What We Wish We Knew On Law School Graduation Day
Hi All,
This time of year always gets us thinking about our own law school graduation day. Looking back there are a few things we wish we knew on graduation day.
Embrace New Experiences
Not all practice areas are created equal. You may find yourself with an opportunity in an area of law you may not have considered before, give it a try. We both could not have imagined where our careers have taken us and if we did not keep ourselves open to new opportunities we would not be where we are.
Keep in mind that if you give something a try and it’s not a good fit, that’s ok. As attorneys, as people, we have different interests and strengths. Just because one area of law or one aspect of law or one type of law job is not a good fit, doesn’t mean that you are a bad attorney or that law school was a waste. Give yourself the permission to acknowledge that you gave it a try and it wasn’t for you and there is a better position in the law for you.
Law Practice is not Law School
Law school teaches you to think like and attorney and it gives you limited exposure to a variety of different areas of law. As a lawyer you will spend time in a concentrated area of law. Actually being a lawyer is much different than the process of learning how to be a lawyer. This is good news for some, but may be scary for others. Just because it is different, doesn’t mean it won't be great. Give yourself the grace to try it out and if you find you do not like a particular practice - try something new. You have options, you are a lawyer now.
You Do Not Need Your Whole Career Mapped Out on Graduation Day
You are entering an exciting time in your life. You finally get to begin the career you have worked so hard for. If you know exactly what you want to do and where you will be doing it - great. If you don’t, that’s fine too. We did not secure post-bar exam jobs until after we took the bar exam. While it was stressful, it all worked out. Stay focused on what is before you. Once the bar exam is over, networking is a great place to start!
Happy Graduation and have a great day!
Haley & Amy
P.S. - Looking for the perfect graduation gift for you or someone you care about? Look no further than “The Law Student’s Guide to Networking.” The book helps you develop a strategic, time-saving, and effective networking plan. The course gives you the book, networking tools, and guided bite-size video modules that walk you through everything you need to network successfully. Check it out today!
Photo by Brett Garwood on Unsplash
Please keep in mind that your jurisdiction will have rules of professional conduct that you must follow. This discussion does not focus on the any such rules, including the rules from the jurisdiction where we practice. Rather this is a discussion of tips we have found helpful in managing client expectations in our own experiences. This should not be taken as legal advice.
We make absolutely no guarantee, expressed or implied, that by following the advice you will make any money or improve current profit, as there are several factors and variables that come into play regarding any given business or career. Primarily, results will depend on the business model, the conditions of the marketplace, the experience of the individual, and situations and elements that are beyond your control. As with any business endeavor, you assume all risk related to investment and money based on your own discretion and at your own potential expense.
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