Calendar of Events

children, fur babies). I know everyone is familiar with the term “work-life balance,” and I agree that everyone is entitled to a “work-life balance,” but at times the scale is going to be tipped to one side more than the other—and let the scale tip to the side of work while you are young. The balance will come after working hard, proving yourself, and being laser-focused on work at a time when you are young and without too many distractions (hopefully). Also, if you follow my tip in No. 1, your hard work won’t feel that hard considering you like/love what you do.

3. FIND A MENTOR.

To grow professionally as a new lawyer, it would behoove you to find a mentor, in the event that a mentor has not already sought you out. It does not have to be a lawyer with your firm; it doesn’t even have to be a lawyer in your same area of practice; it just needs to be a lawyer who has more experience than you have and one that you feel comfortable talking with and posing questions to. The good thing about a mentor is that the person was once a young lawyer and, if he or she has been practicing long enough, has made mistakes that you can learn from. It is important to be able to have a sounding board when you are making big decisions like leaving one firm for another, or changing the type of law you practice. Seek out a mentor—you’d be surprised how many attorneys would be more than happy to provide a young lawyer with some guidance and suggestions (since we all know how much lawyers love to talk). Many are just waiting to be asked.

4. DON’T GET FIRED.

Now this may seem pretty self-explanatory, but really what it means is that you should become so immersed, so involved, and so valuable to the cases and the lawyers at your firm that gosh forbid people needed to get fired or let go, it would not be you. Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong. This advice goes hand-in-hand with my suggestion No. 2 (see how I am creatively tying my tips together)? To become extremely valuable to your law firm or your practice, you are going to have to work hard, be the one to speak up and volunteer to take on projects, and take it upon yourself to do additional work. The attorneys who seek out work and ask to help out other lawyers in the firm unprompted are the attorneys who other attorneys talk about, want to retain, and will mentor (tip No. 3—I am really getting good at this)! More responsibility and opportunities will come your way if you are the one that consistently offers to volunteer and help, before even being asked. Being responsible, being accountable—and most importantly being available—is what is going to separate you from the pack of other young lawyers (who might already be focused too early on a work-life balance) (another spectacular reference back to tip No. 2!).

5. DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

This is typically a saying that many of us teach our kids and try to practice in our everyday lives. This mantra should equally apply to you as a young lawyer, as it pertains to your interactions with other lawyers. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong again. This is easier said than done, because litigation itself is adversarial, and from the start of a case, in most practices, there is opposing counsel. When things get heated at a deposition or a hearing, or when opposing counsel calls you unethical and a cheat and a liar in open court (okay, I may be exaggerating a little here, but not too much), it is in these moments when you need to remind yourself to treat others as you want to be treated. There may come a time when you will think to yourself “what is the actual definition of assault and how much time will I get if I smack this attorney across the table?” Hypothetically speaking of course. Your reputation is everything, and the only reputation you want to have is being fair, ethical, and hopefully a damn good lawyer. This can all be accomplished without being rude, condescending, or (insert a swear word here!). I assure you that you will get more satisfaction out of “killing them with kindness” than you will in emailing a snarky response. I would also advise that you refrain from putting anything in an email or in writing that you would not want a judge to see or have attached as an exhibit to a motion (this may or may not be a lesson I learned the hard way). So be civil, have compassion, and simply be kind to one another in this profession, “to the best of your ability.”

And although it will be hard to wait, please stand by for five more exclusive tips in the September Docket!

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The Calendar of

Events

Shred Event September 9th 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. LCBA Office

Young & New Lawyers Cubs Game September 16th

Member Luncheon Lake County Update September 20th 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Waukegan City Hall City Chamber 2nd Floor

Criminal Law Seminar October 13th & 14th Milwaukee

Family Law GAL October 20th & 21st

Member Luncheon - Pro Bono Awards October 18th 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Waukegan City Hall City Chamber 2nd Floor

Member Luncheon - ADRC Update November 15th 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Waukegan City Hall City Chamber 2nd Floor