Letter to my Future Self (in the first semester of 1L year)
Dear Law Student:
You have entered an academic program that is robust and full of challenges. You are also attending a law school that is known for it’s political thinking – that which is opposite of your own. You may not fit the typical or ordinary student “type” which attends this school. However, all of these traits make you supra-ordinary and will aid you to stand out from (and above) the pack. All of these factors will allow you to “think outside the box,” even when the box you are thinking from is that of your own. You will be exposed to differing opinions, a new environment, and the “next level” of your journey.
Do not change your beliefs because you now think they are wrong, change them only if you have been enlightened. If you now find that the alternative makes more sense, adopt it. If your own beliefs are affirmed, maintain them.
Do not lose sight of your purpose. There is a reason you were brought to this point in your journey. Fulfill it everyday and make each day count.
Never lose sight of where you came from. It is your past that shapes your present and your future. Losing your past will certainly lead you astray. Though your past will differ greatly from many of your classmates, this is what makes you uniquely qualified to be here. Other students should be so lucky to understand the value of hard work and to earn an education not only based on hard work but to work hard for it.
Maintain perspective. Your world will come crashing down . . . many times. The natural diva inside of you will want to make a fuss, but you will have control. Freaking out will only blur your vision of the solution. Don’t think for a second you are the only one in panic-mode; your classmates may just be better at concealing it. That said, don’t let your classmates see you panicking – make like a duck – calm above the surface but paddling like hell underneath.
If your classmates act or think for a second they are more deserving or better prepared remember this . . . how many of them are attending for free?
You have overcome many challenges and worked very hard to be where you are today – this is the time to give 100% – you have come too far to give anything less.
Best of luck,
LawSchoolDreamer
A Letter to my Future Self (as a Summer Associate)
In preparation for law school in 85 days, I have begun transitioning out of my position at work. This has entailed finding my replacement, training the replacement, and on a personal level, preparing to be unemployed. My replacement started a few weeks back and she has been quite excellent. This had left me with some spare time on my hands, which has been filled with assisting our 2L summer associate. I am appreciative of this opportunity because it allows me to see what my life will be like a year and two years from now. However, there are a few notes that I have taken based on my assessment of our summer associate and have written them in a form of a letter to my future self. If this were a “real” letter, I would guess it would not be received well. But I tried to make it worthwhile anyway. I wanted to document these realizations to two purposes: 1) To remind myself of the support staff perspective of the summer intern with a goal to review my feelings again a year from now; and 2) to share my findings with others and solicit feedback and additional comments which will help me be a better associate when that time comes. In reality, I don’t know how helpful this will be to my future self because if I am keen enough to notice these issues, I am (hopefully) unlikely to repeat the same mistakes.
Dear Summer:
Thank you for this opportunity to work with you as you learn the ins and outs of law firm life. I am eager to learn from you and hope that we will have the opportunity to discuss (off the clock) your experiences as a first year law student – perhaps we could meet for coffee one morning this week? I appreciate that we seem to “mesh” well and believe we will stay in touch in the future. You graciously asked for my help and to provide you with any helpful information that may benefit you this summer. Below are some things to consider:
It is wonderful that we are close in age and it is great to see fresh new blood in the office. As you are aware, all of the partners here are 40+ years in age and very traditional in their ways. Your command of technology and helpful tips on using computer software to enhance productivity is a helpful asset. Just remember that email should also be used appropriately and that the recipient of your email correspondence likely has differing opinions on the appropriate level of formality for emails. You may be unaware that our firm management software archives emails to client files – these emails can then be viewed by anyone with access to our firm’s client file system. This includes attorneys who will be later evaluating your work. While we are the same age and I “get” the use of emoticons and “LOLs” the attorneys evaluating your work (including these emails) may not. Though I too, am “youngish,” I expect the same level of professionalism from you as I would any other attorney and you can expect the same level from me. Additionally, there are times when emails must be shared with other attorneys; forwarded on for clarification or to keep your supervising partner “in the loop.” It would be difficult to go through and redact every 🙂 and “LOL” for the sake of appearing professional. It is best to simply be professional in the first place (and at all times).
Though it has become clear that your internship at our firm was not your first choice, you shouldn’t burn bridges. Keep an open mind, though, while your first choice was “big law” you may find you enjoy the atmosphere here and may ultimately be happier with a mid-size firm such as ours. Don’t write-off a future with us just yet. You may not realize it, but your lack of enthusiasm and unwillingness to learn our firm-specific procedures yields insight to others that you feel you have wasted your time (or are only here to earn a few bucks). Regardless if you hope to return next summer or an employment offer is ultimately extended, the contacts you make here will be invaluable to your professional development. You may need to use your experience here as a professional contact, a letter of recommendation, etc. Moreover, even if you do not wish to stay in the area, attorneys are all connected in some way. You want to be able to tap into that network without fear of an unpleasant experience coming back to bite you. Always be tactful, courteous, and intelligent.
Don’t be afraid to field work (appropriately). Let me help you type the file memo, track down a missing file, etc. Don’t ask me to run down your supervising partner to ask a question about a task he has assigned you. Those type of tasks are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your communication skills. The partner is already aware of my abilities – this is your time to shine! Also, don’t be afraid to communicate with the partners on the status of your workload. If its too heavy and you run the risk of submitting sub-par work for the sake of getting everything done, communicate to them what your running against. They will respect you for it and you can do it without seeming weak or as complaining. Communication is key.
On another note, platformed 4”heels are all the rage right now – they allow for height while maintaining some degree of comfort. They are sexy and very stylish. However, they are not popular with the other professional women of our firm who equate them with stripper heels. Men, too, may view them as inappropriate and are hoping you are not in their office when their wife visits them for lunch. No joke. Moreover, you need to gain the respect and confidence of everyone around you. This entails dressing the part. If you don’t want to be mistaken for the 18 year old pre-college file clerk, don’t dress like your fresh out of high school. Try to mirror the attire worn by the 30 year old associate who has earned the respect of the named partners. Also, designer shoes are expensive and if you have chosen to wear them only once inside the office (wearing flip flops or sneakers outdoors), you must either use our side/private entrance (as opposed to the one that opens into the client waiting area) and change into them privately in the stairwell or change your shoes in your car and walk the few steps into the office wearing your professional attire. Since we live in a rural area with no public transportation, it is less forgivable to be seen wearing flip flops into the office. We know you didn’t just get off the train and walk 10 blocks to get here.
Best of luck to you this summer.
LawSchoolDreamer
A Paralegal's Journey to Lawyerhood 