Start here
Free guides and resources to get you started
Actionable advice, habit-building frameworks, scripts, examples and templates.
How to run compares / redlines and mark up documents
How to generate and read document compares and redlines, so you can see exactly what changed and learn from your supervisor's amendments.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to use and prepare a contract negotiation playbook
What a contract negotiation playbook is and how to use, build and maintain one: preferred and fallback positions, escalation triggers, and worked examples.
Read the guide →Career developmentBecoming a supervising lawyer: 4 mindset changes and lessons
Four mindset shifts that helped me move from doing the work to supervising it, with lessons learned along the way.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to format contracts and other legal documents
Six Microsoft Word functions that make legal documents faster and more consistent to format: Styles, automatic cross-references, formatting marks, the format painter, keep-with-next, and paste options.
Read the guide →Working with othersHow to delegate as a lawyer
How to delegate work as you become more senior: brief clearly, set expectations, and check in without micromanaging.
Read the guide →Career developmentHow to (successfully) apply for a promotion
How to put together a strong promotion application: evidence your case, line it up with the criteria, and make it easy to say yes.
Read the guide →Wellbeing & mindsetHow to manage and overcome imposter syndrome
How to manage and overcome imposter syndrome as a junior lawyer, with perspective that actually helps.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to document and track contract negotiations
How to build and run a negotiation (departures) table: when it's worth using, the columns I include, and how to keep it updated as the rounds progress.
Read the guide →Legal technologyTop 25 Microsoft Word tips and shortcuts for lawyers
Twenty-five Microsoft Word shortcuts and functions that make a real difference to how fast and cleanly lawyers work.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to write good legal advice as a junior lawyer
How to structure legal advice that's actually useful: lead with the answer, set out the reasoning clearly, and make the next steps obvious.
Read the guide →Productivity & workflowHow to organise and document your workflow as a lawyer
Two Kanban task systems I built in Microsoft Planner: one for day-to-day work and a record of your achievements, one for tracking big multi-party matters.
Read the guide →Career developmentHow to write better job applications
How to write better job applications as a lawyer: tailoring your pitch, evidencing your claims, and standing out.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to manage a contract execution process
My checklists and templates for running a contract close, from finalising the documents and tracking conditions precedent through to signing day and saving the executed versions.
Read the guide →Career development5 things you can do to stand out as a junior lawyer
Five concrete things a junior lawyer can do to stand out, beyond just doing good technical work.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to write legal research memos
How to write a research memo that answers the question: framing the issue, setting out the law, applying it, and giving a clear, usable conclusion.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to engage an expert witness as a junior lawyer
What junior lawyers should know about engaging an expert witness: finding the right one, briefing them, and managing the process.
Read the guide →Productivity & workflowInbox zero for lawyers
A simple inbox-zero system for lawyers: triage email quickly, act or file, and stop living in your inbox.
Read the guide →My legal career reflectionsWhat's it like working as a competition and consumer lawyer?
An honest look at what it's like to work as a competition and consumer lawyer, day to day.
Read the guide →Wellbeing & mindsetI used the Employee Assistance Program (EAP): what to expect
What it's actually like to use your employer's EAP: what happens when you call, what therapy involves, and tips I wish I'd known before starting.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to draft contracts as a junior lawyer
A step-by-step approach to drafting: adding and deleting clauses, creating chances to practise at work, and avoiding the version-control mistakes that annoy colleagues.
Read the guide →Legal technologyHow to become a 'tech expert' in your team
How to become the person your team turns to for tech: pick a few tools, learn them well, and share what you find.
Read the guide →Productivity & workflowFile management for junior lawyers: a step-by-step guide
A five-step system for managing a matter file: getting involved early, folder structure, naming conventions, version control, and saving as you go.
Read the guide →Wellbeing & mindsetThree ways junior lawyers can build confidence
Three practical ways junior lawyers can build confidence at work.
Read the guide →Career developmentTop 10 tips for graduate lawyers at law firms
Ten practical tips for graduate lawyers starting out at a law firm, covering the things that you should know.
Read the guide →My legal career reflectionsWhat's it like working as a construction lawyer?
An honest look at what it's like to work as a construction lawyer, day to day.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to use contract precedents as a junior lawyer
How to use a precedent properly: where to find one, what to check before you start, the mechanical amendments to make from day one, and the thinking that comes with experience.
Read the guide →Working with othersHow to manage up as a junior lawyer
Practical scripts and tactics to take control of your workflow and build a better relationship with the people you work for.
Read the guide →Career developmentHow to choose a practice group - a practical framework
A practical framework for choosing a practice group, so you pick an area that suits you rather than falling into one.
Read the guide →Core legal skillsHow to do a contract review
A five-step framework for contract reviews that goes beyond spotting issues to giving the client a clear recommendation on what to do about each one.
Read the guide →Career developmentHow to write better clerkship applications
How to write better clerkship applications: what firms are looking for and how to make yours land.
Read the guide →Productivity & workflowHow to build a note-taking system as a junior lawyer (using Microsoft OneNote)
How to build a note-taking system in Microsoft OneNote so your matter notes, to-dos and references stay organised in one place.
Read the guide →When you're ready for more
The Junior Lawyer's Field Guide
110+ how-to guides, plus templates and learning tracks, to help you excel in your first few years of practice. One payment, lifetime access — no subscription.