving it. Negotiate your initial salary and seek raises as you gain experience. Look for creative ways to increase your income. Find out whether your firm or organization offers a share of any business you bring in, provides other financial incentives for specific activities, reimburses expenses like bar memberships, client meals, conferences and CLE. Creating a budget for professional development activities, such as courses and conferences, can ensure you continue to grow without financial strain.
Maximize contributions to your firm or organization’s retirement plan—or consider opening one of your own. If you own your own practice and are planning your exit, you may consider evaluating the market value of your practice and exploring sale options.
Setting career goals at every stage of your legal career is crucial for personal and professional growth. Identifying goals in each category can help ensure a more balanced and fulfilling career.
