Super Lawyers - Florida 2012

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG LAWYERS? AS TOLD TO ADRIENNE SCHOFHAUSER

Find a mentor.

Remember [that] they are Find a place where you’re
Find someone that you can go to with
any question and that will help guide you.
After many years, my mentor became my
partner and my close friend. I think that it
is extremely important, because when you
start practicing law, you need to know that
you don’t know what you’re doing! And you
need someone who’s got your back and
that you can ask any question [of] when
you don’t know which direction to go.

CARYN BELLUS / KUBICKI DRAPER,
APPELLATE, INSURANCE COVERAGE, MIAMI
in the service industry.

And that they need to think about how they treat their clients and contacts. Of course, they have to do excellent legal work, but it’s also important how they communicate that work and the little details that make their clients and their referral sources feel that they care about them. Good communication. [Lawyers are] there to be of service to other people, and they should never forget that. That’s why I have all the clients that I have and the long relationships with them—I’m approachable and I take very good care of them. I make sure that I put them first, and I make sure they feel that they’re important to me.

ERIN SMITH AEBEL / SHUMAKER, LOOP &
KENDRICK, HEALTH CARE, TAMPA
passionate to work and
the kind of work that
you’re passionate to do.

I’m a part-time law teacher, so I interact with a lot of law students. I think the most important thing for them to do is to find a situation for themselves: a location—a town, a city, a law firm or other place to practice law—and a practice that they’re passionate about. Many lawyers lose their focus because they really don't love what they're doing anymore, and one of the reasons is ... that they find themselves doing something that they’re really not passionate about.

[Also] it’s very important to build relationships, with other lawyers, of course, but also with experts, with business people, with government officials, with judges. There are many opportunities through professional organizations. Being involved with the law school and the university in town has helped me build a lot of relationships.