Surviving And Succeeding In Large Law Firms

Practicing law in a law firm is challenging, to say the least. A law degree and the technical skills taught by law firms are only small parts of what you need to survive and succeed in a law firm. Most of what you need to know will take you decades of experience to learn through trial and error. As a result, new lawyers find themselves slogging through life as a firm associate unsure whether or not their efforts are really getting them anywhere in the long run. This state of perpetual uncertainty, pushing slowly forward into a black void, leaves many very unhappy with their work life and, as a consequence, their overall life suffers. There is an easier way. Imagine knowing that the steps you are taking are in fact leading to success. Imagine having a mentor who has already worked his way up the learning curve, already learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't work, who could share with you techniques and insights that could substantially increase your chances of surviving and succeeding at a law firm. Imagine if such mentor was always immediately available to you at your request. Well, this book was written precisely to be a virtual mentor for the multitudes of lawyers struggling to survive and succeed in law firms.This book is a must read for any law student considering a career at a law firm. This book is also an invaluable asset for any associate at a law firm struggling to survive and succeed. Give yourself an edge and learn from a lawyer who not only survived but succeeded in the world of prestigious, global law firms.

Tournament of Lawyers traces in detail the rise of one hundred of the nation's top firms in order to diagnose the health of the business of American law. Galanter and Palay demonstrate that much of the large firm's organizational success stems from its ability to blend the talents of experienced partners with those of energetic junior lawyers driven by a powerful incentive—the race to win "the promotion-to-partner tournament." This calmly reasoned study reveals, however, that the very causes of the spiraling growth of the large law firm may lead to its undoing. "Galanter and Palay pose questions and offer some answers which are certain to change the way big firm practice is regarded. To describe their work as challenging is something of an understatement: they at times delight, stimulate, frustrate and even depress the reader, but they never disappoint. Tournament of Lawyers is essential to the understanding of the business of the big law firms."—Jean and Colin Fergus, New York Law Journal

The weak economy and large number of firm layoffs have resulted in a flood of potential new solo and small firm lawyers starting their own practices in the wake of the exodus from BigLaw. Small practice lawyers, well seasoned or just starting out, can gain immeasurably by just applying even a few of the myriad tips within this book.

Who can forget the terror of a new job? Entering an unfamiliar world, with unknown expectations, is a nerve-wracking experience. In law, the new attorney is tackling not only a new job but also a very new, very different, and exceptionally stress-filled professional life...and mountains of student debt. Each year, tens of thousands of new law graduates enter an already saturated job market...yet many are ill-prepared for survival in an ever more unforgiving, fast-paced profession. As law students, you're offered a wide array of guidebooks to succeed in law school, to excel in law exams, and to pass the bar exam. Upon entering the real world of law, however, you're are pushed back into a dark, dangerous jungle. The Young Lawyer's Jungle Book will be your guide to help you find your way to safety and career success.

The Essential Associate is for young lawyers who aspire to grow, succeed, and advance on a partnership track at a law firm. It addresses the dual imperatives that young lawyers must grapple with: becoming an excellent lawyer and developing a book of business. Building mastery as a lawyer and building a book of business both take a long time. No longer can young lawyers sit back and wait for opportunities. But never before have more tools and resources been available that allow entrepreneurial-minded lawyers to stand out and succeed. From attorney, coach, and legal marketing expert Jay Harrington, The Essential Associate is a step-by-step guide that helps young lawyers, and law students preparing for a career in the law, not just survive, but thrive in today's competitive law firm environment. It includes insights from dozens of successful lawyers at firms across the country, general counsel at Fortune 500 companies, and top consultants to the legal industry. The Essential Associate has been praised by successful lawyers at law firms of all sizes. Foley & Lardner partner William McKenna calls it, "A must-read for every new "Biglaw" associate and, for that matter, young associates at every size firm." McKenna believes that, "If every young associate reads this book within the first six months of beginning practice, and put its lessons to work in their daily practice, their careers will benefit immeasurably." The Essential Associate is an indispensable tool for any young lawyer hoping to achieve success in today's competitive legal marketplace. PRAISE FOR THE ESSENTIAL ASSOCIATE "Jay Harrington's insights on how to become an Essential Associate are spot on. He provides practical advice on what action steps to take to succeed in becoming a valuable team member and a better lawyer." Brian McCarthy, Managing Partner L.A. Office, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom "Jay has been there, done it, and learned from it. His gift is succinctly communicating his and others' lessons learned. An enjoyable read that will help you succeed." Scott Wolfson, Partner at Wolfson Bolton "The Essential Associate is a must-read for anyone starting a legal career or hoping to take their career to the next level. It's highly practical, and brimming with concrete advice from high-performing law firm partners on the qualities they are looking for in young lawyers. The first step to a successful legal career is graduating from law school. The next is reading The Essential Associate." Felicia Perlman, Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom "Making the transition from a legal philosopher (law school) to a legal practitioner is the hardest step every lawyer must make. The Essential Associate is a vital resource to facilitate that process." Paul H. Burton, Founder of QuietSpacing, LLC "The Essential Associate combines a wealth of practical insights into a readable story well attributed to interesting historical figures, giants of industry, and hands-on practitioners who have been in the trenches in recent years dealing with a profession that has become a business." William Gilbride, Partner at Abbott Nicholson "If you're a new associate looking for fundamental advice on how to get ahead, The Essential Associate is a great place to start." Keith Lee, Attorney, Author, and Founder of Associate's Mind and LawyerSmack "The Essential Associate is a must read for every new BigLaw associate and, for that matter, young associates at every size firm. It combines clear guidelines and action steps with real-life insights from a wide range of attorneys who have spent years navigating the shoals of legal practice. If every young associate reads this book within the first six months of beginning practice, and put its lessons to work in their daily practice, their careers will benefit immeasurably." William McKenna, Partner at Foley & Lardne

This career guide gives current and future paralegals the inside scoop on how to select the right job for them and how to thrive in their work setting. A well-respected supervising attorney who now is a paralegal educator lets paralegals know what law firms look for in their paralegal staff in terms of time and work management, quality assurance, interaction with various segments of the office and much, much more. The Paralegal Perspective feature gives the reader first-hand advice on how to handle situations they encounter on the job. Further, this publication fully addresses such important issues as finding the right paralegal job, producing high-quality work, understanding billable hours, dealing with office politics, asking for a raise and advancing in a paralegal career. End-of-chapter questions, Internet-based questions and ethical discussion questions make this an enjoyable and educational read.

Transitioning from law school to law practice can be the most daunting thing you do in your professional career. The Six-Minute Marathon is your survival guide to thriving in BigLaw practice. Andrew Hartman advises the up-and-coming generation of attorneys with humor and practicality. Stories of failed associates and redeeming moments from his twenty-plus years of practice will enlighten you as you venture into the world of law and learn to record your marathon of success in six-minute increments. As a bonus, Caren Ulrich Stacy provides insights from her own nearly twenty year career in professional development. From the initial interview to dressing to impress to networking your way to the top, The Six-Minute Marathon will guide you around the pitfalls that ensnare so many of your unwary colleagues and lead you toward your BigLaw dreams.Reviews"All survival handbooks0́4 lawyers, doctors, architects 0́4 tell newly minted professionals how to succeed as a grown-up. You could learn by trial and error and live with the inevitable injuries or you can read Andrew Hartman's fine Handbook and thrive without having a single permanent scar. The choice is yours."-James B. Zagel, United States District Judge, author ofMoney to Burn"Andy's handbook is an absolute must-read for any law student seeking to make a smooth and successful transition to law firm practice. He has been in the trenches and succeeded at prestigious firms and candidly shares his invaluable experiences for the benefit of junior attorneys everywhere."-Brian P. Kerwin, Corporate Partner, Duane Morris LLP

The last ten years have been a period of extraordinary change for law firms. The rapid growth of corporate law firms and the emergence of global mega-firms have strained the traditional partnership model of management. Some managers of law firms are appalled at the creeping 'corporatism' that they fear may result. However a growing number believe that it is time to move on and adopt more contemporary forms of structure and management. In Managing the Modern Law Firm scholars and legal practitioners examine the latest insights from management research, to enable law firms successfully to meet the challenges of this new business environment.