Fake It Till You Make It: Confessions from a New Associate

My wife told me I looked fine as I debated whether to knot my tie using a half-windsor or a four-in-hand. It was my first day at my first job as a lawyer and I wanted to make a good impression. I eventually left home thinking that I was ready to be a lawyer. But I wasn’t. After a round of introductions, I met with a senior partner and a junior partner who described a case they were working on. They told me they planned on filing a motion to address some procedural irregularities, and asked me to prepare a draft. I returned to my desk and read over my notes. I felt overwhelmed and clueless.