Closed Doors Close Off Opportunities, Partner Advises Associates
Associates would do well to keep their doors open and their Internet surfing to a minimum, according to a new law firm partner recently appointed to a committee that reviews associate advancement.
Writing for the National Law Journal, Lewis & Roca partner Scott Brown lists 10 “associate sins” that can derail careers.
Partners don’t bring work to associates working behind closed doors, and become suspicious that they may be hiding something, Brown says. And associates who have to switch screens to hide their Internet surfing will get reputations as ineffective and distracted, he says.
Brown also writes that associates:
• Will get more work from partners if they have an eager and appreciative attitude.
• Should not send e-mails to clients that are more akin to text messages sent to friends. Use punctuation and good grammar.
• Will likely get a poor review if they give work back to partners because they are too busy. Don’t try it, except in extreme emergencies.
• Should confess to their mistakes, the sooner the better.
• Should steer clear of office romances.
• Need to realize that their reputation is more important than their billable hours count. “Ten years from now people will not remember or care if you billed 2,100 vs. 2,000 or less hours, but they will remember the quality, and efficiency, of your work,” he writes. “If there is padding or massive write-offs, you may never find forgiveness.”
