Reflections from a First-Year Attorney for 3Ls Entering the Profession

Being a first-year attorney has been the most transformative time of my life. Among these many changes have been learning to shift from the theoretical knowledge of law in school to the actual practice of law while simultaneously learning the billable hour, client guidelines, and the flow of a law firm. The first year of practicing law has filled me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the privilege of being a part of the legal profession. Here are a few essential lessons I have learned this first year.

Find a Mentor and Take the Initiative

My law school experience was intense but positive. It provided the requisite rules and materials to practice law. Through the law school’s connections, I gained exposure to numerous areas of litigation during a judicial externship and met my current mentors.

Mentorship is a two-way street, sometimes requiring more effort from the young attorney in the beginning to develop the relationship. It is also essential to determine what you want to get out of your mentor—confidence, guidance, support, challenges, etc. Otherwise, mentorship is pointless. While in school, the initiative to develop a relationship with a professor meant actively participating in class, volunteering to recite, and visiting the professor outside class time.

Although it is intimidating to approach a brilliant law professor, you must be proactive about fostering the mentor-mentee relationship. My relationships with my professors entrenched me in the school's community, providing practical relationships throughout the theoretical application of law school. My professors’ mentorship highlighted several important lessons that have been foundational.

1. Learning the law is not the same as applying it.
2. There is no end to learning the law—you should prepare to apply yourself consistently to your work.
3. Collaboration is essential to being a good attorney.
4. Take the initiative early—be present and prepared starting now.

My goals for mentorship changed from what they were in law school. Now that I’ve begun practicing, my mentors provide confidence, discuss legal strategies, problem-solve, and provide feedback on my work. Mentorship as a practicing attorney has highlighted for me the essential shift in perspectives that must take place as you begin to apply the law.

• In law school, we learn the law without regard to material outcome, but in law practice, we apply the law to help our clients.
• In law practice, you must come to your mentor prepared with a fully formed question related to your case. You need to find a mentor who wants to mentor you.

Develop Professional Goals and Objectives

I remember feeling a sense of responsibility when it came to representation, mixed with pride at my swearing-in during my first year of law school as a law clerk for a judge. Interning with a judge allowed me to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

It was here that I decided to pursue litigation and discovered the minimum expectations I would have for myself as an advocate. While I did not feel the sense of responsibility that comes with client representation at that time, I saw it daily. I learned the flow of docket day, watched several voir dire and trials, drafted orders, and was lucky to receive professional and personal advice from the court staff.

As a first-year attorney, you must have expectations and goals to guide you through practice. Creating these guidelines will help you anchor your expectations with your aspirations and form a game plan to achieve them. I have two sets:

1. Foundational goals that apply every day.
2. Aspirational and career growth-motivated goals.

My foundational goals are based on witnessing good lawyering, largely from my internship experience. The most basic of my goals is always to be prepared. Whether this is preparation for a productive day at work, a thorough phone call, or arguing a motion, the goal is the same.

My aspirational goals are first-year focused and career-oriented. They deepen my understanding of the firm’s productivity. For example, before I close out my first year of practicing law, I want to take three depositions, win a motion after an oral argument in court, and settle one case below its valuation. Not only will these goals make me a better advocate, but they will also be successes for the firm and me. It is easy to flounder and feel lost during the daunting first year of practicing law without goals and objectives to guide you. Every first-year attorney should develop such guideposts.

Celebrate Your Victories

I am still finding my footing as a new attorney, but reflecting on how much I have grown is important. So far, almost every moment of practicing has been a first—my first case, first answer to file, first time to send discovery, even my first deposition (woohoo)! These firsts were challenges of their own and have taught me about practicing law and myself. I have learned to rely on my drive to be prepared, the skills from my judicial internship, and the advice and leadership from my mentors.

Practicing law is very difficult, so it is important to reflect positively on your achievements and share them with others, no matter how small. I look forward to the new challenges and a rewarding career serving others.