Global IP Students

Pay attention to the habits you develop. It’s easy to be busy and to allow your desk to pile up with papers, books, yesterday’s coffee, and so on. Don’t allow it. Decide whether you’ll clear your desk daily or weekly (any less frequently than weekly and you’ll spend too much time hunting for papers you’ve lost on your desk), and stick to your schedule. Complete your time sheets as you’re working and don’t leave the office until you have that day’s time sheet ready to submit. Get in the habit of getting up from your desk and walking every hour or hour and a half. Be sure you drink plenty of water, not just coffee. All of these habits, and many others, will pay off throughout your career — and there’s no time to form good habits like the present.

It’s a little counterintuitive when you’re just starting to work for a law firm, but every lawyer has a responsibility to manage her own career. In the early years of practice, you have the opportunity to become well-versed in your substantive area. Use the time to read the law broadly. Spend time making sure you enjoy the area in which you’re working, and give thought to what you need to do to improve your knowledge and skills. If you’re so inclined, investigate pro bono opportunities. They may be your best chance to get particular kinds of fast-track experience, most notably courtroom experience. Your key asset for the rest of your professional career will be the skills, knowledge, and judgment that you develop. Give attention to maximizing that asset.