"My first boss told me, "Don't make the client's problem your problem." I think about that a lot. Come early to work. Gives you time to settle in for the day. Every morning, skim your calendar for the week. Once a week, check your calendar for the month. Double-check all your events and deadlines are properly calendared. The cases are yours, not your legal assistant's."
"Get the paid version of Grammarly, even if you have to pay for it yourself. Always use the active voice. Strong nouns, strong verbs. Few adverbs and adjectives. Join Toastmasters. Take an improv class. Volunteer to speak. Get published. Start small. Try to write 200-300 words every day. One day, you may write a book. Exercise. Eat well. Go to bed on time."
"Treat your boss like your client. If you screw up, own it. Develop a solution and discuss it with your supervisor to determine the best approach for handling it. Don't hide your mistake or try to cover it up. Go to lunch with your colleagues. Don't always eat at your desk. Working from home is a privilege, not a right."
Maintain clear professional boundaries by solving client problems without internalizing them and by treating bosses like clients. Arrive early and manage calendars daily and monthly, ensuring events and deadlines are owned personally. Use strong, active writing; invest in tools like Grammarly; practice public speaking through Toastmasters and improv; write small daily amounts to build toward larger works. Prioritize health, exercise, and sleep. Build a LinkedIn presence and network in person over lunch. Own mistakes promptly and propose solutions. Value office time early in a career. Protect ethics and licenses, nurture supportive networks, and always pay it forward.
Read at Above the Law
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