There’s a theme to the conversations I’ve been having with heads of recruitment, PD and with law firm coaches. What they’ve been sharing with me is that many of the junior associates hired during the pandemic are really struggling with being proactive, asking for work, and feedback. Although these are issues that have come up before, those who have worked in law firms for many years say it’s more pronounced than ever.
Unfortunately, I believe we will continue to see these new lawyers struggle because they didn’t get to practice their communication skills or observe professional protocol in-person during a large part of law school and as summer associates. As a result, many have become more passive in their learning.
There are many things that attorneys glean early in their careers about becoming a professional, including how to ask for help or when to bring up issues, that they learned by watching others. Learning by observing others’ professional behavior is missing from those whose experiences were online during the pandemic.
I am deeply passionate about helping your new associates build successful careers and become valuable contributors. That’s why I created the Thrive program.
During this training, I teach your new lawyers time management skills, communication techniques, methods for getting feedback, ways to be a great mentee and a proactive mindset that focuses on taking ownership and seeking out opportunities to learn and contribute at work.
I would welcome the opportunity to provide this training to your new associates and would be grateful if you considered this training or shared it with your colleagues and firm.