Time is of the essence for young lawyers
Use your calendar, be efficiant and set big-picture priorities. (Photo illustration by Sara Wadford/Shutterstock)
Tick, tick, tick. The concept of time is central to the legal profession. You bill your time. You calculate, manage and meet deadlines—for courts, clients and assigning attorneys. You try to balance your time and be respectful of others’ time. It’s the one thing that you seem to never have enough of, whether it’s billable or personal. Sometimes the concept of time can feel like the proverbial albatross around your neck, weighing you down physically and mentally. So how do we manage this burden?
Time management
“Time is what we want most but what we use worst.” —William Penn
To be successful in your legal career, you must be organized and efficient. Juggling various projects and deadlines and prioritizing professional development is not easy. Law is not a career that brings a stable or predictable schedule. But there are ways to stay on track.
First, use your online calendar. We all have an Outlook or Google calendar (or something similar). Don’t just use it for court deadlines or meetings. Set reminders for yourself that deadlines are approaching (e.g., calendar an entry two months before discovery closes so you can plan accordingly and think through anything you might need without the pressure of a looming deadline; set a reminder one month before that presentation you agreed to give so it doesn’t sneak up on you). Block 15-30 minutes each week to review your professional goals. Are you on track? Great. If not, what can you do to get on track?
Second, hold yourself accountable to those calendar entries. While canceling on yourself can be easy to do, it’s a tough habit to break. Don’t start. You wouldn’t miss a client meeting; give yourself the same respect and attention. If you find that too challenging, engage a peer or mentor to keep you honest. Schedule monthly or quarterly meetings with them to check in.
Finally, be flexible. Every so often, some of those reminders may get snoozed a few times. That’s OK. At the beginning of each week, take a look at your calendar. Re-evaluate priorities based on current deadlines, client expectations and unexpected projects or distractions that can derail the best-laid plans. Reorganize as necessary, and communicate any changes to those affected. The point is to be thinking about what needs to be done, setting reasonable deadlines to keep yourself organized and updating those relying on you.

Satisfying obligations
“Time will not slow down when something unpleasant lies ahead.” —Harry Potter
Providing consistently excellent work product is among the keys to a successful law practice. But it is not the only differentiator. Here are a few others:
First, be efficient. Efficiency in your work (i.e., the value you are providing to your client or supervisor) matters. While a meticulously researched and well-written motion to dismiss is great, do the economics of the case necessitate it? Consider the value of your work product to the client paying for it.
Second, be respectful of others’ time. Questions are welcome, but be thoughtful about when and how you raise them. Popping into someone’s office every time it’s convenient for you with “a quick question” can be viewed as inconsiderate. Think through the questions you have, make a list and ask to schedule a mutually convenient time to discuss.
Same goes for emails and other written communications. Use helpful subject lines. We all use some form of a document management system. Searching for a particular email or memo when every subject line is “Smith matter” does us no favors. “Smith: Analysis of Ohio Law re Contract Damages” or “Smith: Summary of Dr. William’s Witness Interview” is much better.
Similarly, if you’re simply sending an “FYI” email, note it: “Smith: As-Filed Copy of Summary Judgment Motion–FYI ONLY.” Of course, if the email is important or requires an immediate response, flag it: “Smith: Draft Response to Settlement Offer—Need Response by Tomorrow (11/5).” That said, be discriminating when flagging an email as important with the red “!”—we all know those attorneys who flag every email with that irritating icon. It’s like the boy who cried wolf: If everything is important, then nothing is.
Once you master the subject line, don’t blow it by sending a novella in the body of an email. Think about how to organize, synthesize and present your email to the reader. What will help them quickly understand the communication and provide you with the desired response?
If you’re answering a question, answer it up front—then explain as necessary. If you require a response or action by a certain deadline, bold or underline the request or action item so it stands out. There is nothing worse than getting an email (especially if you’re reading emails on your phone) that takes multiple swipes of your thumb to scroll through. Often, we see those emails, get overwhelmed and put off reviewing and responding to them. That is never the desired response when communicating with someone—especially your client or supervisor.
Finally, be reliable. Be responsive, on time and meet deadlines. Failing to communicate, showing up late to meetings and blowing deadlines are fatal. Be reliable. Period.

Finding time for you
“‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.”—Timothy Ferriss
Balance is an unattainable goal, yet we feel like failures when we cannot attain it. The truth is, you can have a satisfying legal career and a fulfilling life regardless of whether that life includes children, a significant other, travel or time for yourself to do whatever it is that you enjoy. Just don’t expect it to be pretty all the time. Redefining expectations is essential.
First, figure out what is important to you, prioritize and execute. Once you figure out what it is that you want, ask for it. Having it “all” (whatever that may mean to you) requires you to take action—at work and at home. You must take ownership of your career and your personal life, because no one else will.
Second, “no” is a complete sentence. Learning to set boundaries is important. As a young lawyer, this may be more difficult. But as you develop and progress in your career, you can gain the trust and confidence of your partners, executives and other superiors, which will allow you to gain more control over your time and choices. It never gets easy to say no, but it does become a more viable option. And as you gain experience, you will find that you are better equipped to evaluate which opportunities to decline and which opportunities are worth the extra hours.
Finally, practice gratitude. Stop beating yourself up over what you don’t have, failed to achieve or can’t attain. Set aside a few moments every day to take a breath and focus on what went right. We are all so hyperfocused on the negative that we forget to take a second and be grateful for all the positive things in our lives. That’s time well spent.
This story was originally published in the February-March 2025 issue of the ABA Journal under the headline: “Time Is of the Essence Use your calendar, be efficient and set big-picture priorities.”
Erin E. Rhinehart is co-managing partner of Faruki in Dayton, Ohio. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, spanning a variety of issues and industries.
Survival Guide, Esq. offers advice for early-career lawyers through a partnership between the ABA Journal and the ABA Young Lawyers Division. The authors of the column welcome any of your questions. Please send them to [email protected].
This column reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily the views of the ABA Journal—or the American Bar Association.