Advice to Young Lawyers #5

Dear Mr. Schaeffer:

How can I get ahead as a lawyer?

Signed, Determined in Detroit

Dear Determined:

A little ambition is a good thing, but ambition alone does not guarantee success. As a service to you and other readers, I am going to publish my “Ten Rules to Getting Ahead as a Lawyer.” Please commit them to memory.

1. Be kind to your family. In your quest to be a star lawyer, you have undoubtedly forgotten about your parents, if they are still alive; your spouse, if he or she is still speaking to you; and your children, if you can remember where you left them. When things go incredibly wrong and all your perfectly laid plans have failed, your family members may be the only ones left to help you get started again. Never forget this.

2. Be kind to other people. You are a human being first and a lawyer second. This is a hard point for some lawyers to remember, especially in light of the conventional wisdom that lawyers are evolved from jungle creatures such as orangutans and wildebeests. Remember: You are not an animal. Neither should you act like one.

3. Respect other lawyers. Sure, it’s great fun to be nasty, sneaky, and obstreperous, especially when it was done to you first. But how much more fun to take the high road, remaining civil at all times, yet beating out the other guy by means of your wit alone.

4. Learn the rules. No matter what your legal specialty, it pays to be more knowledgeable than the other guy. Never be the other guy.

5. Learn and memorize names. All people love to hear their names. It will be a great aid to your career to take note of names, write them down, and use them frequently. Always make certain, however, to use the name that belongs to the person you are addressing.

6. Develop a reputation for honesty. It’s true of all outstanding lawyers that you can depend on their word, even if you don’t have time to send a confirming letter. Make this true of you as well.

7. Learn to win at office politics. Unfortunately, some of your law firm colleagues may not be as tolerant, understanding, and good-spirited as you. Just as it is important to learn these ten rules, it is also important to know when they should be violated. If you must trounce an adversary at the office, plan well in advance. Know when to make your move. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If you’re going to attack the king, remember to kill him.

8. Read and write daily. Continue to keep your mind active and engaged. Set aside a little time each day to read something that has nothing to do with “the law.” When you are finished reading for the day, polish your writing skills. The lawyer who can write well stands head and shoulders above all others.

9. Do not neglect your body. You’ve heard it before, but it shouldn’t be forgotten: eat wisely, exercise, and get plenty of sleep.

10. Take risks and count on luck. If you want to get ahead, you’re going to have to be a risk-taker. It’s how all great successes begin. After you’ve made your fortune, however, recognize the role that luck played in your success. Remember to be humble. You may be a great lawyer. Chances are, however, there’s someone else who’s much better. Learn to deal with it.

That concludes my list of rules. I reserve the right to supplement or modify the list from time to time. For now, however, it will serve as a good first step to helping you get ahead as a lawyer.

Your friend, Evan Schaeffer

Comments

[David Giacalone]

Having written Ten Serious Rules (which we shall seriously take to heart), please give us Ten Entertaining Rules, Mr. Schaeffer. If we wanted boring homilies, we'd go here.

[Evan]

David: I shall begin working on the The Ten Entertaining Rules, but I am being slowed down by your demand that I resume, on this blawg, our previous discussion about contingency fees.

I am looking forward to resuming the discussion, though I trust that when I do, you'll criticize my comments based on substance alone, not on style or tone. This is a roundabout way of saying: I don't think there's any way I can make contingency fees entertaining.

But you asked for it!

[David Giacalone]

Actually, watching a p/i lawyer try to justify the standard contingency fee sounds pretty entertaining to me. [And, note, I do NOT oppose all contingency fees -- just ones that are unreasonably high and applied without taking the risk of the particular client's case into account.]

Your Underground fans probably would rather not deal with the topic here, but can put your defense of contingency fees on one of your serious websites.