Tue 04 Dec 2007

In the business world lawyers are more guilty than most when it comes to failing to seize an opportunity. Why is it that so many lawyers I speak to often say “I think I need to spend more time where I am”?

What is it that a lawyer hopes to achieve in that extra period of time?  Such lawyers tend to fall into two categories: junior lawyers (NQ – 1 year PQE) and associates (5 -7 years PQE).

Junior lawyers often believe that they need to stay with their current firm for at least two years after qualification.  This is because, even though they are often keen to move to a better paid role with better prospects, they do not want to be seen to be changing firms too early on in their career no matter how good the opportunity is.  Yet this attitude is not adopted any of their counterparts in other industries.  In fact changing roles regularly is often seen by other employers as an advantage because that person has had good experience of how other businesses operate.

Of course it is important not jump at the first opportunity that arises, but, if the opportunity ticks all the boxes, the question any lawyer should be asking is whether they can afford not to take it.  For example, if the economy suffered a downturn you could find yourself stuck in a role which only gives you poor quality work and low prospects, but you are unable to do anything about it because the prime opportunity which you could have taken a few months ago no longer exists.

It is important for lawyers to be open-minded about the opportunities which arise and there are 3 questions which they should be asking: 

1.      what are the prospects for career progression;

2.      how good is the quality of work and training; and

3.      how good is the firm.

If the opportunity in question enhances all of these then surely the individual must go for it (provided that the remuneration package is acceptable).

At a more senior level, associates with 5 – 7 years PQE often feel that they need to wait a couple of years before looking at partnership (or partner-designate) opportunities. Often these lawyers are at larger firms and they feel the need to develop their skills further. However, the only skills that they are likely to develop at this stage are going to be further technical skills which are very closely related to their practice area. A significant aspect of any partnership role is business development, yet associates only receive limited training on this area. Even at larger firms, such training can be treated as a box-ticking exercise (for example, a day course once a year) rather than as a key area of the lawyer's learning and development. 

Also, it is often the case that these associates often lack the confidence required for partnership roles as they have spent a number of years at the firm where they have a lot of support and where there is a constant stream of work which means that business development skills are often neglected. They may be able to get along well with the client at meetings and lunches but have very little understanding of how to go about actually developing further business or new client business. Consequently they should be seeking training in business development or at least be attempting to develop new client business at their current firms. Otherwise the partnership roles are often taken by lawyers with inferior skills but with greater self belief.

Jepson Holt are setting up training programmes aimed at helping individuals to develop their careers and achieve their potential. Call us to discuss.