Fresh out of university, lawyers and paralegals may feel ready to take on the world and their careers after difficult years of patience and study. However, many may find it difficult to find their way through the complex maze of law and law firm politics. Young professionals often end up confused, frustrated, and overworked. When this occurs, mistakes can happen.
For the benefit of both a law firm and its clients, it’s pertinent that veteran lawyers step up; and help guide those without years of experience and savvy. Younger, less experienced attorneys can benefit from reading a law book by a trusted, seasoned professional. Young guns can learn a lot from those who’ve been working in the industry for a while and took the time to write about them.
The Role of Veteran Lawyers in Young Professionals’ Growth
Frequently, the lawyers with the most experience tend to be quite busy handling their clients; even to notice when a newer; less experienced law professional in their firm is struggling. Unfortunately, some top lawyers in a firm believe that young attorneys need to be thrown to the wolves as they were early in their careers to become savvy, experienced professionals. This old-school belief can do more harm than good and lead to nonproductive clashes between top-tier and newly hired lawyers; causing problems for the law firm and its clients.
To keep law firms high functioning and efficient, teamwork is an obvious and accessible goal. The mix of long-time experience and fresh ideas can benefit the law firm and its clients. Every firm’s mission should be to find ways to achieve a good balance of both if they wish to remain profitable.
Veteran Lawyers Can Provide Valuable Guidance
To function as a well-oiled machine, a law firm needs to provide an environment where newly hired attorneys can quickly gain valuable knowledge from those with much more experience. Newer lawyers working in personal injury may not have yet had much or any courtroom experience since most cases are settled during the discovery phase. Without pertinent courtroom experience, new attorneys may not have the much-desired savvy to settle cases successfully.
Top-level lawyers with a decade or more of experience in and outside the courtroom should share their experiences with their lesser experienced colleagues. Although experience is the best teacher, those with more of it need to take the time to share their knowledge with those who’ve yet to have had the benefits of more time in the industry. Collectively sharing valuable knowledge and experience will create a better work environment that fosters growth.
An open dialog between senior and junior lawyers is a win-win situation. While more experienced attorneys benefit from years of real-life situations; some may be stuck in the old ways of doing things. They can gain valuable insights into how the younger generation thinks; and may come to adopt new ways of solving tough legal issues.
Mentoring
The passing along of knowledge can be greatly enhanced; when veteran lawyers take the time to guide and mold younger legal professionals. While many senior attorneys may not have the time or desire to spend so much time with an inexperienced lawyer; they could surprise themselves with how they feel once they’re open to the experience. Mentoring a young, fresh, and hungry attorney can be a wonderful opportunity to share your knowledge of the law and how things work.
Eventually, most attorneys, even those without actual courtroom experience; will have to jump into the pool’s deep end and try their first case. For the benefit of the law firm’s reputation and the promise made to the client; it is in its best interest to do all it can to ensure that its less experienced lawyers are ready to tackle the task. Mentoring is a fantastic way to train young lawyers for the high-stakes lawsuit experience before a judge and jury.
Mentorships can be formal or informal. An example of an informal mentorship can be as simple as an older; more experienced law firm attorney taking the time; and effort to ensure that the firm’s newer attorneys feel comfortable approaching senior-level partners. Formal mentorships can arranged by contacting your state’s Bar Association.
The Role of Veteran Lawyers in Young Professionals’ Growth: Final Thoughts
In the highly competitive world of law firms, the most successful firms acknowledge that guiding; and mentoring the newer generation of attorneys is a far better plan; than the old-fashioned “throw them to the wolves” mentality. Information and experience should be freely shared within a professional atmosphere where the goal is retaining clients, both old and new.
This can be achieved by senior attorneys taking an active role in the development of their younger, less experienced lawyers. An open-door policy between a firm’s senior and junior members can help ensure that a law firm maintains a high level of credibility by reducing the number of mistakes new lawyers can make.