It’s that time of year again. The summer is winding down. School has started back up. And, associates are setting sail on their maiden voyage into the practice of law. There will be ebbs and flows on the journey, so I thought I would pass on some advice I have learned as a solo practitioner, partner, and now associate after I decided to move back to New Hampshire from Maine. In doing so, I hope to help young attorneys be more productive and efficient and, above all, improve their well-being.
BILLABLE HOURS
When first seeing your billable hour requirements, it seems like a daunting task to achieve – your mind races, wondering how you will ever attain it. But remember, it’s all about perspective. A simple tip is to frame the billable hours requirement as a daily requirement rather than a yearly requirement. Do the math and break it down (a terrifying project for most lawyers, I know). For example, divide your annual billable hour requirement by 52. Additionally, it would be best to account for certain days you cannot achieve your billable hours goals, such as holidays, vacations, CLE days, and nonbillable hours, such as meetings. You can figure out your daily billable hour goal by doing the math. In framing your billable hours as a daily goal rather than a yearly goal, it’s much more manageable to conquer the monster that is billable hours.
In conjunction with framing your billable hours as a daily goal, be mindful of good billing practices. Studies show that attorneys who bill daily are far more likely to succeed in getting their billable hours than those who bill monthly or even weekly. This is because these attorneys are more accurate in describing the work undertaken and have a better memory of the time spent on the project. It is a boring duty of our profession. However, take the time at the end of the day or the next morning to accurately log your time so you can submit it daily. This practice ensures accuracy and gives you a sense of control over your work, reducing stress and helping you meet your goals well in advance. By adopting good billing practices, you’ll reduce stress and improve your focus and productivity.
CREATE A SCHEDULE
There will be days when you work late and weekends when you work; it is the nature of our profession, and you have to prepare for it. One of the best bits of advice I can give is to create a weekly schedule for yourself. Do not let your schedule unfold randomly. Look at your, your boss, and any colleague’s schedules. This will help you prioritize your work for the week and month. It will also show you the projects other attorneys in your office need help with because of their schedules. Afterward, ask the other attorneys for the assignment before they come to you. With this, you can then build your schedule for the week. It will also help address the bugbear many young associates run into of “showing initiative.” Then there will be days when you work late and weekends when you work; it is the nature of our profession, and you have to prepare for it. If you know you will work these extra hours in advance, build it into your schedule. As a matter of course, I always have a two-hour block on Sunday evenings to address problems that might pop up over the weekend.
Creating a schedule does not only mean making a work schedule but also means creating a personal schedule. You must learn to fit in time for exercising, healthy meals, socializing, and sleep. By scheduling the aforementioned areas of life properly, you can find that work/life balance. On this note, those areas of life mentioned are not luxuries. These are necessities for your well-being and deserve as much respect and attention as your work.
On a final note related to scheduling, choose a time to end your workday. Although we want to make a good impression in the office, a person can only handle so much. Despite what we sometimes want to believe, you will become more efficient in your work if you get away from it. You can reset your mind, return to the project rested, and tackle the project effectively. Rest assured, knowing that a senior attorney would rather have work done by a clear-minded associate than one who is worn down.
GAUGING SUCCESS
To paraphrase, one of the best bits of advice I heard a senior attorney give a summer associate was, “Just get something on paper. Don’t spend time worrying about whether or not it’s perfect.” This remark reinforced the notion that the summer associate was young and not expected to be at the level of the senior attorney. The senior attorney wanted to see the summer’s ability to think through the problem, draft a logical argument, and teach the weak points. As long as the legal research is sound, the project is constructed logically, and the grammar is on point, don’t worry too much about it being on the same level as your senior attorney. Simply put, you’re an associate. You’re in that position to learn how to become a lawyer.
TAKE A BREAK
My wife sings “Take a Break” from the musical Hamilton when she sees me holstering my phone like some gunslinger. Ultimately, she’s right when I am like this. I should take a break from work. On weeknights, when I am at home, I have a general rule of thumb: If I get a phone call or text message, it’s an emergency, and I take it. If it is an email, it can wait until morning, and I address it first thing. On the weekends, I limit how often I look at my emails so I can be present with my family. These rules allow me to enjoy work because it is not all-consuming.
While our profession can be stressful, you can manage the stress by being mindful. Your well-being is not just a priority; it’s a cornerstone of success in this profession. I’m here to support you in this journey because your well-being is crucial to your professional success.