Summary: There is one thing that attorneys can fall short in that will ruin their career. Don’t let yourself be one of those attorneys.
Everyone knows that being an attorney takes dedication in time and money but no one fully understands the level of commitment required of attorneys, especially in the first few years. Attorneys striving for top jobs and big law firms will have it the hardest. Harrison Barnes strives to inform attorneys how to be successful and stay successful in their career in his article, “The #1 Attorney Career Killer That Attorneys Are Never Taught.”
Law schools prepare students for the type of work they will be doing on a regular basis through a strenuous three year program. Most students probably assume that after they finish those three years and graduate from law school that they will be able to resume a normal life full of social and work events.
This is not the case. The heavy workload of law school is comparable to the workload after school. New attorneys at big law firms are expected to live, eat, and breathe their work. A social or family life comes third or fourth behind work and more work.
Working holidays is an expectation that no one bats an eye over. An attorney that is upset about working the Fourth of July is not in the right career. Serious attorneys take on this mindset because they know their clients need someone that is available to get them through a serious legal issue whenever that issue arises. Legal cases do not get put on hold so an attorney can attend a birthday.
The moment you show a lack of commitment, the law firm will notice and send you packing at some point or another. They might squeeze you out by cutting back on the amount or type of work they give you. The firm will not advance you because they consider you a flight risk.
To ensure that your law firm does not get the idea that you are lacking in commitment, treat every assignment you are given like it is the most important thing to you at that time. Making it the most important thing will keep your from making errors on the assignment. Working at a large law firm is stressful enough, don’t let your lack of commitment add to your stress.
To learn more about being a successful attorney, read these articles:
- Harrison Barnes Explains Why Attorneys Need to Keep Working
- Harrison Barnes Takes on the Tough Question of “What’s the Point?”
- Four Mistakes Attorneys Make about Law Firms That Affect Their Long-Term Success
Photo: flickr.com
