Young Lawyers Section News
| Jurisdiction | Kansas,United States |
| Citation | Vol. 79 No. 4 Pg. 07 |
| Pages | 07 |
| Publication year | 2010 |
I’m a Partner, Now What?
By Jennifer M. Hill, McDonald ,Tinker, Skaer, Quinn & Herrington P.A., Wichita
On December 17, 2009, the directors of my firm held their monthly meeting. And they announced to me shortly afterwards that I would become one of them - a partner! Most young lawyers in private practice have a goal of eventually attaining partnership, and I was certainly no different. Obviously, I called my husband, my parents, and my big brothers to tell them all about it. It's such an exciting achievement and a wonderful reward after years of hard work.
But as soon as the next day, I started thinking, now what? Obviously, I can't abandon all of the cases I was previously working on to go pursue my own ventures. I can't stop working hard. In fact, not a lot changes overnight. But if you aren't careful, as a young partner, if nothing changes, have you really assumed the leadership role that you have been asked to fulfill?
I had the opportunity at the ABA mid-year meeting to attend a workshop titled "Practical Pointers for the New Partner." This workshop focused on several issues to consider outside of the most obvious pressure of becoming a rainmaker as a partner. The tips were broken down into five larger categories. So for all the young partners out there, consider these recommendations. For those of you working towards partnership, incorporate as many of these ideas as you can into your work. Your bosses will certainly notice the maturity that you bring to the table when it comes time for them to take a vote on you.
1. Have a business plan. If you haven't already created a business plan for yourself, now is the time. Most associate attorneys are so busy they never take the time to write down their goals, interests, and a long-term plan. Now more than ever, as a young partner, you are committed to a career path. Create defined ascertainable goals for yourself, including where you see yourself in five, 10, and 15 years. If you find that one practice area is more of a calling than another, create a plan as to how you will transition your practice to more work in the desired area. This includes learning how to delegate the less desirable work to the associates and paralegals. In addition, your business plan should also include personal goals for skills you want to achieve and the necessary work you want to do in the community...
To continue reading
Request your trial