If you’re just starting out as a lawyer, a long-time professional, or simply considering entering the law field, every lawyer who wants to become successful should know a few things besides the law. The way people view success differs on their values, so decide what success means to you and use these tips to replicate it in your own life. We go through some things successful lawyers do regardless of how you define success.
Build a network
Networking helps build any business, and lawyers should look at themselves as businesses. Unlike shop owners, you only have your name. Protect this and get it out into the world. Get involved in the community you practice law in, show your face at events, and get to know your potential clients. Depending on what area of law you practice, visit the businesses you could represent someday. Befriend prominent community members, and make sure people know your name. You can also find a mentor in a senior partner, or another firm lead, and learn how to replicate the parts of their success you admire. The old saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” reigns true in most circles.
Be willing to work
When starting at a law firm, you most likely have a goal to move up and eventually become a partner. If you do the baseline of work and nothing more, you won’t be memorable enough to promote. You may also often see yourself passed up for less seasoned attorneys who were willing to put in the extra effort. This doesn’t mean you need to work 80 hours a week to move up, though. It just simply means that if the firm gets slammed with work, stay to help. When you offer support to your peers, higher-ups take notice.
Maintain control
Once you’re higher up on the ladder, work-life balance can really fall off. With the usability of cell phones and 24/7 internet access, clients may text you well past business hours and expect an immediate response. While clients likely appreciate the extra service, and it may win you a better chance at a word-of-mouth referral, it will strip you of your control over your own life. Set hours you will and will not work, develop hobbies and friendships outside of work, and carve out time for a personal life. If you lose control and work monopolizes your life, you will become frustrated, tired, and burned out.
Plan for your financial future
Many lawyers, especially those just starting out, find their income come in on a sporadic pay schedule. When you win a case, you’re rich, but when you don’t, you’re not. You need to budget, plan, and prepare. There are a lot of options for attorneys to plan out their finances, from fee deferrals to savings accounts; you can find methods that will work for you.
