Wisnik’s Wisdom

This month I presented at four new associate orientations. These newly minted attorneys spent part of their law school experience in the pandemic and missed the opportunity to develop all of the skills that are needed to thrive in the practice of law. They learned over Zoom screens and missed out on the chance to … Continued

The summer is almost over and back-to-school is just around the corner. September can bring exciting new beginnings as well as a feeling of overwhelmingness. What if we had well-being practices in place to support our busy lives?  My morning routine, which is aimed at setting myself up for a positive and productive day, includes EFT … Continued

I spent last week on a 30-person boat in the Aegean Sea. Each morning before visiting ancient port cities in Greece and Turkey, we spent two hours learning how our thoughts and feelings impact our behavior, and therefore the quality of our lives. Our instructor, who I met when I spent one year studying with … Continued

This week marks the end of most 2023 Summer Associate programs across the country. This summer, I had the privilege of presenting to a dozen law firms’ summer associates, teaching them how to thrive and get the most out of their experiences. During our trainings, I heard many express their desire to forge strong relationships with … Continued

By: Shannan Buckley As hybrid work becomes more entrenched, hiring junior candidates with a high level of integrity and internal motivation is more important than ever. I’ve worked with interns who needed constant check-ins on remote days or else they’d treat it as a chance to get paid while playing on the computer or doing … Continued

This June I’ve conducted six Well-being programs for legal professionals, including programs specifically for summer associates.  I poll each group to better understand what they struggle with most. Perfectionism is most frequently mentioned.  This is not a surprise. Over the past 30 years of working with Big Law professionals, I’ve observed that many smart, ambitious … Continued

Over the past 27 years, I have conducted interviewer training for 87 law firms and have interviewed over 10,000 candidates myself. Creating and delivering all of these trainings has caused me to think a lot about which traits are most important to focus on when interviewing law students.  Based on my experiences, these are the four … Continued

This week I presented to summer associates at 8 law firms across the country. Having studied attorneys’ careers for the past 30+ years and written a book on the topic, Your Fairy Job Mentor’s Secrets for Success, my goal is to provide them with the habits and mindset that will move them from a “school mentality” … Continued