A Law Blog
The Miami Herald published an article called Meeting in the Middle on which the ABA Journal commented Friday. While it is easy for any professional to view other generations and their differences with criticism, together, these articles discuss how generations of attorneys can work together effectively and bring out the best in one another. What do you think of Ms. Goodman’s take?
By Jerri Johnson
Just kidding. There was no such class in my law school, and I would bet there was not one in your law school either. Where and how, then, do we learn how to manage our new attorneys? It seems to me there are two common ways: (1) from the managing attorney in our firm, or (2) trial and error, aka learning on your own. The first is not so bad, assuming you are learning from someone skilled at supervising, but it is somewhat limited in that regard. The second is far less than ideal. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are other resources – just look around. You are surrounded by other attorneys, many of whom work in similar law practices. My resource in the “arm’s reach” category is another supervising attorney within my firm I’ll call Mr. A. He was not assigned the task of teaching me how to train, supervise, and manage new attorneys, but I respect this attorney, and he has been kind enough to share his experiences and ideas. When I ask things like, “Have you ever tried giving year end gifts instead of bonuses to new associates?” his warning can prevent me from making the same mistake he once did. My resource in the “least expected” category is an opposing counsel I’ll call Mr. B. It was a rather contentious case, but by the end, I noticed the care Mr. B took with his newer associates, and he has become one of my go-to people when I have questions like, “Where do you find good associates around here?” “What is the going rate for new associates?” or “What has been your experience hiring new graduates versus laterals?” If you have gained enough experience in your practice to be asked to supervise other attorneys in your firm, there is a likelihood that some of your old classmates may also be in such a position: resources in the “we’re in the same boat” category, if you will. When I have questions like, “Is it fair for me to compare the learning curve of two very different attorneys in their first six months?” it doesn’t feel like such a chore picking up the phone or emailing an old friend, and I can trust that I’ll get an honest answer. I’m willing to bet you have similar resources, too.