Our latest collaboration with Clifford Chance, Their Voices: Insights from Today’s Rising Lawyers, chronicles the journeys and stories of a selection of the next generation of lawyers, written and compiled by the team at GC magazine.

The collection of stories reveals that the stereotypical, well-trodden pathway to law is far from the sole entry point to the profession. In the past, anything but a complete commitment to the law – and nothing but the law – may have been considered a detriment, whereas now diversity of experience, both personal and professional, is characterizing the next generation of entrants. Those featured in the pages that follow embody this change, hailing from a range of backgrounds with law a second career for many – some in tangentially related industries, others hailing from a past which couldn’t be further from the law – but all bringing with them an insight as unique as it is valuable.

The interviews that underpin this publication also reveal a profession in the midst of change, as the realities of working at a law firm in the 21st century ring true for all the right reasons. The impact of technology is creating opportunities for new ways of working, increased flexibility and the chance to fundamentally reimagine how lawyers should – and do – operate. With this newest cohort of entrants hailing from a generation of digital natives, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of those featured are showing leadership and helping drive this change, but the willingness of senior partners and management to respond by empowering some of their newest members in such a positive fashion illustrates the changing dynamics apparent in a modern law firm.

Helping to facilitate that change at Clifford Chance, particularly for new entrants to the firm, has been Erin Zucker, the firm’s dedicated assignment manager, who has been instrumental in transforming the experience of first-year law clerks and associates. Instead of specializing at the commencement of their professional career or operating under the rigidity of the typical six-month rotation, most new entrants now enter a pool for a two-and-a-half-year period, during which time they are exposed to assignments across the firm’s transactional practices. That very exposure – to a broad selection of practices and practitioners – offers the opportunity to glean an insight into what their own future could hold, while developing well-rounded lawyers with a more holistic understanding of the profession.

When considered in the context of a world (and business environment) that is increasingly globalized, one with less defined boundaries and practice areas that no longer operate in silos, bringing together the aforementioned threads – diverse pathways, modern working practices and holistic approaches to training – no longer seems like nice-to-haves, but rather professional imperatives.

The stories that follow paint a picture of progression and much-needed modernization for the next generation of lawyers. And while change can be a scary word, based on my interactions with those who generously gave their time as part of this undertaking, I can confidently say that if this is what the future leaders of the legal profession look like, we’re in good hands.

Alex Speirs, Editor-in-Chief, GC magazine

Lawyers choose a legal career for many different reasons. Some have it in their DNA and come from a family of attorneys. For others, the idea may arise during high school or college, or maybe after spending some time in another kind of job or doing community service. When the idea strikes, some are not certain and need time to explore; others are driven straight to law school. But they all have one thing in common: something sparked their interest.

My job is to help empower our lawyers. They arrive here on their first day having already navigated their way through law school, the recruitment process and a summer program. It’s an impressive beginning, and I find great joy in doing my part to help them shape the future of their careers – digging into the work and finding the right space to practice in.

Since the firm decided in 2015 to embrace a pool concept for our first years in the transactional practice, I have been tasked with implementing that process. Shortly thereafter, I began coordinating staffing within the litigation practice in collaboration with our partners and counsel. This approach offers significant benefits. For one, it keeps everyone consistently busy and allows lawyers to immerse themselves in a variety of work, where and when our clients need it. It also provides exposure to our international network of offices in a very fluid way – that’s a great fit with our culture as a global firm.

A big part of my job is getting to know people: what kind of work interests them, their professional styles and goals – their voices. What I’ve learned is that this generation of junior lawyers is shifting the prevailing wisdom about success in the law.

I’m also here to encourage people to step outside their comfort zone by exposing them to different types of work. I know that I am having a positive impact on someone’s career when they say, “I’m so glad I tried something new.”

What you will read in these pages is just a sampling of the stories that our junior lawyers could tell. From my perspective, the takeaway is this: whether they practice law for their entire careers or move on to something completely unexpected, they are on a path to forging their own success in an evolving field. That’s why their perspective is so valuable. n

Erin Zucker, Americas regional professional development manager, Clifford Chance

I’ve always been interested in the field of government. I worked in politics before going to law school, including on Michael Bloomberg’s 2009 campaign for Mayor of New York and later at the NYC Housing Authority as a strategist and liaison with elected officials. It was interesting work, but after four years, I started thinking about Big Law.

I was craving the intensity of a campaign, but also wanted a more stable environment where I wouldn’t have to worry about finding a job if the campaign was unsuccessful. My experience in politics also gave me a good understanding of what it’s like to work long hours and under pressure, so I already knew that it was an environment I thrived in.

As a lawyer, most of your training is done on the job, and you have to jump right in. I’ve found it helpful to be thrown into the fire a bit – of course, in a safe environment – because you often don’t know that you’re ready for more difficult work until you take on those challenges. I also value the opportunities I’ve had to work with attorneys who are at the top of their field because it’s given me the chance to learn how they work through complex issues and, over time, to make some of those strategies my own.

Everyone works hard here, and I really like that. As a junior lawyer, you don’t always have control over when you work, but once you’ve shown that you can get the job done, the “how” and the “where” become less important – and you’re given the space you need to balance other priorities.

Now, if I need to work from home because my child is sick, I can do that, and we are provided the technical tools to help us carry out our work seamlessly. Finding that flexibility and respect for other priorities, particularly in a profession that is outwardly seen as rigid, was very welcome and allowed me to envision working in this industry long term.

Now that I’ve been here a while, I can see that part of the game is about trusting yourself and relaxing a bit – not about your work or being driven in your career, but more in managing emotions. To be honest, if someone had given me that advice when I was in law school, I probably wouldn’t have followed it. But I’ve learned that if you go the extra mile and do everything you possibly can on a project – every time – then there’s no reason to worry. Just give it your all and have no regrets.

When I look back on my legal career, I feel very fortunate. I had the opportunity to attend law school in Argentina and get a master’s degree in international law in Geneva, Switzerland. Then I had the chance to work for Argentina’s Treasury Attorney General’s Office, a government department that represents Argentina in its international disputes. After that, an international law firm made me an offer to join its Mexico City office.

Today, I work at a firm that started its global expansion a long time ago: international work is in our DNA. That is obviously important to my practice, but I have found that it also makes us very diverse, and that means a lot to me. Whether I have found myself living in the United States, Latin America or Europe, it has been personally as well as intellectually enriching to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds.

I love that my practice involves consequential issues. International arbitration, particularly foreign investor-state arbitration, is fascinating because it touches many aspects of the legal, economic and political life of a country, such as international law, public finance and the rule of law. We frequently represent our clients in their disputes within regulated and capital-intensive industries that present unique and very interesting challenges. Matters involving certain economic activities can have a very broad impact – a power generation project, for instance, may affect millions of people.

If you want to work on matters that involve different societies and legal traditions, it’s important to be open and eager to learn – to stay intellectually curious. Every day, I find opportunities to learn from others, and I am grateful for all the experiences that have created that openness in me.

I think it is important to have a mentor, whether that is someone in a more senior position or a peer at your own level. Having those relationships and being able to talk with someone you trust helps you to improve your professional skills. It also allows you to see a situation from different perspectives, which improves your work product and, in the end, helps you achieve the best possible outcome for your client.

In terms of personal advice, I would say that perseverance is key. Most things worth pursuing in life and in your career are a matter of pushing yourself to make the most of every opportunity, discover what truly interests you, and then find the right way to put it all together.

Antitrust combines much of what interests me about law. This area of law presents the opportunity to immerse myself in a client’s business and advocate for its interests. The practice has a strong regulatory component, so there is much substantive knowledge to learn. The many recent developments in antitrust afford me the chance to work on cutting-edge issues. Of particular interest to me is the intersection between antitrust and technology.

My class was the first to participate in the firm’s Transactional Pool in New York, and I was soon drawn to M&A. I volunteered to assist the antitrust team, which sits in our corporate group, and I ended up spending half a summer in DC working on a major antitrust investigation. The DC office and the practice area seemed like a great fit for me, and the firm was very supportive of my move to DC.

The legal field today is rapidly evolving. There are more options for my generation of lawyers, whether that means working for start-ups or multinationals, trying out different or emerging substantive areas, or having the mobility to switch offices as your practice develops. There is a definite sense that people want those choices, and they want to be able to take ownership in developing their careers.

In my own career, I have identified priorities in my environment. I value being a member of a team where my input counts: when I propose ideas, they are listened to and taken seriously. Whether it’s about pitching for work or making a suggestion about tweaking the way we do something, I have focused on finding that dynamic in my practice. My partners and senior associates provide strong mentorship and support. That kind of investment is very important to me.

Be an advocate for yourself and take chances. Setbacks are a natural part of anything worth doing. Early in your career, it may feel at times that you’re not being given as many opportunities as you’d like. But you need to take the initiative to create those opportunities. Finding a way to advocate for yourself is not something that may come easily. However, I have learned that failure to act will hold you back, especially in our field.

As a young person reading books for school, I was attracted to characters who were lawyers – To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites. The pop culture portrayal of lawyers – what it took for them to understand a case and really help someone – resonated with me. I think I’ve always known that I wanted to be a lawyer.

After completing my undergraduate studies, serving for five years in the military and earning a master’s degree in regional studies, I was ready for law school. I went to night school part-time and worked at the New York Stock Exchange during the day. The job provided exposure to the financial side of business and the work of a transactional lawyer.

When the time came to select a firm for my summer program, I knew exactly where I wanted to be. I had always heard that my firm has an outstanding global reputation, and once I arrived and started working with our teams, my choice was confirmed. After the program, the firm offered an assignment to stay on as a paralegal during my last year in school, and from there, things fell into place.

As an intelligence specialist in the US Marine Corps, I received intensive training about different cultures and histories. These are important factors in a tactical or military environment, and the lessons translate well in an international legal practice.

Transitioning out of the military wasn’t easy, though. I went from wearing a combat uniform every day to wearing a suit. The firm’s support has been essential, but I’ve also found it helpful to integrate some of the daily rituals of military life. I still wake up early and make the bed: that discipline starts my process for the rest of the day.

One of the most valuable skills I’ve learned is to just march on, even when you find yourself in an embarrassing or awkward situation. The military tests you for that ability, and it’s very useful in the law. As a junior, you’re going to make mistakes. But if you can take that as a given and see mistakes for what they are, then you can learn from them and make sure you don’t repeat them.

Every day at work is a humbling experience: no matter how much you’ve learned, there’s always something new coming up. Having that awareness can help you check your pride and keep difficult issues in perspective. I’ve learned a lot just by watching experienced partners and associates face a new problem and then coordinate an entire team to tackle it.

Before joining the firm, I had already developed some insight on what to expect from a career in Big Law. Previously, my work as a litigation paralegal at an Am Law 100 firm led me to enroll in law school. As a student, I completed externships with the US Department of Justice, while developing an interest in corporate, securities, finance and private international law courses.

The time demand and personal sacrifices required to produce a high-quality work product were well-advertised as I began to evaluate my career path as an attorney. But the advantages of strong training and mentoring opportunities, the ability to work on sophisticated cross-border transactions for international clients, earning potential and advancement opportunities all motivated me to seek out a law firm with a global footprint and an international focus.

As part of the inaugural class of the Transactional Pool in New York, I experienced the value of the firm’s innovative “free-market” system for developing junior associates. This led to a secondment opportunity with the US capital markets group in Hong Kong, and the prospect of returning to the Asia Pacific region, where I had worked briefly as a summer law clerk in the firm’s Beijing and Shanghai offices.

Working on cross-border transactions in Hong Kong presents some new challenges and opportunities. Some initial challenges were very basic, such as learning different customs and market practices, and managing transaction logistics around different time zones and the diverse holidays across Southeast Asia. Other challenges are more complex and ongoing, such as reconciling the different approaches to a legal question across different legal systems. Language, customs and relationships are important facets of my practice here, particularly in negotiating a workable solution that satisfies all parties to a cross-border transaction.

A secondment is an incredibly rewarding experience. It has not only provided substantive work opportunities and extensive client contact early in my career, but also required me to adapt my skillset to a new training model and different office dynamic. I share an office with a US capital markets partner, which has provided invaluable access to a colleague who is successful at the highest level. Throughout any given day, I benefit from observing his approach to client inquiries, while also receiving instant feedback on a matter, or a seasoned perspective on how current events affect the Asian capital markets practice. The firm’s culture and quality are consistent across offices, but the secondment experience has shown me how our reputation is perceived globally and how we deliver our services to clients in various legal markets.

Throughout the journey, my mentors in New York have continued to be great resources, and that has meant a lot to me. Coming to Hong Kong meant leaving their practice in the interim, but they have supported my development and encouraged me to venture outside of my comfort zone.

Growing up, I didn’t plan to become a lawyer. I considered many paths, studying history and astrophysics in college. I briefly explored a political career after high school, working on a campaign and interning in a senator’s office. While it wasn’t the right path for me, I found politics interesting in many of the ways I now find the law interesting – particularly the shaping of laws and how this affects the way we think and live.

When I arrived at law school, I felt like everyone else already knew how the process worked and what was expected. In my second week, I was told that I had “missed the train,” and my odds of becoming a transactional lawyer in a big international firm were minimal. That energized me. If the train was already running, then I was going to run harder to catch up. I took a course on derivatives, led by two inspirational professors, and just followed my passion. Now, I’m glad that I didn’t have all that baggage going in.

On day one at your firm, you don’t know what your clients need, and you don’t understand the larger context. It’s intimidating, and the learning curve can be long and difficult. But as you get some experience and grow more confident in what you’ve learned, you’ll find that you can pick up the phone when a client calls and answer questions without stopping to get help. That’s when you know that your time and effort are paying off.

My biggest accomplishment so far has been expanding a client relationship. I went from handling an occasional assignment to being a key point of contact. We have progressed to daily phone calls, and more work streams are coming from this relationship. I’ve also met more casually with my contacts, away from the office, which has allowed me to learn about their values. As my own knowledge and confidence have grown, so has our relationship as a firm with this client. It’s been very rewarding to be part of that process.

I like setting goals. Outside work, I am training to compete in my first half marathon. If I’m working on something difficult, then I’ll challenge myself to learn it by the end of the month, or I’ll sign up for a demanding race just to push myself. I find my balance by staying very organized: I write down my goals and try to stick to them.

I think it’s a good idea to keep your horizon broad and become a well-rounded person before narrowing down to a career path. My firm supports that, especially with the pool system, which allows me to follow my interests and be authentic. Rather than obsessing about the future, I tell myself: relax, you’ll get there.

The law appeals to me because it’s like a language. Much of lawyering involves interpreting the language of the law and speaking up for your clients. As a lifelong stutterer and an immigrant who moved to the States during high school without speaking much English, I understand personally the frustration of not being heard. That is why I have always felt uniquely equipped to be an effective interpreter and a zealous advocate for our clients.

My initial thought was to become a public interest lawyer. Before law school, I worked for the Korean Ministry of Gender Equality as a translator. During the post-bar period, I took up a fellowship to do research on business and human rights for the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and work with the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees in Malaysia.

However, during law school I also began to appreciate the value of private sector practice. Big Law provides the best training platform, including exposure to a variety of industries, clients and lawyers specializing in different areas; this is a rite of passage I believe all lawyers should go through. You acquire skills that help you stay flexible and work with anyone, and the long hours help you develop discipline and organizational skills, as well as good stamina. So I took a different direction and joined the firm after graduation.

I remain committed to public interest, and I am happy that my firm supports pro bono work. It has helped me stay current on issues I care about – refugees and gender crimes – and I have been working on cases referred by the firm’s partner NGOs, such as the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and My Sisters’ Place. Pro bono work also gives me litigation experience not otherwise available to a transactional lawyer, and enables me to manage an entire matter directly with a client.

Above all, I love my practice; it’s been very rewarding so far. Last year, I worked on a CRE CLO transaction where we helped the client raise funds in the capital markets. During that six-month period, I took on more responsibilities, worked almost non-stop and developed a deep sense of ownership. Our client is a successful emerging company run by a group of brilliant market veterans. As a first-time issuer, however, the company was also considered an underdog, just like me – in a sense, we learned and grew together. The deal closed successfully; the client raised the needed funds and, more importantly, is now a credible player in the market, working with major US banks. Several months later, the client invited our team to dinner and made a point of thanking me in person, which I really appreciated.

I have recently gotten back into hip hop dance – something I was quite serious about during college. I’m normally a very shy person, so being on stage helped to build my confidence. It is so different from work, which is refreshing and recharging. By Monday morning, I am ready for the new week.

When you interview at various law firms, a lot of buzzwords get thrown around – it’s “collegial,” people are “friendly” and so on. I feel fortunate to be at a firm where it’s genuine; people come by just to say hi, and there’s a willingness to listen and change.

Before I started, junior associates rotated among our primary practice areas, spending six months in each. It wasn’t an ideal system, but it was the norm, and change is rare in Big Law. I was impressed that the firm was willing to try a new approach based on associate feedback. As a member of the first class working in the Transactional Pool, I found that it offered a wider range of opportunities – we have a dedicated assignments coordinator who really gets to know us, and the work is allocated in a mindful way that can be refined as our interests take shape.

Being open to new ideas can lead to both incremental and large-scale improvements. When I first arrived, we used desktop computers, but today everyone has laptops and the flexibility they offer. Small changes like that can have a larger cultural impact. If your senior colleagues can trust you to produce high-quality work on deadline, then you can take work home at night – or go offline to get to that workout class or take care of a personal obligation – as long as you remain generally available and accountable. It’s a sign that your personal life is valued, too.

Mindsets have changed about career expectations and how and where work gets done – even among clients, who are increasingly happy to save costs by having conference calls instead of in-person meetings. For my part, I’ve been focused on putting my head down and doing my best work. Nothing we do for our clients is mundane, and I love the complexity of cross-border deals, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. Once the work is done, I want to go home, hang out with my friends and spend time with family.

Having personal connections at the office is so important, especially in a profession where you work long hours. I’ve found a deeper sense of belonging by getting involved with the firm at an organizational level. Recently, I’ve been helping to plan events and initiatives for our Women’s Diversity Subcommittee with the goal of providing a platform for discussions of issues that include professional and personal growth, the need for female mentorship, diversity in client networking, and overcoming gender bias and creating organizational change.

I’ve also gotten more involved in pro bono work this past year – something the firm really supports and even credits toward our annual hours assessment. Once I began making the time for pro bono, I felt greater personal satisfaction in all the work I was doing.

I studied Arabic in college and spent time in various Middle Eastern countries, particularly in Syria, where I completed a Fulbright scholarship in Damascus. That was a great experience – the people are amazing, and the place is amazing. But I also saw a repressive society where the rule of law is not respected. I’m under no illusion that, simply through the practice of law, one person can address the structural problems of politics or human rights. But witnessing the complete lack of a stable legal framework, or even a sense of predictability in dealings with the government, got me thinking about what might be done. That’s what inspired me to start thinking about a legal career.

A good academic background prepares you well to think like a lawyer, but, in practice, it’s all on-the-job training and you really hit the ground running. Having a great formal induction was important when I joined the firm, but just as useful was the informal orientation that came from working on my first deal and being immediately involved in the work, even at the most basic level. It’s important to work with people who take the time to explain the context and really help you along the learning curve, which admittedly is very steep at first.

Everybody remembers their first big transaction. Mine was a wind project in Mexico. It was completely new territory for me. The deal involved a complex refinancing of a project that had been delayed for a long time. Of course, we had to get it right, but there was also a lot of pressure to close it – and close it quickly. We dealt with environmental and social issues, and challenges popped up at the last minute. It was tough, but we closed it successfully and everyone was very happy. One person was literally overwhelmed with emotion to finally get there after years of working on the project. When you’re in those last few months of a deal, it seems like it’s never going to end, but everyone has the same goal in mind – and that’s a good feeling.

What I’ve learned so far is that it’s essential to seek out people with specialized knowledge and build good relationships with your senior teammates. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your colleagues are your best resources, and you need a network that you can go to for advice.

When it comes to a high-pressure deadline or challenge, it’s helpful to pause, take a step back and think it through. When your team needs you to finish something, or you have client deadlines and just have a million things to do, it can be tempting to rush through your work. But take a second and clear your mind. It sounds simple, but in those moments, it can make all the difference.

I am deeply committed to building a career that is globally focused and intellectually stimulating. This is what led me into the legal profession and to my firm. Its large international reach, in particular, is incredibly appealing to young attorneys like me.

My interest in global issues and law developed early in life. Because of my parents’ work, I grew up in Saudi Arabia and spent a lot of time traveling throughout the Middle East and Europe until age 17, when I moved to Kansas here in the States. In 2012, I started my career in accounting, which I chose as a matter of practicality. That experience was valuable in helping me understand business practices and finance, but I eventually realized that I wanted more of an adventure – so I took my mother’s advice: you’ve always wanted to be a lawyer, listen to your instincts and go do it!

So far, everything I’ve worked on has been really exciting. Yes, you work long hours, but you are dealing with difficult, complex issues, and it’s exciting to figure out the best solution. Our cases often require creative problem solving, and it’s especially great when senior lawyers ask for your views and you can contribute in a meaningful way.

I love talking to people and making friends, which turns out to be useful as a lawyer. Networking allows you to meet interesting people and keeps you up to date on what’s going on in the field. It’s good to connect not just externally, but also within. You spend a lot of time with your colleagues, so it’s natural to be interested in them personally and to care about what’s important to them. People are very accessible here; we have a tight-knit culture.

The firm is focused on integrating technology to create efficiencies for both lawyers and our clients. I can literally plug in my laptop in the Amsterdam office or any other office around the world and just start working. I appreciate that seamlessness, as I think clients do as well. Tech can also significantly reduce the time it takes to complete certain tasks and has adjusted face-time requirements – providing the flexibility to work from home as needed, when circumstances allow.

I think junior lawyers value a sense of opportunity, and I like that there’s some ability to guide your own practice. The first questions I am asked when work is being assigned are: what do you want to work on? and: is there anything you’re particularly interested in? Whether your aspiration is to stay in Big Law for your entire career or to gain experience and transition into another sector, the firm is great about offering diverse exposure to a wide variety of matters and does not require immediate specialization. As a junior lawyer, that’s a nice environment to be in.

So far, I’ve lived more than half of my life in the United States and the rest in South Korea. I was born in Seoul and came to the US for the first time as a kindergartener, when my father took a job as an expat working in New York. We stayed for a few years before returning to Korea, and later, I came back to the States on my own to attend boarding school.

Leaving my family, friends and the life I knew back home at quite a young age was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. But on the flip side, I was exposed to different cultures, ethnicities, values and backgrounds, which broadened my perspective. I still enjoy traveling and learning about new people and cultures, so those experiences have truly shaped who I am.

After college, I went back to Seoul to be close to my family. I wasn’t settled on the idea of a legal career, but I did take a gap year to study for and take the LSAT. I still wasn’t sure about taking on the commitment of law school, so I decided against it and started working at a marketing and PR firm. The thing was: I had always thought of myself as “curious,” in the sense that a specialized career might not be for me. But when I thought about my mother, who worked in a specialized field while raising a family, I could also see that her choice has never held her back – and I came back to the idea of being a lawyer.

The law is analytical by nature, and that really appeals to me. I like to be able to see all the steps in a process and make sense of it that way. In law school, I decided to specialize in tax and went on to get my LLM. Tax is a great area for me because it requires you to be rigorous and methodical, but also creative in finding solutions for your clients.

When I started looking at firms, mine stood out because of its vast international reach, with a network of offices all over the world, including Seoul. It was exciting to think about working in the middle of that, and I got an offer to come straight into the tax practice.

Role models have been so important since coming here. My partners are teaching me to think, write and speak like a tax lawyer, and they care about helping junior team members become well-rounded. For my part, if there’s something that I don’t know, or an area that I’m not confident in, I won’t hesitate to go to their offices and ask questions. I think that showing this kind of curiosity demonstrates a genuine interest in the work of your senior colleagues, and that helps you build stronger relationships. I like that we have that openness.

My interest in corporate law was sparked midway through law school. In my second year, I took an M&A course taught by a professor who had spent most of her career working as a banker. Her unique legal perspective and obvious passion for deal work opened my mind to an area of law unfamiliar to me. Joining my firm’s Transactional Pool was a great fit, because, while I knew what I was generally interested in, the variety of transactional experiences helped me further discover what I was truly passionate about.

The process really began when I was a summer law clerk. I got to spend three weeks working overseas in our Frankfurt office, which was a great opportunity to learn more about the culture and processes of the firm, and see first-hand how international deals progress. This experience not only helped improve my work product and strengthen my transactional interests as I headed back to New York, but also taught me the value of building and maintaining strong, borderless professional relationships.

I was thrilled with the level of responsibility I was afforded at the start of my career. Early on, I worked directly with partners on sophisticated transactions and was given a high level of client contact. For example, I was fortunate enough to attend numerous client meetings, negotiations and closing dinners – all within my first year. The fact that I was trusted to help represent the firm at the highest levels was exceptionally rewarding and helped quash the doubts or fears that occasionally crossed my mind.

My growing confidence is also fuelled by the guidance of several mentors who push me to excel in everything I do – and that creates a cycle that feeds itself. By producing high-quality work and demonstrating an ability to take critical feedback, you earn the confidence of your seniors and partners. Then, they are more likely to provide a stream of challenging assignments that help you continue to grow your skills. Even more, my mentors provide the comfort to take risks, because I know that someone is there to offer advice and correct any missteps. That level of comfort gives you the freedom to ask questions, raise concerns or even challenge ideas.

Finding a mentor who fits your personality and work style may seem difficult, but it really comes down to being proactive, being assertive and casting a wide net. Engaging in the material, asking questions and taking every opportunity to discuss the broader transaction will show your willingness to learn and grow. And working with colleagues this way can lead to friendships as well as compelling mentorships, both of which are necessary to excel in a demanding work setting. Simply knocking on doors and doing the little things can go a long way in shaping your career.

I was inspired to become a lawyer by my father, an attorney who instilled in me the value of mutual respect. This has taken many forms in my career so far – it ties in with the desire to work in an environment that encourages growth and the exchange of ideas.

My own work style is to learn by doing and not be afraid to ask questions. Working in a very busy practice means that I have a lot of opportunities to test my knowledge, and that really works well for me.

Asking questions has played a large role in my growth as an attorney, but I’ve learned that the way I ask questions is even more important to gaining an understanding of the issues. I try to show that I’ve already done some critical thinking by coming prepared with possible answers: “I’ve come across this issue, and I think we can do X, Y and Z – what are your thoughts?” Everyone appreciates that, and it’s a valuable learning experience for me.

Organization is critical. We work on complex deals with many facets and a lot of moving parts. I’m not disorganized by nature, but when first starting out, I wasn’t sure about simple things, even just how to manage my paper and email files. But over time I picked up tips from other associates and figured out what works best for me.

Being organized also helps in balancing work and family time. Sacrifice is part of the game in Big Law, and I was fully aware of what to expect in terms of long hours when I started out. To balance that, if something comes up at work during the weekend, I’ll try to handle it, if possible, when my kids are asleep or involved in an activity. I’ve also reprioritized certain of my own activities, at least temporarily, for the sake of getting face time with my wife and kids. It’s never easy, but we make sure that at some point during every weekend we have family time – just us.

Mentors are very important – having someone to lean on for substantive and career advice, or just to talk to about life. But it also comes down to respect. I think anyone can imagine what it feels like to be a first year working with a partner on a deal and having to admit what you don’t know – even though everyone is expecting that.

I’ve come to a great stage in my career, still a junior but with enough experience to also be a mentor. Apart from the reward of helping others, it builds my confidence to explain things, because I also realize just how much or how little I know. Now, associates who are more junior feel comfortable coming to me, and I welcome that. n