Law firm job survival manual from first interview to partnership

Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
About the Authors and Contributors
Introduction
Acknowledgments
Chapter One - The Interview: There’s Never a Second Chance to Make a First Impression
	A. Some Pre-Interview Dos and Don’ts
	B. Let’s Talk About That Screening Interview That You’re About to Have
	C. Post-Interview Etiquette
		Do I Need to Write a Thank-You Note After a Screening Interview?
		How Long Should I Wait Before I Follow Up to See If I’m Going to Get a Call-back?
		Should I Ask My References to Contact the Firm Directly If I Haven’t Heard from the Firm Yet?
	D. When You Get a Call-back
	E. What About the Schedule of Call-backs?
	F. Things Not to Do During the Meal
	G. What Happens If the Interviewer Hasn’t Read Your Resume?
	H. Some Special Situations
	I. Things to Remember in Every Interview
Chapter Two - The Informational Interview: The Interview That Helps You Get the Interview
	A. What’s Networking and Why Is It Important?
	B. What’s an Informational Interview?
	C. Who Should Conduct Informational Interviews?
	D. How Do You Get Started?
		A Quick Blurb About Cold Contacts
	E. The Next Step: Making Contact with Your New Referral(s)
		When to Proceed?
		How to Proceed?
	F. When, If at All, Should You Forward Your Resume?
	G. What to Prepare for the Informational Interview
	H. The Informational Interview Itself
		About [Referral] and his/her career
		About the firm
		General questions
		About me
		Referrals
	I. What to Do After the Informational Interview
		What Should the Thank-You Note Say?
		Make Sure to Organize All of Your Contacts
	J. Conclusion
Chapter Three - The Foundation: Common Issues for All Jobs
	A. Confidentiality
	B. Managing Your Workload
	C. Deadlines
	D. Working Long Hours
	E. Mistakes and Feedback
	F. When to Go to Work
	G. Dating in the Workplace
Chapter Four - Clerkships: Summer and Judicial
	A. Summer Clerkships
		The First Day
		The First Week
		Stupid Summer Associate Stunts
		Working with Support Staff
		What If You Don’t Like the Firm?
		Finishing Up the Summer
		What If You Don’t Get an Offer?
	B. Judicial Clerkships
		There Is No “I” in “Team.” There’s Also No Hierarchy, Other Than That the Judge Outranks You
		What Judges Want
		What Judicial Assistants Want
		Supervising Externs
		Should You Interview for Jobs During Your Clerkship?
		Should You Sit for the Bar During Your Clerkship?
		Stupid Judicial Clerk Stunts
	C. How to Leave Your Clerkship on Good Terms
Chapter Five - Before You Begin: Working Ethically
	A. Billing Your Time
	B. Mentors and Sponsors—Why You Need Both
	C. Navigating the Waters of a Small Firm or Going Solo
		Competence
		Diligence
	D. Navigating the Waters of a Large Firm
	E. Working with Different Cultures
	F. Your New Best Friend: Your Assistant
	G. If You Want Honest, Diligent, Competent, Timely Work, Model That Behavior Yourself
	H. Playing Well with Others
	I. Client Management
	J. Dealing with the Media
Chapter Six - The First Year of Law Practice
	A. The Impostor Syndrome (Revisited)
	B. The Law Firm’s Culture
		What Do the People at the Top of the Pecking Order (Not Just the Senior Partners, But the Successful Associates) Wear?
		Do People Keep Their Office Doors Open or Closed?
		Are the People with Whom You’re More Likely to Work Early Birds or Night Owls?
		What Does the Firm Announce?
		How Do the Higher-Ups Like to Communicate?
		If the Firm Is Going Through Some Rough Times, Does the Leadership Address the Problems Directly or Pretend That They’re Not Happening?
	C. Some of the Types of Lawyers That You’re Likely to Encounter at Your Firm
	D. How Do You Figure Out How to Do the Assignment, Once You Get It?
	E. Writing and Research Skills
	F. Working Efficiently and Competently
		Few Things in Law Involve Totally Original Thinking
		Even Though Few Things in Law Involve Totally Original Thinking, Don’t Just Recite What the Law Is—Think About the Ramifications of Your Research as You Draft
		Cover Your Butt—and Do So in Writing
		’Fess Up When You Make a Mistake
	G. Why You Need to Develop a Good Calendaring System
	H. Assignments: Getting Them, Doing Them Well, and Balancing the Workload
	I. Make Yourself Useful
	J. Boneheaded Moves (or the Types of Horrifying Mistakes That First-Year Lawyers Tend to Make)
	K. A Word About Electronic Communications (or How You Can Embarrass Yourself on a Global Scale)
		Using an Unnecessary “Reply All”
		The Angry Response
		Tone (Probably the Most Important of the Three)
	L. Becoming a Rainmaker (Yes, Now)
	M. Taking Time Off—Vacations, Sick Days, and Errands
	N. Bonuses and Billable Hours
	O. Having Friends and Family
Chapter Seven - Moving Up Through the Ranks: Life as a Junior Associate and Life as a Senior Associate
	A. People skills
		Emotional Intelligence
		Speaking Fluent “Client”
	B. Political Skills
		Partners Aren’t the Only People with Political Power
		A Word About Your Own Power
	C. Are You at the Home Office or a Branch Office?
		How Did the New Partners Get Ahead?
	D. The Coin of the Realm
	E. Headhunters and Competing Offers
	F. Legal Skills
	G. Preparation, Preparation, and More Preparation
	H. No Dithering—Make a Decision
	I. Teamwork
	J. Judgment and Experience
		Stupid Stunts by Lawyers Who Were Experienced Enough to Know Better
	K. Your Career, Yourself
Chapter Eight - Ten Career Mistakes That Junior Lawyers Make
	A. Losing Touch with Law School Classmates
	B. Overlooking That Your Partners Are Also Your Clients
	C. Failing to Take Ownership of Your Career
		Have a Formal Plan
	D. Not Seeking or (Worse Yet) Ignoring Feedback
	E. Discounting Professional Development and Networking Opportunities
	F. Neglecting to Treat Support Staff as Valuable Colleagues Who Play a Critical Role on the Team
	G. Disregarding the Importance of Learning the Business Aspects of Law
	H. Not Developing Your Leadership and Management Skills Early and Often
	I. Not Maintaining a Professional Brand at All Times
	J. Losing Passion for the Work You Do
Chapter Nine - I’ve Made It! Life as a New Partner
	A. Partnership
	B. Buy-ins and Taxes and Distributions, Oh My!
	C. Will I Make More Money as a Partner?
	D. The Sprint Is Over: Are You Ready to Run a Marathon?
	E. Old Mantra: Billable Hours; New Mantra: Exercise, Nutrition, Commitment, and Billable Hours
Chapter Ten - Being a Great Lawyer (as a Partner)
	A. Your Long-Term Value to the Firm and Your Clients
	B. Rainmaking
		Get to Know Your Clients and Their Businesses
		Get to Know Your Clients as People
		Get to Know Your Partners
		Prepare for Meetings with New Clients and Senior Partners
	C. Care and Feeding of Associates
	D. Your Written Work
	E. Some Final Pointers
Chapter Eleven - Moving On, Moving Out
	A. Why Exactly Are You Leaving?
	B. Are You Running Away from Law Firm Politics?
	C. How Do You Know That It’s Time to Go?
	D. How Miserable Are You…Really?
	E. Where Do You Want to Go and What Do You Want to Do?
	F. So What Are Some Options?
		Downsizing to a Smaller Firm
		Government Work
		Working In-House with the Client
		Becoming a Law Professor
		Something Else
	G. How to Avoid Burning Bridges on the Way Out
AFTERWORD
Appendix A
Appendix B
Index