Stepping It Up: A Guide for Mid-Level Law Firm Associates

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This book provides guidance on how mid-level associates in large firms can successfully make the transition from junior associate—by “stepping up” their performance to meet the increasing expectations that partners have of associates with several years of experience. The book focuses on associates in their third to sixth years of practice—the time period in which law firms are most likely to lose the talent in whom they’ve invested so much.

Chapters are written by various legal professionals, including law firm chiefs, in-house counsel and senior associates, who share their experiences and perspectives, along with clear examples, of what is expected of mid-level associates. Most of the chapters focus on discrete areas that can be stumbling blocks for associates after their first few years of practice.

This broad-ranging book addresses skills development, as well as issues related to self-care and career development, including:

• Communicating confidently
• Avoiding the pitfalls of email and maximizing its benefits for business communication
• Standing out as a current and future leader
• Learning to delegate
• Positively impacting firm culture and practices regarding diversity and inclusion
• Translating evaluation and review feedback
• Timing a lateral move and integrating into a new firm quickly
• Asking for help
• Achieving work life balance
• Marketing and business development
• Associate well-being
• Trends in technology, pricing and talent that will shape the future of law practice
• Law firm economics
• Deciding whether to go in-house
• The road to partnership