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Rantings of a Partner...and Pushback from the Associate
244Overview
Law firm partners have no shortage of opinions about associates. And associates have plenty to say about working with partners. This new book gives both parties a forum to express their views about the current practice of law. Among the rantings and pushback are invaluable tips and advice for succeeding in a law firm.
Topics include:
Research and Writing
Mentoring and Development
Client Relations and Marketing
The Case
Office Politics and Etiquette
Tips for Success
The issues represented in this book come from partners and associates across the country each espousing themes: enjoy your work, give associate meaningful assignments, teach your associates how to market, and "own" your work.
Some of the material is funny. Some of it is eye-opening. Some of it you will disagree with and dismiss. But all of it can be educational-and can help make you a better lawyer.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781614380481 |
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Publisher: | American Bar Association |
Publication date: | 04/16/2012 |
Pages: | 244 |
Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d) |
Table of Contents
Introduction xi
Random Rants from the Editor xiii
Research and Writing-Partners
Legal Writing 1
Commit to Your Development as a Writer 3
Always Do Your Best Work for Your Partners 5
Moving the Court 6
Close the Book and Call the Clerk Already! 8
What Does the Court Rule Say? 10
Get Thee to the Library 11
The Importance of Thinking: What Would Be Rodin's Sculpture of You? 13
You Have to Do It-So Why Not Love It? 16
Show Your Work for Full Credit 17
Occasionally It Is OK to Kill a Tree 19
Deadlines and Commitments: Learn to Manage Your Time 20
Write for the Right Audience 22
Forms Follow Function (or Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Malpractice) 24
Briefs and Motions 26
The Importance of Scrutinizing E-Mails 29
Research is Fun (and Important), Even If You Are Getting Paid To Do It 30
On Language 33
Research and Writing-Associates
Preparation Is the Key to Persuasive Writing 35
So Easy a Caveman Could Do It?-An Associate's Perspective on Instructions for Research Assignments 38
Google Your Research Assignment First 40
Don't Give Me Busy Work 41
Tell Us What We Need to Know 42
Mentoring and Development-Partners
Sometimes Your Best Mentor Is You 43
No Such Thing as "All-in-One" Mentoring 45
Mentor-shmentor! How to Learn at the Art of the Law 46
Rantings of a Young Partner Caught in the Middle Again 49
Responsibilities of Associates Who Work With Me-Some Things to Remember 51
Money Is Great; Intrigue in the Law Is Better 54
Understand the Economics of the Practice of Law 55
You Gotta Own It 57
I Don't Pay You to Agree with Me 59
Three Wise Men 61
Mentoring and Development-Associates
Share Your Enthusiasm for the Practice of Law with Your Associates 63
Go Ahead, Mentors, Throw Us to the Wolves… 65
Please Feed the Associates 67
The Importance of Positive Reinforcement During the Annual Review 69
Talk to Me! 70
Fact or Fiction: The Most Valuable Thing an Associate Can Do Is to Bill as Many Hours as Possible 72
Can I Borrow Twenty Bucks? 74
Partners: If You Want Us to Make Your Lives Easier, Give Us Some Hints on How to Do So 75
So It Turns Out I'm a Senior Associate… 77
Client Relations and Marketing-Partners
Relationships with Inside Counsel 81
Dealing with Clients 84
Time is Money 87
Prove the Value of Your Work for Your Clients and Partners by Telling Your Story in the Bills 90
Doing Well by Doing Good 92
Seven Detrimental "Going Rogue" Habits Any Litigation Associate Must Avoid 94
Beware of E-mail 97
Perceptions: Are You What You Appear to Be? Is What They See What They Get? 98
Want Work? Ask For It 100
Good Habits Axe Hard to Break 102
Get Out of the Office 104
The Care and Feeding of Inside Counsel 107
Client Relations and Marketing-Associates
The Client Relationship: Associates Care, Too 115
Introduce Your Associates to Your Clients 117
Keeping Time: The Un-billable Hour 119
Take Off the Training Wheels and Let Us Talk to the Clients 121
Persuade the Client to Agree with You 123
The Ten Seven Commandments: Business Development Advice for Junior and Mid-Level Associates 124
Teach Me to Make It Rain 128
The Case-Partners
If Want to Go to Trial, You Must Own the Case 129
Discovery 131
Your Day in Court-Are You Prepared? 134
Always Be Ready for the First Chair 136
A Novel Strategy for Responding to Written Discovery-Answer It 137
Think About What You Ask for in Discovery! 139
Write Thoughtful Discovery Requests 141
The Indispensable Witness Wrangler 143
Drive the Action 145
Playing Nice in Discovery: The Road House Rules 147
Taking a Trade Secret to Court? 149
The Power of Plain Talk 152
The Case-Associates
Be Brave! Ask Your Subordinates to Critique You 157
We Cannot Print or Bates Stamp the Document Production 159
Trial Experience: Give It To Me! 160
Provide the "Big Picture" Good Job 162
Don't Always Believe Your Partner 164
Office Politics and Etiquette-Partners
Value Every Person in Your Office 165
Office Politics: Some Don'ts and a Critical Do from the Front Lines 167
In the Office 170
Office Politics and Etiquette-Associates
Caldwell's Curve Law 173
Don't Let Office Politics Become the Proverbial Elephant in the Room 175
Tips for Success-Partners
How to Get on Your Partner's Good (or Bad) Side 177
Ten Absolutely Guaranteed Successful Ways to Market Yourself 178
Six Sure Ways to !@?? Your Partner Off 182
I Want You to Succeed, So Heed These Tips for Success 183
OMG! Text Me, Please! 188
A Missive to Novice Litigators 190
Top 10 Ways to Act Like A Partner 194
The Three Commandments for the Extraordinary Associate 197
Six Skill-Enhancing Steps for a Young Appellate Lawyer 200
A Few of an Old Curmudgeon's Pet Writing Peeves 201
The Top Ten Pet Peeves of a Partner 203
If I Knew Then What I Know Now 206
What Young Lawyers Need to Know About Communicating with Partners 211
Top 10 Nonessential Things a Partner Can Learn from an Associate in One Day 213
When Writing, Do the Best You Can Do the First Time 214
Top Three Partner Pet Peeves 216
Tips for Success-Associates
The Partners I Want to Work With-The Top 7 Qualities 219
Top 10 Ways to Earn a "Star" Reputation in the Firm (A Non-Cynic's View) 221
I Think I Was Just in the Elevator with the Lead Partner on My Case, But I'm Not Sure 222
"Toto, We're Not in (Law School) Anymore"- Top 10 Signs You Are Now an Adult 224