Law Shucks

Hi all, you can view my guest post on Lawshucks.com. This week's topic is: CYA

http://lawshucks.com/2010/03/cya/

answering more questions

One of our readers indicated that he (or she?) has a job offer for a summer associate position at a firm this summer. The class is around 6 people. The firm usually has a much larger class. Our reader asked whether I think this bodes well for getting an offer. HP doesn't have a crystal ball, but my educated guess is that yes, I think the firm would try to give offers to the smaller class. To me, it's a good sign that the firm has made a careful decision to minimize the class size. Presumably the firm has looked to its future needs, such as surveying department heads for their anticipated needs going forward when you would eventually join. Following this analysis, the firm concluded that a number around 6 would be the right number. Now, assuming the firm didn't want 3 and got extra acceptances, I think the chances of an offer are good. However, I agree you still need to be great. Firms won't feel so uncomfortable about "no offering" this summer. You need to produce top notch work product, be positive, participate in whatever social events they have, and not make any social faux pas. So, be on your guard just the same as last year - remember the whole summer is an interview. Everything counts - office presence, work product, the way you communicate orally, in writing (including e-mails), treatment of other attorneys, staff, etc. Be on your game.

Monday Musings

Hello all. Some of you may have already seen my post, but in case you didn't, I will be guest blogging weekly over at www.lawshucks.com -- my first installment was last Friday. The good folk at lawshucks.com have created an excellent source of information on the comings and goings in the law industry. I encourage you to check out their site.

Now, you may be asking: "if HP can barely keep up her own blog, how can she guest elsewhere"? Well, I, too, have had that thought. I'm hoping that being busy just keeps me moving faster. I know I am best when I have multiple deadlines. I am hoping to use my site for specific advice - e.g., when I am answering questions, and more general career guidance. Much of my advice goes beyond BigLaw and even law in general, and relates to general workplace getting along and getting ahead. Over at lawshucks, I will focus on big picture items, I think.

Someone asked about taking multiple bars as a fall back. As in, they are going to work in State A, but think maybe they should take the bars in States B and C to make themselves more marketable. Well, I think it depends on a few factors. Does the firm you are going to encourage multiple bars? I have a friend who works for a firm in DC. They have VA and MD offices. The firm likes for their lawyers, especially litigators, to have DC and one of either VA or MD. Will your firm pay for the dues on other state bars? This is actually an important question and can add up significantly. Another important question my cousin didn't really consider when she took an extra bar were the CLE and other ongoing requirements. She had no interest in the short, or even long, term practicing in the state, yet there were many requirements for ongoing dues and other payments and mandatory CLE. In the end, she had to give up the bar membership since (if I remember correctly), they didn't really have an inactive status that didn't require payments. And, do you have the time to study and take these extra bars? You certainly don't want to take away any time from your main bar, as these days, firms aren't likely to look positively on failing bar results.

Now, moving on to the big picture, I recently got invited to a professional conference. The list of the speakers was set forth in the email. I noticed the name of a man I know, and he was listed at a firm other than the one where I first met him. I was pretty surprised so I googled him and sure enough, he had just moved. Why was I surprised? After all, tons of people make lateral moves. I was surprised because this guy was such a "company man," he had at one time managed the office of the prior firm. When I met him he was super gung ho on the place. I truly saw him as a lifer there. Which brings me to the point. Remember, there is no loyalty in BigLaw. People move for so many reasons. Sometimes they take people with, other times not. Even people who seems like they will sail off into retirement from Firm ABC suddenly make unexpected moves. So, don't go someplace just because you really like Partner Susan, or associate Tom was so fun and hip. It's happened to me that when you show up, those people could already be gone. Really goes back to the point I made on lawshucks last Friday -- and I've made here before -- that you have to always look out for yourself -- whether it is positioning yourself for your own move at some point, or recognizing that you don't want to only work for X because X might leave next week and not take you and then you're hosed because you haven't worked with anyone else. People move, things change. Be careful about hitching your wagon too closely -- be more like a UHAUL attachment that can attach and unattach to various pulls.

social networking - does it help?

Some people ask whether participation in social networking -- Facebook, Linkedin, etc. actually helps in the career/job search world. I do think there's a benefit to getting back in touch and staying in touch with your contacts. But, of course, remember if you write silly things on Facebook, your business contacts who are your FB "friends" will see these things just as your real friends will. So, I usually recommend keeping pure business contacts on Linkedin and friends on Facebook. But what if, say, a client or other business contact "friends" you? Then, what do you do? Well, I've had this happen. A client who I also know socially friended me. In fact, I have a couple of them. I accepted the friend requests -- felt that it would be too weird not to -- but when I post updates, pics, etc., I try in the back of my mind to remember that it's not just my high school classmates reading and posting to my FB -- it also includes the clients.

Now, getting back to my original point...does any of this social networking actually help you in the career advancement world? Yes, I think getting back in touch, and staying in touch with people can help advance your career. It's certainly better than doing nothing at all, of course. I always tell people that if you are interested in a new job, you should let people know. As far as creating opportunities generally, the social networking sites will help put you in the mind of some former colleagues/classmates who otherwise might not think of you.

Case in point. Just recently, I needed a local counsel in a different part of the country. I could ask my colleagues for recommendations and I did that. I thought for a minute. Do I know anyone who practices in this metropolitan area? This is a matter for a very important client and I want someone I know and can trust. I didn't think I knew anyone in this area. But then the light bulb went off. Someone from law school who I am Facebook friends with does practice in the area. And his postings occasionally talk about court -- so I know he litigates locally. I called him. He answered...and it looks like he and his firm may end up serving as our local counsel. Without Facebook, I would not have thought about him. He may very well end up getting a significant referral from this, and possible follow up work.

I can talk more about social networking for job searches in another post but wanted to touch on this recent connection before it slipped my mind.

For those who have come back to HP's Office blog as I've returned....thank you.

(btw, no, right now we are not hiring 3Ls or entry level associates).

RETURN?

Hi all. I'm sorry I had to curtail my blogging for awhile. There was just a lot going on personally and professionally and I just couldn't keep up. I am starting to feel like I can resume the blogging -- but I wonder if you are still interested? And if so, what interests you most these days? I hope things have improved for the job seekers -- I do feel like I see more opportunities starting to open up out there -- though I still hear from clients that they are under tremendous budget constraints. Clients are definitely handling more things in-house these days - trying to do things on their own rather than calling outside lawyers. I think the opportunities I have seen more recently are in-house, governmental, etc.

Anyway, let me have your thoughts? Continue? Topics?

getting out

I talk a lot about networking. I thought some concrete examples might be helpful.

As HP toiled away for many years at BigLaw, I realize now that I overlooked the opportunities to be had by getting out of the office more -- say to attend bar events, CLE, etc. Even though we all have work, family, social and other obligations, we shouldn't overlook the benefits to leaving the office to interact with contacts and potential contacts.

Recently, I attended a continuing education program. It was just a few hours so did not take up the whole day, which was great. I showed up a little early. I sat down and the person next to me turned to me since he was sitting alone. We introduced ourselves. It turns out that he works at a very large, well-known company. During breaks in the program, we chatted briefly. At the end, I asked him for his card and offered to email him if I saw future programs like this one that might be helpful. I also reconnected with another contact that day and exchanged follow-up emails. A few weeks back, I attended an evening reception. I invited a client contact as a guest since our firm had extra tickets (this almost always happens). While there, I spoke to a number of people. I also, again, reconnected with a lawyer from another firm I have worked with before. A couple weeks later, another contact at that firm called me to see if I might be interested in a lateral move over. Coincidence? No....when I saw lawyer one at the reception, that put me in his mind and he passed on the follow up request to his colleague. My point here is that even though it may be inconvenient, or you think you don't have the time, make the time to get out -- especially when these events are minimal time investments, it's fairly easy to do. And then follow-up. I have sent new guy from continuing ed an email already...you need to do this promptly.

Another item I have mentioned is getting involved in bar and other organizations. Some years back, I poo-pooed this as a waste of time and just hanging out with lawyer competitors. But it is really good for raising your profile, building your network, and being in touch with potential career opportunities. A partner in my firm speaks highly of an associate at another firm. Why? Because the associate co-chairs a subcommittee he's been on of a large bar organization. I've seen the associate on numerous panels. Why? Because of her outside committee work and the continued development of her expertise.

So, keep at it....find something you like and are interested in. For women, the women's bar events in your area can be great networking opportunities. For everyone, specialty bars exist for certain practice areas. There's also affinity bars for certain groups (e.g., Asian bar association). Pick something and get involved.

Women as Rainmakers

Several recent articles have highlighted that women partners in law firms tend not to be in the top tier of firm rainmakers. We could debate over the course of several blogs the causes of this issue (and maybe we will?); a past experience and a recent experience shed some light on part of the problem.

Those who study how we, especially women, communicate in the workplace often say that women can be too apologetic, too trying to please everyone, and trying not to offend. "You may have already tried this approach, but how about trying to move the depositions to ..." You see the lead in cuts into the woman's idea. I can recall a meeting probably about 10 years ago when I was a mid/senior associate in a big meeting (and the only woman). We were reviewing a pleading and trying to come up with a different word for what was being said. The GC of a big client was in the room as well as partners from my law firm and partners from another big firm. I suggested a word; I believe it was "scheme." They kept going on. Maybe 2 minutes later, big mouth partner W from other firm said "scheme." The GC and others all loved it and it got in. I shook my head....was this the Twilight Zone? Didn't I just say that? It wasn't that I said "well, this isn't very good, but how about scheme?" That of course wouldn't have been good. I think W just said it louder and with more force -- and perhaps his thoughts held more weight at the time. But maybe my voice hesitated, maybe I was a little too meek in my suggestion. When we feel less confident or unsure -- we need to overcome that and speak up, just like W. Remember, not all successful attorneys and other professionals are successful simply because they are smarter or worker harder than you or me; some of them just project confidence and aren't afraid to promote their ideas and themselves.

Finally, a recent case in point illustrates this point of women being too cautious, too afraid of ruffling feathers in the rainmaking category. Lawyer Anna came to HP because Anna got a referral from another firm where a family member works. The area of law was not in a field Anna practices. Rather, other lawyers in the firm would be doing the work and Anna had touched base with a partner in that other group to see if the matter would be something partner would be interested in. Partner had a preliminary conversation with referral client to explain to referral client the qualifications of the particular practice. Anna was wondering how to go about formally opening the client matter. She said she was going to talk to partner and ask partner if it was OK to run a conflicts check, open the sheets etc. I told her she needed to be more proactive -- this was her baby -- the client came in through her family member, not because they knew the other partner (I also happened to think other partner would understand that and other partner not overly confrontational). I said to her, instead of asking, you need to be proactive in a non-chalant kind of way. Oh, partner X, I've got Susan (secretary) running the conflict check to make sure there's no issues, and she's working on an engagement letter and the new client sheets. I will let you know when everything is clear."

See, in this manner, Anna gets the client credit, and looks proactive, and doesn't have to fight over credit. She's making rain and it really isn't open to debate...the papers are just moving ahead. Now, we might discuss the issue of a more difficult partner to deal with/position of authority, but this is my advice. We, as women -- and really this is advice relevant to all -- need to be less hesitant and more proactive, less apologetic -- especially when it comes to getting business, collecting from clients, etc. There's plenty of ways to deal with these issues without causing any major rifts in the relationship.

Thoughts?