This article originally appeared on Law.com
“We’re all in this together” has become the cliche rallying cry of the COVID-19 crisis. And while it’s true that we are sharing common experiences, individualized circumstances within that broader common experience vary greatly.
Those who entered the crisis with strong financial footing are in a much better position to weather the storm than those dealing with severe economic uncertainty. People with kids who need to be homeschooled scoff at the notion that now is the perfect time to pursue eclectic hobbies and pursuits. And, yes, some associates at law firms are dealing with very different circumstances.
Corporate restructuring lawyers are ramping up while those in many other practices groups, from transactional work to intellectual property, are hunkering down. And though compensation cuts at firms may be implemented across the board, future (and inevitable) cost-cutting measures, such as layoffs, will not be a commonly shared experience.
For associates whose billable hours are down because their practices are not built for a crisis, now is not the time to rely on a wait-it-out strategy until things return to “normal.” Most associates, especially those who began their careers in the last five years, have more or less experienced nothing but growth and good times in the legal industry. There was plenty of billable work to go around. Compensation grew consistently. Expectations were set accordingly.
As is clear by now, things are not going back to the way they were anytime soon. Here are a few ideas for adapting to the new reality.
Take ownership. One of the best ways young associates can demonstrate value is to take ownership of all aspects of their work. Taking ownership of all you do reflects an understanding that your superiors don’t have time to micromanage you and that you’re invested in the success of your firm and its clients. It means getting the job done—whether it’s billable or nonbillable—on time and at a high level of quality.
When you’re taking on an assignment, you’ll find out deadlines, and brief back the assigning attorney on your understanding of the objectives to make sure you are on the same page.
Ask lots of questions, but only after thinking through the issues. Many young associates are too eager to approach superiors for help before attempting to solve the problem themselves. If you do have questions, get them all gathered at once, ask for a meeting time and be thoroughly organized so as not to waste the other person’s time because you’re scattered.
See the big picture. Taking ownership involves not merely completing the discrete task that was assigned (although that is the first priority), but also thinking beyond the task and anticipating future needs. This requires having a broader view of the case or matter that you’re working on, and not wiping your hands clean once your immediate task is complete.
Pivot your practice. I started my legal career less than a week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Fortunately, I was in the corporate restructuring group of a large international law firm, and so I had plenty of work to do. That was not the case, however, for many of my colleagues. Although the post-9/11 economic slowdown was far less severe than the current one is likely to be, it still resulted in a dearth of traditional transactional work.
It was during that time that I learned the importance of pivoting one’s practice during a crisis. Some associates actively took steps to integrate themselves into teams and practices that were busy thrived. Others, who sat around and waited, struggled to remain relevant.
By “pivoting,” I don’t mean trying to switch your practice focus overnight. That’s not realistic or advisable. What I do mean is looking for adjacent opportunities to apply your domain expertise. For example, following 9/11, a number of my associate colleagues, including litigation and transactional lawyers, pivoted to help with Chapter 11 bankruptcy matters, which almost always require significant support from lawyers in other practice groups.
There is work to be done—it just may not be the work you’re used to. You need to be nimble and pivot to where the opportunities are. Now is the time to proactively reach out to the busy lawyers in your firm and find out how you may be of assistance.
Contribute to marketing and business development. Succeeding in a law firm requires that you must become an excellent lawyer. Down the road, you must also generate work for yourself and others lawyers at your firm.
The good times in the legal industry for young associates made it easy to ignore the urgency of the need to build a practice. After all, it was likely drilled into your head that your most important responsibilities were to work hard, bill lots of hours and do high-quality work.
While it will be a while before those lawyers in their first few years of practice are in a position to bring in clients, young lawyers have many opportunities now to add to the overall success of their firms (or at least help to keep it afloat). One of the best ways to get started is to author thought-leadership articles. Most traditional marketing tactics, such as one-on-one networking, are not possible right now due to the need for social distancing. But there’s nothing stopping you from reaching people through the digital marketplace of ideas.
The process of writing thought-leadership articles will hone your expertise in different subject matters. It will help you to develop your digital footprint, which will make you more visible when you are ready to engage in more active business development. Perhaps most important, creating thought-leadership content will demonstrate to your superiors that you’re doing all you can to help your firm survive this crisis, thereby generating goodwill that will pay dividends down the road.
Exhibit resilience. If you’re committed to a career in the practice of law for the long haul, this will be the first of many crises that you will be forced to confront. If history is any guide, crises emerge every 10 years or so.
Many young lawyers, like all people, are understandably dealing with stress and anxiety right now. The problem is, as studies show, stress and anxiety are often the precursors to procrastination. Feeling paralyzed, however, is something you can’t afford right now. You need to have your wits about you and take smart, strategic action. Exhibiting resilience is the ability to take action in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Your capacity to add value and remain visible requires that you remain resilient in the face of today’s challenges. We may all be in this together, but how you individually respond will determine how you come out of it.
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