AYLA PRESIDENT: Mentoring Young Attorneys

BLAIR LEAKE , WRIGHT & GREENHILL, P.C.

Passing Along Institutional Knowledge and Hard-Learned Lessons Is Good for Everyone

Attorneys need mentors, full stop. An experienced attorney a few doors down—or a phone call away—who is genuinely receptive to being a spontaneous sounding board is worth ten times their weight in O’Connor’s books. The worth of such a resource applies to all attorneys, but especially for young attorneys. Mentorship does not have to come canned as part of a speed-dating-esque mentorship program from the Bar or another legal group. The spectrum of opportunities for mentorship is wide, spanning from daily guru to one-off impromptu.

The practice of law is not a science. At the risk of obnoxiously aggrandizing our profession, it is an art. Competent issue spotting and legal analysis can be taught in law school, but even the most practical courses cannot truly teach the nuances of how to handle a uniquely difficult client, opposing counsel, or judge—at least not with any tailored specificity. There are simply too many variables in the real world. Indeed, the daily practice of law creates far more forks in the road than any law school prompt ever could. Learning when to consider decisions through a practical lens rather than a purely legal one, balancing being good at business versus being good at lawyering, joining extracurricular groups, navigating judicial politics, or how even to respond to a particularly gnarly email from a client or counsel—the list goes on.

New attorneys can sometimes be reluctant to speak up and seek out a mentor, even for something as simple as a one-off phone call to ask a question. Pride, timidity, or perhaps a combination of both can make approaching an older attorney to ask some questions sometimes seem daunting. The young attorneys who do consistently reach out for help, however, usually grow far more quickly and more holistically than do their timid and prideful peers. At the very least, they avoid learning nearly as many lessons the hard way.

Consider this a call to arms to attorneys both young and old. The former need to speak up and ask questions often. The latter need to carve out time and be sincerely willing to stand and deliver when called upon.

Consider this a call to arms to attorneys both young and old. The former need to speak up, be willing to stick their heads two doors down, and ask questions often. No question is too small or too stupid—if you do not know the answer, then you need to ask someone. The latter need to carve out time and be sincerely willing to stand and deliver when called upon. When someone sticks their head in your door and asks a question, offer them a seat and be the kind of person willing to immediately help them talk through the problem. Going a step further, make a habit of reaching out to make sure less experienced peers know they can come to you. Exchange cell phone numbers, check up on them, and ask them if they want to grab a coffee. Institutional knowledge and hard-learned lessons passed down will only make the practice of law in and around Austin more competent, efficient, and enjoyable—benefitting both us as attorneys as well as the communities we serve. AL

Blair Leake