Ask A Legal Question For Free

Did any classes prove particularly useful as you began practicing?

A number of my colleagues believe law schools must provide courses on advertising, trust accounting, business development, starting a law firm, and customer relations. When you have an opportunity to attend a lecture or two on these topics, by all means do so. But I question the value of those skills classes, taught outplus they are not that hard to find out at work.

Do you see a prejudice against people who attend law school later in life?

In short, yes, later-in-life students can occasionally feel a little out of place with the younger audience. But they also have a distinct advantage that most of the students that are straight-through do not--a life in the mirror. That experience will help from day one in law school. Professors will often rely on and seek out those students to draw on that knowledge along with the student work ethic. When a résumé is reviewed by a law company from the pupil that is later-in-life, it's going to have instant assurance the graduate is prepared beyond the world and ready to add immediate value to the company and its clients. So go forth and conquer, regardless of what period in life you made a decision to make your way.

Do you must push yourself to the ground the first few years of practice to create it?

Though I cannot speak for other firms, none of our associates (junior or senior) are assessed exclusively on the amount of hours that they work. In reality customers are getting to be increasingly sensitive to charging concerns. If you want to ensure your success ask yourself if you are succeeding in meeting with your clients' needs. As a partner or a senior partner, your client is the true client that's currently paying for your law firm's services. As a new partner, your client might be the senior partner or spouse for whom you are currently working. Regardless of whom your customer is, the best way to become a indispensible and valuable part of your company is to make sure your customer is happy. It is not about the number of hours spent at the workplace. It is about the quality of work you do while there. Be certain that you are currently providing the best services you can provide. Sometimes that could mean a day or even a weekend at the office. Other times, however, that usually means a reasonable day followed by dinner with your family or friends.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Least?

I started from the corporate and securities department of a large law firm, but left to start an immigration practice after four decades. I liked the firm and worked with a number of folks, but the work was not interesting to me and not fulfilling. In fact I gone into instruction and would have gone back to college to pursue a PhD. As for what I like about my job, here are a Couple of things:

what's the best way to have work?

At that stage, my husband (a non-lawyer) and I decided that our collective lack of sleep and lack of time for anything other than work wasn't something we were willing to sustain indefinitely. Since my income was secondary and it was financially feasible, we decided I would resign from the firm (after shifting into a part-time schedule for about eight weeks).

Was there anything you wished you would have done differently in law school that you didn't realize before you began to practice?

Exactly the exact same thing applies to my clinic. My office is open four days every week, and I don't see clients in the evenings or on weekends. My program may not look like everyone else's, but it works for me and my clients. Find what works for youpersonally, and don't be afraid to stick with it, even if it is not what everybody else is doing.