1. 800. 973.1177
CAREER CORNER
Michael Charlson On Writing Well and Humbling Moments [by Teresa Talerico] Michael Charlson understands the challenge of finding a law firm that’s a good fit. He recalls his own job search as a 1985 graduate of Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.
“I wish I could say I had this highly refined
biggest thing I see is that young associates
copyrights.” I didn’t have the foggiest idea
sense of what was important in a law firm,”
don’t do a particularly good job of being
what security interest was. Once I figured
said Mr. Charlson, firmwide recruiting chair
evocative writers. Their writing, even when
that out, I went back to the attorneys involved
at Heller Ehrman, LLP. “At the time, I really
they’re writing a brief, tends to read more
and said, “What do I need to do?” They said
didn’t. I always remember this when I’m
like a research memorandum. They’ll antici-
you just have to file a UCC form. I had no
trying to recruit associates from law school.
pate arguments that could be made the other
idea what that meant. I found out I could go
A lot of kids don’t know that much about dif-
way. They’ll present the law in a way that is
to a stationery store and get a UCC form. So
ferent law firms and why one might be better
simply not as forceful as it could be in advo-
I went, and the stationery guy said, “What
or different than another.”
cating our client’s position. That’s something
state are you talking about?” I had to go back
law school tends to push. You tend to look at
and look at the file and figure out the states.
Mr. Charlson, also a securities litigation
all sides of an issue. That’s not a bad thing.
Then, when I filed the form, I got it wrong
shareholder at Heller Ehrman, recommends
But when you present things to a court,
four times before I finally got something the
applicants consider everything from their
you have to remember there’s another side
state of New York would accept. That was
ease with potential co-workers to the firm’s
whose job it is to present their argument.
pretty humbling because a normal securities paralegal could do this in about 10 minutes.
mission and overall atmosphere. Some associates are better able to take the
It took me about eight weeks.
Based in the firm’s Silicon Valley office in
assignments they get and make something
Menlo Park, CA, Mr. Charlson joined Heller
of them, even if the assignment, on its face,
Q: How can new lawyers handle that frustra-
Ehrman in 1986 and became a shareholder
might appear to be somewhat dull. Docu-
tion?
(the firm’s equivalent of partner) in 1992. He
ment review is perhaps the best example. It
also spends time at the New York City office.
is a given that document review is going to be
A: It’s important to remind yourself that
pushed disproportionately toward the junior
you’ve made it through law school and you’ve
Q: What do you look for when hiring associ-
people. You can bemoan that fact and think,
actually passed the bar exam, so you can’t be
ates?
“Gee, I’m not going to be a real lawyer,” or
a complete idiot. That’s probably not the right
you can look at that as an opportunity to
word to use, but there’s some reason you
A: We look for indications that a person has
understand the case thoroughly and make
are where you are. The main thing I would
the raw intelligence to do the job. We like to
yourself indispensable to all the things com-
have done well to do is not feel like I needed
take on some very, very difficult cases. They
ing down the pike—the depositions, the oral
to know everything the first day I walked out
take creativity; they take solid thinking—
arguments. The most successful associates
of law school and not feel like I was stupid
strategic and tactical. Good writing skills are
are those who take personal responsibility
to ask for help from people who had been
extremely important. Beyond that, we look
for their own professional development.
around the block.
we do. If a person wants to do family law,
Q: What was your most humbling experience
The other thing that is really important is
they’re not going to be happy here.
as a new lawyer?
doing it once yourself. One of the things
Q: What are the common stumbling blocks
A: When I was a summer associate, I had
there are people who do things for you—for
for new associates?
a job at Newsweek in their legal depart-
example, a citation check or getting a motion
ment. I was given this file and told, “Please
on file. These are things a paralegal or a
extinguish our security interest in this set of
secretary might do for you. In my experience,
for people who want to do the kinds of things
that’s easy to have happen in a big law firm is
A: From my perspective as a litigator, the
PAGE 1
continued on back
CAREER CORNER
it’s really important that I know how to do it. If you have an appreciation for the process, it’ll mean you won’t be doing things like editing a brief at five minutes to 4 and being upset that your paralegal wasn’t able to get it on file on time. Q: Who is your favorite lawyer in film, literature, or television? A: I was always a fan of Atticus Finch, but I also kind of like “My Cousin Vinny.” I used to like “Perry Mason” when I was a kid. I always thought the lawyer who was going for the underdog was a very sympathetic character. I’m not sure I’m in that position these days. But in my pro bono work, maybe I’ve got that role.
PAGE 2
1.800. 973. 1177