The Massachusetts Bar Association's Law Practice Management
Section welcomes the 1,198 new lawyers that joined the
Massachusetts bar this past November, and we offer these tips for
your practice as you begin your career:
1. Do not be afraid to ask questions and for
advice. If you are at a medium to large firm, you may be
working for several different partners and helping junior partners
or senior associates with projects. They may take their legal,
institutional, and client knowledge for granted. Be sure to
understand precisely what you are being asked to do before starting
a project, the timetable and deadlines for the project, and confirm
that you understand the result or answer the client is looking for.
Provide periodic updates if you are working on a large project. By
ensuring that you understand the project and that you do not go
down a stray path, you will be better able to manage your time and
be more efficient throughout the day.
2. Be familiar with the Rules of Professional
Conduct. The rules can be a trap for even the most
experienced and savvy attorney. Make sure to understand such
important rules as client fees (Rule 1.5), how to handle client
money (Rule 1.15), conflicts (Rules 1.7 - 1.9), and how to
advertise your business (Rule 7.1) Unsure of how to respond to a
particular situation? Ask another attorney for help or submit an
inquiry to the MBA Committee on Professional Ethics. The Committee
also publishes opinions that interpret the Rules of Professional
Conduct. More information on the Ethics Committee and the published
opinions can be found at
www.massbar.org/for-attorneys/ethical-inquiries.
3. Manage expectations. Finishing a project on
time for a partner or agreeing to represent a new client that has a
fast approaching deadline is as important as agreeing to accept the
project or client in the first place. Do not over-commit yourself
in an effort to get ahead. The details do matter and taking on too
much can lead to corner cutting and hasty review. Second chances
are rare. You do not want to make mistakes because you over
promised on when you would complete a project or your ability to
handle a case.
4. Pursue opportunity (no matter how small).
Want to be litigator? Accept every opportunity to go to court,
whether it is a small claims hearing, an unopposed motion, or a
case management conference. Those events may seem inconsequential
but they will provide you the opportunity to see other attorneys in
action, appear before judges, and meet court staff. Want to work
in-house but do not have the necessary experience? Use pro bono and
volunteer opportunities to gain the skills and experience you need
while assisting clients that may otherwise go without legal
assistance. You will forge new relationships, and meet future
clients and/or employers, while doing something you enjoy.
5. Be efficient. Chances are another attorney
in your firm has conducted similar research, drafted the same
motion, or responded to similar discovery. Do not spend time
reinventing the wheel. If you are opening your own practice, make
use of law practice management software that enables you to save
form emails to respond to client inquiries, document assembly
software to create and fill-in form documents (like discovery) and
save all research that you conduct. There is never a need to draft
the same email or conduct the same research twice.
Nicole Crowley is an associate at Tucker, Saltzman,
Dyer & O'Connell, LLP. Her practice focuses on insurance
defense and coverage analysis.