WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE
FOR YOUNG LAWYERS? COMPILED BY BETSY GRACA
I’m actually giving a lecture
[in March] … at Temple Law
School. The title of it is
“Lawyering in the Time of
Saints and Evildoers.”
Basically what it amounts to is: There’s
a different world out there these days
for lawyers and most importantly the
[law] students need to really love what
they’re doing and be willing to go outside
of the box. And [shouldn’t plan on] just
going to sit in an office and work from 9
to 5 and prepare briefs, motions and not
participate in their community and look
around the world around them to see
where they can contribute.
You’ve got to get yourself involved
in your community and in the issues of
the time and be willing to get out there
and participate. … You have to have a
commitment to justice and the law and to
helping advance the law and benefit the
community. And if you don’t have that,
then you better rethink what you’re doing.
That’s my opinion.
STEPHEN A. SHELLER / FOUNDING
PARTNER, SHELLER P.C., CLASS ACTION /
MASS TORTS
Preparation. You can never
prepare too much. …
I had a senior lawyer tell me that within
a few short weeks of my being admitted
to the bar and it has been advice that has
guided me throughout my career. The
only way a young lawyer can equalize
the greater experience of, let’s say an
opponent, is through preparation.
JAMES A. SWETZ / PARTNER, CRAMER,
SWETZ & MCMANUS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE
Be patient yet persistent, and
your hard work will pay off.
While knowledge of the law is important,
sometimes it’s personality that really
defines a person.
MICHAEL J. O’CONNOR / FOUNDER,
MICHAEL J. O’CONNOR & ASSOCIATES,
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN
EDITORIAL FEATURE?
Email it to Ross Pfund at
ross.pfund@thomsonreuters.com
