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Transcript of LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON...
LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON
Associate Training
April 30, 2009
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Tips for Success
• There is no easy road to success
• There is no single road to success
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Commitment
• Not 9 to 5, Monday through Friday
• We are relying on you
• Seize the moment
• Take advantage of opportunities
• Make yourself a valuable member of the team
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Time Management
• Be aware of the schedule of the senior attorneys with whom you work
• Be aware of the case schedule– When working on a project with tight deadlines, check
email and voice mail frequently on weekends, evenings and while traveling
• Be aware of project expectations– Use your judgment
• Work accurately but efficiently– Achieve the best results in the fewest hours
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Time Sheets
• Know client billing guidelines and expectations
• Must be accurate
• Show the value of your work– Details
– Progression
– Balance between too little and too much
• Submit timesheets on time
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Time Sheets - Example
• Legal research
• Legal research regarding brief
• Legal research to support argument in motion to dismiss that plaintiffs failed to adequately allege an injury to competition
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Time Sheets - Example
• Telephone conference
• Telephone conference with client
• Telephone conference with client regarding discovery
• Telephone conference with J. Clements regarding collection of documents to respond to plaintiffs’ second set of document requests
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Project Management
• Ownership — it is your project
• Follow-up– Until the project is completed
– After the project is completed
• Master the area of law/issue
• Your opinion and insight are important– Speak up if you disagree
• Do not be afraid to ask for help
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Understand the Assignments
• Ask questions – Repeat it to the senior attorney, if necessary
• Understand what work product is expected
• Be prepared to adjust course– Follow the “leads”
– You may end at a place you did not start
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Understand the Schedule
• Internal deadlines (e.g., draft to the client)
• External deadlines (e.g., filing date)
• Do not commit to a deadline that you cannot meet
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Communication - Internal • Ask how senior attorney prefers to communicate
– Know when to communicate in writing/in person
– Use judgment when communicating in writing
• Be responsive– Acknowledge email and voice mail messages, even if
you do not have a substantive answer
– Provide frequent updates
• “Bad news” doesn’t get better with time– Difficulties meeting the schedule
– Difficulties in completing the project (e.g., case on point)
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Communication - External
• We are in a client service business
• Same rules apply - but bar is higher– Understand how the client prefers to communicate
– Know when to communicate in writing/in person
– Use judgment when communicating in writing
– Be responsive
– “Bad news”
• Submit communications to senior attorney for review
• Copy senior attorneys on all significant external communications
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
The Standard is Excellence
• Attention to detail
• Error free– Proofread
– Typos, Blue Booking, internal consistency
• Proper grammar and syntax– Colloquialisms
– Informality
• Filling in the “blanks”
• Your first draft should not be the “first draft” submitted to the senior attorney
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
The Standard is Excellence
• No project is too small
• We are in the problem-solving business
• Make the senior attorney and client look good
• Make a project or task “easy” for the senior attorney and client
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Managing Work Flow
• You need an “inventory” of work– Do not work “assignment to assignment”
– Do not wait until you are out of work
• You need multiple “pipelines” for work– Work with multiple senior attorneys
– Clear with your reporting partner(s)
• Become involved in “cases” or “matters”
• Keep track of your YTD hours
ATLANTA AUSTIN BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK SACRAMENTO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
Outward Focus
• Get involved– Bar associations
– Industry events
– Business groups
– Law school
• It is never too soon to start– Professional development
– Business development
• Over time, develop a plan