Articles
October 28 2010
0
Advice From A New Lawyer
Looking back, law school was a flash. Before I knew it, I was sitting before the bar exam, and one blink later, I was standing with my colleagues in front a judge getting sworn in. It’s official. I’m a lawyer.
It was a strange feeling at first, but then I slowly eased in and started to feel more comfortable with my new role. Even going to court alone for the first time was not as bad as I thought it would be. I admit I even enjoyed it when the judge called me “counselor.” Now, after over 6 months, I feel I’ve adjusted to my new skin.
So what important lessons can I share with my colleagues? Well, to name a few:
1. It’s ok to mess up. Law students and new attorneys tend have a need for perfection, but in the real world, we all mess up. Instead of fretting over it or feeling bad, just accept it as a fact of life and most importantly, learn from it.
2. You don’t know everything. I’ve found that people think lawyers know everything. Not just about the law – but everything. Well, we don’t—and that’s ok. If you don’t know something, keep your confident-face on and just say “I don’t know, but I’ll look into and get back to you.”
3. Practicing law is not like law school. At all. You’ve probably figured this out by now. But HOW is it different? Firstly, you’re doing a lot of less memorizing and a lot more research. In fact, much of your practice will be like the legal writing classes you took. Secondly, a lot of the work you do may not actually be related to the law, such as investigating other non-legal matters related to the case. Nevertheless, this is still important because it helps you better understand the legal aspects of the case.
Despite all of the above, I would emphasize the following: the practice of law (like anything else) is what YOU make of it. A lot of attorneys are jaded (it’s hard not to be sometimes), but if you strongly believe in something, then go for it. Find what you love to do and you will enjoy being a lawyer.
About the Author: Danya Shakfeh
http://www.ShakfehLaw.com
Join Our E-mail List
