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That's a pitfall. Accept that you will screw up. Nobody is perfect and you will make mistakes and feel they were dumb mistakes. They probably were, and that's okay. It comes with the territory.Anonymous User wrote:I'm also terrified that I'll screw it up somehow.
BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
disagree with this. you will be more than qualified to do everything you do at a biglaw firm. you may not feel qualified, but know that the model is super conservative, and you will always be overly qualified.Capitol_Idea wrote:Depending on the firm, office, practice area, and supervisor you will either get weaned on very basic drudge work or you will be thrown headfirst into things you are not remotely qualified to be doing.
+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
dixiecupdrinking wrote:Be available. Take instruction well. Do things to the best of your ability before passing them up the chain -- you will make lots of substantive and stylistic mistakes, but you shouldn't make a senior associate or partner clean up mistakes you'd have caught if you reread something.
Your job as a junior associate is to make life easier for more senior people, basically. That's a hard dynamic to grasp for a lot of people. In a lot of other jobs, you do what your boss tells you, turn it in, and wait for the next task. Try to be proactive, instead. Anticipate issues, think about why you're being asked to do an assignment and consider whether there's another angle to explore, etc.
But in general just be responsive, thorough and enthusiastic. You have the raw intellect to do the job, so the rest is just showing up.
Oh also, ask questions until you're positive you understand what you are supposed to do, then ask one more question.
own your screw-ups; ask for criticisms; welcome anything that points out your flaws. I'm not saying you need to be masochistic or anything like that; it's going to suck to be told what you did wrong. The reality is, that's how you learn and that's how you improve. At this level, you probably suck at being told what you did wrong and why b/c "fuck off, I'm T14, top of my class, going to V10 so screw off" type of mentality permeates at this level of achievement. That being said, real world honestly doesn't care - it'll chew you up, spit you out, and keep going. The only way to avoid this and to survive this gauntlet is to welcome that which points out your flaws/mistakes and keeps pushing forward, in an ever desiring push to improve.Anonymous User wrote:I'm graduating at the top of my T14 class and am starting at a V10 firm this fall in general litigation. I'm also terrified that I'll screw it up somehow.
How can I do well as a new associate? Any pitfalls to look out for?
OP here. Why?bruinfan10 wrote:+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
V3 or die bro. I'm new here and I already know thatAnonymous User wrote:OP here. Why?bruinfan10 wrote:+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
you could work at lit boutiques like munger or W&C with those credentials, maybe bartlit beck, hueston hennigan etc. often a way better idea to work at one of those places than become a cog in the Skadden or SullCrom meatgrinders. if you're a nyc'er, i'd way rather work at even a patterson belknap than a DPW or STB type-firm. also you could clerk.Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Why?bruinfan10 wrote:+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
Yeah. OP: you are likely qualified to work somewhere that is more interesting, or pays more, or both. I'm assuming, by the way, that your definition of "top of my class" means that you're one of the top few students in your class. If, instead, you meant something like top 15% - 25%, and if you're at a mid to lower T14, then becoming a V10 lit associate is a fine and ordinary outcome.bruinfan10 wrote:you could work at lit boutiques like munger or W&C with those credentials, maybe bartlit beck, hueston hennigan etc. often a way better idea to work at one of those places than become a cog in the Skadden or SullCrom meatgrinders. if you're a nyc'er, i'd way rather work at even a patterson belknap than a DPW or STB type-firm. also you could clerk.Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Why?bruinfan10 wrote:+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
Not from the world of biglaw, but balance in proactiveness and asking for direction is so, so important for junior people. Particularly very early on, going outside the boundaries of an assignment without seeking guidance is going to irk the people who are trying to help you the most (the ones who make an effort to give you assignments that are clear-cut and digestible but then have to wait around while you do extra, unnecessary work on whatever caught your attention).blurbz wrote:dixiecupdrinking wrote:Be available. Take instruction well. Do things to the best of your ability before passing them up the chain -- you will make lots of substantive and stylistic mistakes, but you shouldn't make a senior associate or partner clean up mistakes you'd have caught if you reread something.
Your job as a junior associate is to make life easier for more senior people, basically. That's a hard dynamic to grasp for a lot of people. In a lot of other jobs, you do what your boss tells you, turn it in, and wait for the next task. Try to be proactive, instead. Anticipate issues, think about why you're being asked to do an assignment and consider whether there's another angle to explore, etc.
But in general just be responsive, thorough and enthusiastic. You have the raw intellect to do the job, so the rest is just showing up.
Oh also, ask questions until you're positive you understand what you are supposed to do, then ask one more question.
One caveat here from a midlevel associate: Definitely think about issues and other angles and etc., but don't take it upon yourself to just do them before talking to whoever assigned you the work. Chances are good that I already thought about what you're thinking about and it's already being handled. I don't like it when junior associates take longer to give me what I asked for because they were doing significantly more than I asked for and didn't tell me about it. When that happens, I just have to unravel whatever it is that you did to find the work product I actually needed from you. I try to be pretty clear with my expectations for junior associates with regard to the work I want to see from them and I very much have an open door policy and regularly field multiple questions a day from juniors about my projects and projects they're doing from other associates/partners -- I think it's important to ask questions to show you're thinking about the work. I'd rather have you ask me something basic than have to correct it in your work product later.
Most importantly: When you make a mistake, don't argue with me. That's the worst.
The cream of the crop don't go to White and Case big dogbruinfan10 wrote:you could work at lit boutiques like munger or W&C with those credentials, maybe bartlit beck, hueston hennigan etc. often a way better idea to work at one of those places than become a cog in the Skadden or SullCrom meatgrinders. if you're a nyc'er, i'd way rather work at even a patterson belknap than a DPW or STB type-firm. also you could clerk.Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Why?bruinfan10 wrote:+1rpupkin wrote:Would it be rude to note that OP's first screw up is wasting top-of-the-class-at-a-T14 credentials on a general lit group in a V10?BigZuck wrote:Surprised by the number of genuine responses without anyone mocking the OP for their sly dropping of their credentials.
Pro-tip: When you gratuitously mention that you are "graduating at the top of my T14 class," people are going to poke fun at you.Anonymous User wrote:I really just asked for advice on doing well as an associate, not judgments on which firm I picked. TLS is crazy sometimes.