Super Lawyers - New England 2011

Be a really positive person;
be happy about things.
Try to laugh off the small things because
if you look negatively at things, then it’s
just going to worsen the situation. Being
positive attracts positive people and it
attracts success.

The best specific piece of advice I got was from a professor at Rhode Island College, Dr. Perrotta. He taught introduction to law to me and I was a psych major. I had never wanted to be an attorney, and I had just taken the class for fun. He came up to me and said, “I know you have great grades. Have you ever thought of taking the LSAT? … I know you might not want to be a lawyer, but getting your J.D. can open so many doors.” And because of that advice, I actually did that. And I ended up loving the profession. ALICIA J. SAMOLIS / ASSOCIATE, PARTRIDGE SNOW & HAHN, PROVIDENCE, R.I., EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION

Those who can, do. Those
who can't, have meetings.

I can't remember who it was exactly, but someone on one of the Clinton campaigns in the 1990s had a sign on their wall that said [that]. In my own career, I think about this saying often, especially when it's decision-making time. In any matter, there comes a time when all the information is known, and it's just time to decide what to do. Handling those moments is the guts of this business.

BENJAMIN K. GRANT / ASSOCIATE, MCTEAGUE HIGBEE, TOPSHAM, MAINE, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

When you’re uncertain about
the right decision to make,
make the decision that
leaves you the most options.
It’s advice that was given to me by
my husband, Michael, long before we
were married. And it actually has been a
very good piece of advice over the years.
It’s applied to me both professionally
and personally—career-wise, in the
development of my career, and then also
just in being an attorney.
And then what tagged along with it
was that once you make a decision, accept
that no decision is perfect. Look back on
your decision with no regrets, but try to
learn from them. Accept that no decision is
perfect and is going to work out exactly the
way you plan.