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CAREER CORNER
Cindy Brazell, Partner, Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP Balancing work and play, avoiding burnout, and learning humility [by Teresa Talerico] Get a life. In a nutshell, that’s one of Cindy Brazell’s main pieces of advice for new lawyers. She strongly encourages young attorneys to cultivate interests, relationships, and activities outside of the law and away from the office. Brazell, a partner and head of coaching
they are.
really do. Another is not recognizing that they are just part of a team and the importance of
and professional development at Kilpatrick Stockton in Atlanta, said successful attorneys
I preach to people that you have to draw
staff people— secretaries, paralegals, and
must strive for that harmony in their lives.
boundaries early. If you are available and
other lawyers. We all play an important part
willing to work 24/7, then people will allow
of what ultimately is the end product. Some-
“Probably the biggest message I preach to
you to work 24/7, and you’ll burn out and be
times you’ll get a lawyer coming out of law
new associates is balance,” said Brazell, a
no good to you or to us. I think community
school thinking, “Well, I have this law degree,
1989 graduate of Mercer University’s Walter
involvement is extremely important. I think
so I know everything there is I need to know.”
F. George School of Law in Macon, GA. “Bal-
pro bono is extremely important—bar activi-
It is sometimes quite entertaining to watch a
ance is very, very important. A well-rounded
ties, practice development, marketing, things
longtime secretary or paralegal educate that
lawyer is very important. A billing machine
like that. All of those are important and are
young lawyer.
is not necessarily going to be the most suc-
things young lawyers should learn to do at an
cessful lawyer down the road and not neces-
early age.
partner down the road.”
Q: What do you look for when hiring appli-
ask for help, assuming that you know more
cants?
than you do—those are probably the biggest stumbling blocks
Developing hobbies, nurturing relationships with friends and family, and even having
I think being reticent to raise your hand and ask questions or not being as willing to
sarily going to make the most successful
A: I look for personality. When I’m interview-
pets are all just as important as burning the
ing a candidate, I usually try to engage them
Q: What’s one thing they don’t teach in law
midnight oil at work.
on the non-law part of their resume to try
school but should?
to get a sense of what’s important to them, “You’re a much more effective lawyer,” she
talk about community involvement or things
A: The business side of the practice of law.
said, “if you get outside the firm and get away
like that. It gives you a sense of what kind of
I don’t think that’s taught anywhere. It’s the
from it for a while.”
balance they currently have in their life and
personal side of the practice—responsive-
what things are interesting to them. If they
ness, client service, practice development.
Q: What other advice do you give new associ-
take a summer off and go to Europe, that
Not only just the dollars and cents business
ates?
shows a lot of initiative in a different way
side of it, but all of the factors that come into
than having a nifty summer job.
play.
different the practice of law is from law
At the intelligence level that we’re interview-
Q: Who’s your favorite lawyer in movies,
school. Their training is really just begin-
ing, everybody is going to have the ability to
books, or television?
ning when they take their first job. They
do the work. The difference is how they do it,
should not expect to know much of anything,
how they deliver that, and those are more in-
A: For mindless entertainment, it probably is
and that’s okay. They should be comfort-
terpersonal skills than just pure intelligence.
Andy Griffith as Matlock. I actually like Ben
A: I try to give them some advice about how
Matlock, seersucker suits and all.
able asking lots of questions. No question is too stupid. They should, at a very early age,
Q: What are common stumbling blocks for
recognize that while the firm is very invested
young associates?
in their career and their development, no one should be more invested in their career than
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A: One is thinking they know more than they