Junior lawyers aren’t really assessed on their technical ability. It’s important, but it’s usually something that law firms expect to develop over time. Having been both a junior lawyer and a supervisor in my legal career, here are 5 things (with examples) that I’d focus on instead:
1) Be proactive
The best juniors take the initiative on seeking out problems, solutions and opportunities. They don’t just wait for these to be handed to them by their supervisor / law firms. Some good ways to demonstrate this include:
- looking for information you have access to in the matter (client details, examples of bills / templates, emails / correspondence);
- following up deadlines (e.g. if you’ve given a draft to your supervisor and haven’t heard back); and
- offering to take responsibility for tasks (e.g. coordinating meetings, taking notes, managing / organising the file, preparing first draft of emails).
2) Take care of the easy stuff
Supervisors expect to make changes to our work product for writing style, technical accuracy and other things that come with experience. The real value that juniors provide is all the other stuff within our control and skill level (so that the supervisors don’t have to think about it), such as:
- proofreading and formatting;
- properly naming and saving documents in the right place; and
- carefully reading through all email attachments / relevant documents sent to us.
3) Communicate with your team
Modern lawyers rarely work as single person silos. In team environments, we can leave a good impression by communicating clearly and collaborating with others. Examples include:
- letting your team know when you have capacity to help out;
- if you can’t take on an assignment immediately, telling your supervisor when you’ll be able to start (instead of just saying you’re too busy); and
- giving a heads up when you’ll be away on leave and what might need to be handled in your absence.
4) Be reliable
This is often mistaken with the idea that juniors should be producing perfect work product for their supervisors. While that is the end goal, being reliable is often more about:
- clarifying things we don’t understand in a timely way;
- acknowledging receipt of emails / instructions; and
- being honest and upfront when we’ve made a mistake.
5) Show interest
Many juniors are hesitant about asking too many questions. I was the same way – worried that I’d sound dumb or annoy my colleagues. Over time, I’ve realised that asking questions is actually the best way to show we’re interested in the work. This could involve:
- setting up a meeting to discuss the matter / client in one go instead of drip-feeding questions;
- arranging for feedback sessions (armed with specific questions instead of a general “how do you think I’m going?”); and
- googling the clients / projects that I’m working on to get a better understanding of the background beyond the immediate task.
Supervisors expect to amend juniors’ work for technical errors. It’s part of the learning process and something that we go through in our own work. But by nailing these other 5 things, you can leave a really good impression with your co-workers and develop a strong foundation for your career as your technical expertise develops.