No one is coming to save you. No one other than you is responsible for your career. Not your supervisor. Not the managing partner. Not your firm. What you make of yourself is entirely in your hands. The decisions you make. The effort you put forth. The money you spend. What will separate you from other lawyers, what will allow you to break ahead of the pack, is your time, energy, and money, not your firm’s.
A mistake I see some young lawyers make is to entrust their careers to their law firms. In their eyes, the law firms will be primarily, and even exclusively, responsible for making them great lawyers with huge books of business. Do law firms play a role in your development? Yes. Should they? Yes. Do good firms spend time, energy, and money making you a better lawyer and improving your hard and soft skills? Yes. But are there limitations to what they are willing and can do? Yes. Do they sometimes say no to things you want and need to make you a better lawyer? Yes. Do they have unlimited resources and budgets to help you endlessly? No.
Let’s start with mentoring. Law firms should have both formal and informal mentoring for their associates. Some do. Some have great ones. Some have poor ones. Some have none at all. Should you work for firms that place a premium on mentoring? Yes. Does everyone have this opportunity? No. Even if you do, will the firm absolutely meet all your mentoring needs? Unlikely. It is up to you to seek out mentors and establish mentoring relationships, both within and outside your law firm.
How about training? Some firms offer deposition and trial bootcamps. Some provide writing courses. Some offer business development coaching. Many don’t. And even the ones that provide a potpourri of offerings can’t offer everything you need to grow and develop as a lawyer. It’s up to you to seek out and pursue this training. These days, so many lawyers share their expertise through their writings, podcasts, videos, and CLE, many of which you can find for free or modest costs online. And what if you find a course that’s perfect for you, but your firm won’t pay for it? Is your immediate reaction, “Well, I guess I’m not taking that course”? Or rather, should I invest my own money in this course? If it’s the former, then you have the wrong outlook. Should your firm support you? Yes. If it doesn’t, do you not help yourself? No. It’s your career, and if that CLE course is essential to you, and your firm won’t pay for it, pay for it yourself.
How about an organization? You really want to get involved in a bar association, and your firm won’t support you? Yes, you should consider whether the firm is the right one for you. But every firm places its lawyers on marketing budgets, real or imagined, and some will support you in one or more organizations, and some don’t. Again, perhaps if your firm isn’t helping you in this way, it may not be the right firm for you. But while you’re there, if there is an organization you believe is crucial for your development, then you may want to reach into your wallet and pay for it. Or what if your firm pays for your membership but won’t cover the cost of a conference or symposium? Again, consider paying for it yourself, or at least be willing to contribute to the cost. Ask your firm: Will you split the cost for me? Pay for this or that, and I’ll pay for that or this?
How about a book, or a course, or a reception, or a happy hour? Or meeting someone for coffee, lunch, or drinks? Again, how important are these things for you? Your career? Your development? If they are essential, then consider paying for them.
Years ago, I decided to meet others for coffee regularly. I went out two or three times a week. Almost invariably, I paid for these coffee meets myself. Occasionally, I submitted receipts for reimbursement here and there, but generally, I paid for them myself. These coffee meetings were crucial for meeting potential mentors, referral sources, leads for matters, and a whole host of individuals who were beneficial to me, my career, and my path. At the end of the year, I spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on coffee. However, the meetings were essential to me, important enough that I would reach into my pocket and pay for them.
When I traveled to conferences, I often paid for business lunches and dinners myself. Again, these were important to me, and I couldn’t always expect my firm to cover the costs.
My recommendation for you is to set aside a specific line item in your personal budget for your career. Maybe it’s a few hundred dollars. Maybe a thousand dollars or even a few thousand dollars. This money can go to any of the items mentioned in this piece. Or other items altogether. Maybe it’s for a career coach. Perhaps it’s for equipment to start your own podcast. Maybe it’s for a LinkedIn Premium account (I acquired one several years ago and have always paid for it myself). If I think about it, I probably spend between $3,000 and $5,000 per year of my own money on business needs. I’m not suggesting you spend this much, but you should set aside something for yourself.
And yes, if your firm doesn’t mentor you, doesn’t pay for anything, then you’re probably at the wrong firm. But while you’re there, you’re still responsible for your career. And even if you find the ideal firm that supports you, it’s doubtful they’ll support everything you do, and when that happens, ask yourself, should I support myself with my own checkbook?
Remember, when it comes to your career, your passions, your life – no one is coming to save you. You’re in charge of you. Your dreams are yours. What you make of yourself is up to you. And sometimes that means you not only take the time and energy to do something, but you also pay for it too.
Frank Ramos is a partner at Goldberg Segalla in Miami, where he practices commercial litigation, products, and catastrophic personal injury. You can follow him on LinkedIn, where he has about 80,000 followers.
The post It’s Your Career: Assume Responsibility For It appeared first on Above the Law.
No one is coming to save you. No one other than you is responsible for your career. Not your supervisor. Not the managing partner. Not your firm. What you make of yourself is entirely in your hands. The decisions you make. The effort you put forth. The money you spend. What will separate you from other lawyers, what will allow you to break ahead of the pack, is your time, energy, and money, not your firm’s.
A mistake I see some young lawyers make is to entrust their careers to their law firms. In their eyes, the law firms will be primarily, and even exclusively, responsible for making them great lawyers with huge books of business. Do law firms play a role in your development? Yes. Should they? Yes. Do good firms spend time, energy, and money making you a better lawyer and improving your hard and soft skills? Yes. But are there limitations to what they are willing and can do? Yes. Do they sometimes say no to things you want and need to make you a better lawyer? Yes. Do they have unlimited resources and budgets to help you endlessly? No.
Let’s start with mentoring. Law firms should have both formal and informal mentoring for their associates. Some do. Some have great ones. Some have poor ones. Some have none at all. Should you work for firms that place a premium on mentoring? Yes. Does everyone have this opportunity? No. Even if you do, will the firm absolutely meet all your mentoring needs? Unlikely. It is up to you to seek out mentors and establish mentoring relationships, both within and outside your law firm.
How about training? Some firms offer deposition and trial bootcamps. Some provide writing courses. Some offer business development coaching. Many don’t. And even the ones that provide a potpourri of offerings can’t offer everything you need to grow and develop as a lawyer. It’s up to you to seek out and pursue this training. These days, so many lawyers share their expertise through their writings, podcasts, videos, and CLE, many of which you can find for free or modest costs online. And what if you find a course that’s perfect for you, but your firm won’t pay for it? Is your immediate reaction, “Well, I guess I’m not taking that course”? Or rather, should I invest my own money in this course? If it’s the former, then you have the wrong outlook. Should your firm support you? Yes. If it doesn’t, do you not help yourself? No. It’s your career, and if that CLE course is essential to you, and your firm won’t pay for it, pay for it yourself.
How about an organization? You really want to get involved in a bar association, and your firm won’t support you? Yes, you should consider whether the firm is the right one for you. But every firm places its lawyers on marketing budgets, real or imagined, and some will support you in one or more organizations, and some don’t. Again, perhaps if your firm isn’t helping you in this way, it may not be the right firm for you. But while you’re there, if there is an organization you believe is crucial for your development, then you may want to reach into your wallet and pay for it. Or what if your firm pays for your membership but won’t cover the cost of a conference or symposium? Again, consider paying for it yourself, or at least be willing to contribute to the cost. Ask your firm: Will you split the cost for me? Pay for this or that, and I’ll pay for that or this?
How about a book, or a course, or a reception, or a happy hour? Or meeting someone for coffee, lunch, or drinks? Again, how important are these things for you? Your career? Your development? If they are essential, then consider paying for them.
Years ago, I decided to meet others for coffee regularly. I went out two or three times a week. Almost invariably, I paid for these coffee meets myself. Occasionally, I submitted receipts for reimbursement here and there, but generally, I paid for them myself. These coffee meetings were crucial for meeting potential mentors, referral sources, leads for matters, and a whole host of individuals who were beneficial to me, my career, and my path. At the end of the year, I spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on coffee. However, the meetings were essential to me, important enough that I would reach into my pocket and pay for them.
When I traveled to conferences, I often paid for business lunches and dinners myself. Again, these were important to me, and I couldn’t always expect my firm to cover the costs.
My recommendation for you is to set aside a specific line item in your personal budget for your career. Maybe it’s a few hundred dollars. Maybe a thousand dollars or even a few thousand dollars. This money can go to any of the items mentioned in this piece. Or other items altogether. Maybe it’s for a career coach. Perhaps it’s for equipment to start your own podcast. Maybe it’s for a LinkedIn Premium account (I acquired one several years ago and have always paid for it myself). If I think about it, I probably spend between $3,000 and $5,000 per year of my own money on business needs. I’m not suggesting you spend this much, but you should set aside something for yourself.
And yes, if your firm doesn’t mentor you, doesn’t pay for anything, then you’re probably at the wrong firm. But while you’re there, you’re still responsible for your career. And even if you find the ideal firm that supports you, it’s doubtful they’ll support everything you do, and when that happens, ask yourself, should I support myself with my own checkbook?
Remember, when it comes to your career, your passions, your life – no one is coming to save you. You’re in charge of you. Your dreams are yours. What you make of yourself is up to you. And sometimes that means you not only take the time and energy to do something, but you also pay for it too.
Frank Ramos is a partner at Goldberg Segalla in Miami, where he practices commercial litigation, products, and catastrophic personal injury. You can follow him on LinkedIn, where he has about 80,000 followers.
The post It’s Your Career: Assume Responsibility For It appeared first on Above the Law.
