Transform your legal education into a successful and fulfilling legal career
In How to Be a Lawyer: The Path from Law School to Success, a team of veteran lawyers and entrepreneurs delivers an eye-opening discussion of how to translate your years of training and education into a running start in the world of practice. The book bridges the gap between law school and practice, whether you hope to be a big firm transactional attorney, a solo criminal lawyer, work for the government or any other legal profession. You’ll discover how you can use what you learned in law school and how you can develop the real skills you’ll need as you deal with clients and colleagues.
The authors explain what your professors won’t tell you in law school and what employers and clients will actually expect from you. You’ll also find:
- Case studies and guest chapters describing the transition to major areas of law and how it can and should affect your law school decision making
- Expert advice on making your first job a successful one
- Guidance on how to avoid the most common career pitfalls and client mistakes
- Unfiltered opinions from clients about what they really think about lawyers
An ideal resource for aspiring and current law students and early career lawyers, How to Be a Lawyer is the practical blueprint you need to build your legal career from scratch.
Table of Contents
About the Authors xv
Acknowledgmentsxiii xv
Why We Wrote This Book 1
Chapter 1 The Divide Between Law School and Lawyering 5
Chapter 2 The Core Concepts of Lawyering 11
Empathy 12
Listen First, Talk Second 16
Ask Questions 17
Always (Usually) Give Advice 18
Chapter 3 Understanding the Importance of Law School Rankings on Your Future 23
Chapter 4 Classic Coursework (What Is It Good For?) 27
Torts 28
Contracts 28
Civil Procedure 33
Property 33
Criminal Law 34
Constitutional Law 34
Legal Methods/Writing/Research 35
Evidence 36
Ethics and Professional Responsibility 36
Chapter 5 Choosing Proper Electives 39
Chapter 6 What Should You Get Out of Law School? 43
Chapter 7 Be a Fiduciary 45
Principle 1: Know If You’re Acting as a Fiduciary and on Whose Behalf 46
Principle 2: Slow Down 49
Principle 3: Seek Advice and Help 50
Principle 4: Always Put Your Clients’ Interests Ahead of Your Own 50
Chapter 8 A Short Primer on Negotiations 53
Negotiation Tactics 54
What Really Matters? 54
Preparing for the Negotiation 55
A Brief Introduction to Game Theory 57
Negotiating Win- Win Agreements 59
Negotiating Other Games 60
Negotiating Styles and Approaches 61
Collaborative Negotiation Versus Walk- Away Threats 65
Building Leverage and Getting to Yes 66
Chapter 9 Preparing for the Job Hunt 69
You on Paper 69
Social Media 70
Telling the Story 71
Networking into Employers 71
Mindset 72
Career Placement Services 72
Chapter 10 The Bar Exam 73
Chapter 11 You Got the Job - There Is No Time for Rest 75
Chapter 12 The Fourteen Commandments for New Lawyers (Okay, How about “Strong Suggestions”?)7
1: Have a Learning Mindset 77
2: Rely On but Mistrust Forms 78
3: Beware of the Foggy Project Trap 79
4: Never Consider Anything That Goes to a Senior Colleague or Client to Be a “Draft” 79
5: Be More Organized Than Others 80
6: Take Ownership Without Request 81
7: Invest in Your Management Skills 81
8: Have a Three- to Five-Year Horizon 82
9: Plan to Develop Near- Term and Long- Term Advantages 83
10: Understand How to Best Use and Foster Mentor Relationships 85
11: Flatten Hierarchies 86
12: Own Your Mistakes 88
13: Know What a Junior Lawyer’s Value Is 88
14: Keep Your Own List 88
Bonus Commandment for Those Working with Contracts! 88
Chapter 13 Common Mistakes New Lawyers Make That Limit Careers and Anger Clients 89
Chapter 14 Relationships, Difficult Personalities, and Being the Calmest Person in the Room 95
Forgetting You Are in the Services Industry 89
Getting Frustrated and Thinking People Are Idiots 89
Having Loose Lips 90
Assuming Each State Has the Same Laws 90
Treating Administrative Staff Poorly 90
Having a Sexual Relationship at Work 91
Being Inconsiderate of Others’ Calendars 91
Forgetting You Are the Leverage 91
Forgetting Who the Client Is 92
Assuming Other Lawyers Are Good People 92
Shortchanging Research 93
Failing to Understand Basic Intellectual Property Law 93
Talking to Another Attorney’s Client Without the Attorney 93
Screwing Up Billing (If You Bill Clients by the Hour) 93
Challenging Personalities 96
The Lawyer’s Job When It Comes to Challenging Personalities 98
General Approaches to Managing Challenging Personalities 99
Sampling of Challenging Personalities and Tips for Dealing with Them 103
Parting Thoughts 112
Chapter 15 Understanding Current Technology 115
Chapter 16 Words from the Wise 117
Guest Chapter 1: Lynne Davis 120
Guest Chapter 2: Phil Weiser 126
Guest Chapter 3: Kenzo Kawanabe 130
Guest Chapter 4: Rachel Proffitt 138
Guest Chapter 5: Matt Baca 145
Guest Chapter 6: Kimberly R. Willoughby 151
Guest Chapter 7: Brad Bernthal 158
Guest Chapter 8: Jolene A. Yee 164
Guest Chapter 9: Gregory Mann 174
Guest Chapter 10: Nicole Day 181
Guest Chapter 11: Lindsey Beran 187
Guest Chapter 12: Robyn T. Williams 192
Guest Chapter 13: Alfred Levitt 201
Guest Chapter 14: Nicholas Troxel and Josh Fitch 207
Guest Chapter 15: Emily Galvin Almanza 219
Guest Chapter 16: Jennifer R. Zimmerman 228
Guest Chapter 17: Margot S. Edwards 236
Guest Chapter 18: Jason M. Lynch 241
Guest Chapter 19: Randy Klein 245
Guest Chapter 20: Stacy Carter 253
Guest Chapter 21: Nikki Stitt Sokol 259
Guest Chapter 22: Ryan Day 264
Guest Chapter 23: Tyrone Glover 269
Guest Chapter 24: William E. Foster 275
Chapter 17 What Clients Want 283
What Clients Liked 284
What Clients Didn’t Like 286
Chapter 18 Law School as a “Second Career” 289
Entrance into Law School 289
Getting a Job 291
Chapter 19 How to Be a Happy Lawyer 293
Have an Identity Outside of Being a Lawyer 294
Take Pride in Your Work and the Impact It Has on Others 294
Keep a Continually Learning Mindset 295
Don’t Get Too Wrapped Up in Your Work 295
Manage Your Stress 295
Watch Your Drug Consumption 296
Never Compromise Your Value System 297
Don’t Forget to Laugh and Celebrate the Wins 297
Internalize the Losses, But Don’t Dwell on Them 298
Work with Clients You Really Like 298
Have a Great Surrounding Team 298
Set Boundaries for Your Personal Life 298
What to Do When You Are Not Happy 299
Chapter 20 What If You Don’t Want to Be a Lawyer Anymore? 301
Chapter 21 Let’s Sum Up 305
Index 307
