5 signs a junior lawyer will be great

Here are the five signs that a junior lawyer will be great 1. They research it first. The average junior asks you for the answer. The great one comes back with an answer and shows their working. It’s fine to be wrong. It’s not fine to be unprepare 2. They ask “why”, not just “what. Not “what do you want me to do”, but why this approach, why this clause, why did we change that sentence. They’re building a model of how you think, not just clearing a task. 3. They solve, not escalate. If a partner has to explain exactly how to fix the problem, they might as well do it themselves. It’s a good habit to bring a solution with the problem. 4. They give the one paragraph answer. Client asks a question, junior sends a 10-page memo. The client needed one paragraph they could read out in a board meeting. Commercial judgement beats thoroughness every time. 5. They bounce back fast. Lost the point. Partner’s annoyed. Bad feedback. The ones who go far don’t spiral, they reset by the next morning. Resilience is the most underrated trait in law. #lawyer #law #biglaw #solicitor