Developing New Attorneys

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.

Forwarding a Web Link is NOT Lazy.

I recently came across an article on marketing for young lawyers, published in The Whisper by DRI’s Young Lawyers section.

http://www.imakenews.com/younglaw/e_article001041254.cfm?x=bckkrH5,b8mfC5J2

I quickly forwarded the link to our firm’s associates to read at their leisure.  Passing along this article certainly took less time than a discussion on the topic with each associate, but there are other reasons for doing so.  The associates have already heard my thoughts on marketing, and this article will reinforce the importance of this aspect of the business.  Perhaps this author can offer a different perspective and reach those associates I have not.  Sharing resources with our associates also encourages them to take initiative in their own growth.  Ideally, our associates will seek outside enrichment to supplement the training from their supervisors; providing credible sources can only facilitate that search.  They learned as law students which sources are reliable on which to research issues of law, but as new attorneys they have much to learn on the broader practice of law as a business.  This marketing article above is a great example.  So, don’t feel guilty for forwarding an article on the attorney-secretary relationship or on time management, consider it one step in creating a more comprehensive training program.