Article Written By Orlando-Hub Associate, Heather N. Falcon

During law school, the roadmap for success for students is well-defined and straightforward, with the steps needed to become an attorney remaining mostly unchanged over the years. Law students across the country know that their “journey to attorney” largely follows a set path: you must pass your courses, fulfill graduation requirements like completing pro bono volunteer hours and upper-level academic writing, and demonstrate your ethical competence, typically by passing the Multistate Professional Exam or completing a professional responsibility course. After graduation, most will sit for and pass a bar examination in their chosen jurisdiction and become attorneys.

However, while the law school journey is clearly mapped, the path to success for early-career attorneys is not quite as clear. Many young practitioners struggle to identify benchmarks for success after leaving the structure of law school and are unsure of how to grow their careers in a diverse legal landscape. Although it can appear daunting at first, building a strong professional foundation is not as impossible as it may seem. I spoke to attorneys from across the country—each with decades of experience under their belts and diverse practice areas and backgrounds—to pick their brains and provide thoughtful guidance on how early-career attorneys can build confidence, improve their work product, and advance professionally. With insights from these seasoned attorneys, you will be better equipped to confidently navigate your early career and build a lasting foundation for success.

How to Navigate the Arduous Jump from Law School to Daily Practice

The jump from law school to practice is quite abrupt. The universal struggle of a young attorney involves the strong desire to feel competent in the daily skills needed for practice, but often feeling overwhelmed by where to start and what to do to build confidence in the first place.

What advice do you have for young attorneys looking to grow their skills?

Be willing to volunteer your time to foster growth in areas that interest you. If you are interested in litigation, attend trials and offer to help prepare witnesses. If you are interested in mergers and acquisitions, become involved with folks in business and learn the complexities of due diligence and the details it requires. Whatever may interest you, take the time to foster growth in smaller ways, which will ultimately help you grow your skills.

–David B. Willis, Massachusetts

Just focus on the practice of law and try to stay out of the weeds, keeping your focus on the major issues and leaving the smaller issues on a side burner until it’s time. It’s important to ask your supervising partner questions to learn how to strategize and think. Recognize early that sometimes the things you have to do during discovery or early in a case are setting things up for a summary judgment motion or a trial. Remember that the practice of law is akin to a chess match, and sometimes you must lose a battle to win the war.

–Michael Ayers, Nevada

Watch, listen, and be open to mentoring (formally or otherwise) from the best lawyers you encounter early in your career. Your colleagues (and even your adversaries) will be your best teachers throughout your career. At the same time, resist the urge to be a mimic – watch first-hand how the best lawyers practice law, but then only take from them those traits which best suit you as an individual. Be self-aware regarding your strengths and weaknesses, and adapt lessons learned from others to develop your personal style. Also, learn to play golf. It's the one sport where people conduct a great deal of business and, if you play (even if not very well), you open yourself to more opportunities to network, connect, and learn from others.

–Robert Ryan, Indiana

Embrace continuous learning and do not rely on your firm, employer, or peers to teach you everything. We are professionals. Being a professional entails conducting yourself with accountability, integrity, and respect. To uphold the value and standards of a professional, you require knowledge, skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement and development in your field. In your own time, read and attend workshops, webinars, and training sessions relevant to your practice area. Stay curious and never stop learning.

–Carol A. Cesaretti, Illinois

Identify a specialty you are interested in or passionate about and focus your professional development around the same. Find related associations or conferences and become active in them. Also, you must understand the importance of self-study in the field of law, even knowing that it may not immediately yield economic value.

–Robert D’Anniballe Jr., Ohio

Find a niche that you are passionate about and develop it. Taking the time to become a “go-to” expert in a specific area or issue can help build your career and open you up to wider opportunities based on that expertise.

–Robin Khanal, Florida

Try to determine what you enjoy in law and pursue those opportunities. Don’t be afraid to try different areas of law or take on various types of cases. While you may want to build an expertise in a specific practice area, don’t think you are now pigeon-holed into one subject and cannot branch out. Also, take the time to build relationships within and outside your firm, and always be mindful to conduct yourself professionally. You never want to burn bridges!

–Arron Nesbitt, Colorado

How to Develop Technical Skills and Build a Professional Network

While “skill building” is a useful concept, it still remains a mystery to most and can feel like a loaded buzzword with too many descriptions. As attorneys, we all desire straightforward answers and a clear understanding of the steps required for a goal. These seasoned attorneys understood the struggle of taking those first steps as a young career professional. They offered these tips on learning the hard, technical skills and building a professional network.

What resources would you recommend to young attorneys to help advance their skill sets and build their networks?

Get involved in associations of all sizes, whether the American Bar Association or specialized areas of law like TIDA (Trucking Industry Defense Association) or the NRRDA (National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association). Professional associations for whatever field of interest are great ways to help grow and advance the skills needed to practice in those areas.

–David B. Willis, Massachusetts

Truthfully, just give it your all and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Always remember to be nice, be stern and fair, and to focus on your job. The people you interact with, whether opposing counsel, co-counsel, or parties in your day-to-day practice, may later want to retain you. Maintaining a good reputation in your practice will follow you throughout your career.

–Michael Ayers, Nevada

I think developing into a better and better writer is every lawyer's lifework. Reading the work of others, growing your vocabulary, and constantly working to improve your writing style is just about the most important thing a lawyer can do, certainly a litigator. Further, reading great writing outside of the legal realm is often the best way to expand your writing repertoire.

–Robert Ryan, Indiana

Online platforms like LinkedIn can be invaluable for connecting with fellow attorneys and industry professionals. Additionally, legal publications and podcasts can help keep you informed about trends and developments in your field. CLE courses, specific to your interests, help build your skill set. Joining and being involved in professional organizations such as the American Bar Association and local bar associations are fantastic ways to build your network. Attend everything you can in person and build relationships. Never leave an event without five new contacts, then follow up with those contacts. This goal forces you to build your network.

–Carol A. Cesaretti, Illinois

The best way to build your practical skills as an attorney is to go to open court and observe trials. The exposure you gain from watching other advocates in court and seeing how they approach arguments, examinations, openings, and more will be invaluable in developing your personal style and how you may want to approach your own practice of law.

–Robin Khanal, Florida

How to Sharpen Your Soft Skills

The technical skills needed to grow into the best version of yourself as a young attorney are, without a doubt, important. But equally as important, and perhaps not spoken of as much, are soft skills—those interpersonal abilities that allow you to communicate and engage with those around you effectively. While you may have taken a skills class in law school, it’s unlikely that your alma mater prepared you for the soft skills needed in the legal profession. These attorneys provide excellent guidance on honing the soft skills necessary to catapult you to greater success from the courtroom and beyond.

What soft skills are important to develop early in practice as a young attorney?

READ, READ, READ! Whatever you can pick up. Read the Wall Street Journal, bar journals, trade publications, and listen to podcasts—set aside seven hours per week at a minimum. Build interests and skills outside of law, like learning a foreign language or sign language. These things will set you apart and help you distinguish yourself from others.

–David B. Willis, Massachusetts

Be proactive and receptive to constructive feedback. Don’t be afraid to come up with ideas, but be prepared that when considering the overall strategy, your idea may not be the best option at the time. It’s important to try to understand why so that later, when you come up with new ideas, you can begin to incorporate this thought process into strategy. Always remember that it is called the practice of law and not the perfection of law.

–Michael Ayers, Nevada

As with most skills you seek to develop, listening is where learning both begins and ends. Most people think being a capable and persuasive speaker is the most essential skill of any attorney, but listening to others is just as important. I marvel at the number of times I've sat at the counsel table or in a deposition and watched an attorney ask a series of questions, but not listen at all to the answers the witness is giving while their case begins to circle the drain. More broadly than an actual practice example like that, it is essential that any young lawyer put aside their ego and eagerness to be heard and take the time to listen to others—witnesses, experts, colleagues, adversaries, judges—to learn from them not just facts, but also life lessons and rhetorical style.

–Robert Ryan, Indiana

Time management, communication, and problem-solving are essential to develop early in a legal career. With tight deadlines and heavy caseloads or projects, you need to be organized and assume every project will take three times longer than you anticipate. Never just meet a deadline, get days ahead of it. Strong written and verbal communication skills are also important to master early on. Communication is essential in client interactions, depositions, and courtroom settings and includes active listening, presentation skills, and adaptability (adjusting your communication style based on your audience). Problem solving is another skill to concentrate on as a young attorney. You need to think critically, analyze information, develop solutions, and think outside the box. Do not expect anyone to hand you a solution; be prepared to research, read, think, communicate, and offer a solution. You might be spot on or completely off target, but you need to spend the time pushing your brain through that process to become a better attorney and advocate.

–Carol A. Cesaretti, Illinois

Find a way to differentiate yourself from others and focus on the tools and attributes you need to communicate effectively with your current and prospective clients on an ongoing basis. Always know your audience and their concerns in their business profession or life. When you can find solutions to difficult issues your clients face, or will face, because you understand their problems, it sets you apart and above the rest.

–Robert D’Anniballe Jr., Ohio

Accepting criticism and adjusting accordingly are key soft skills for a young attorney. Remember that the feedback you get from supervising attorneys is meant to help you grow and develop, so take the critique and learn from it.

–Robin Khanal, Florida

Communication is one of the best skills you can develop early in your career. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you are drowning. It’s easy to fall into the trap of always wanting to say yes to any project or case given to you and being afraid that saying no will remove you from opportunities or goodwill. Communicating your boundaries or needs to your partner is important to your future success. Also, find a mentor within your firm whom you admire and trust, who can help guide you in prioritizing tasks and even help you know what questions to ask as you start your career.

–Arron Nesbitt, Colorado

How to Establish Your Personal Brand

It may seem like a tall order to make changes to your personal attributes rather than implementing new soft skills or learning technical skills. However, staying mindful of personal qualities and characteristics that make a successful attorney can provide a multitude of benefits, including career advancement, developing leadership skills, and teamwork. Taking care to improve your personal development can set you apart from others early on, and these seasoned attorneys have the inside scoop on the qualities they have seen that make stellar young attorneys.

What qualities help make a well-rounded and successful young attorney?

Curiosity, creativity, and thinking outside the box are valuable qualities to develop. Also, you must learn how to anticipate client needs. You need to be able to think about what your client may want before they ask for it, and provide them with possible solutions. And don’t be afraid to be different or think differently, because those are the people who change the world.

–David B. Willis, Massachusetts

Accountability is the number one quality you must develop. You have to try to do your best, be proactive, and get the job done in a timely manner. Also, develop your own style and don’t force yourself to adapt to someone else’s advocacy style just because it works for them. I always tell my associates how I would approach an issue, but my approach may not work for them. Remember that 50 percent of winning an argument is convincing the other side that you know you are right. If you are not being genuine to yourself and your own style, it will be extremely hard to convince someone that you are right.

–Michael Ayers, Nevada

Self-awareness is a big key. Be objective about yourself in recognizing your strengths and acknowledging your weaknesses. Then (with apologies to Bing Crosby), accentuate the positive and eliminate (or at least minimize) the negative. Play to those strengths and seek assignments where you can excel. Also, never forget that the law is a business. Of course, you should work constantly to improve as a lawyer, but often the quickest path to success in a law career comes to those who also effectively market their skills. As you evolve as a lawyer, constantly remain mindful of developing a network of potential clients by demonstrating how you add value and making certain that they know it was you who made a real difference in solving their problems. You can be the greatest lawyer on the planet, but if you haven't done an effective job marketing yourself, you risk toiling forever in anonymity. It can be a tough pill to swallow, but it's often reality that the most successful attorneys aren't the best lawyers—just the best salesmen.

–Robert Ryan, Indiana

Successful young attorneys all have heart in the game. They are professionals who possess resilience, a strong work ethic, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. They are proactive in seeking opportunities for growth and are willing to put in the effort to excel. They want to become experts in their field, and they commit to outside organizations and engagements to help them grow. They build relationships and network, are thoughtful in their actions, and share in their journey.

–Carol A. Cesaretti, Illinois

Adaptability is one of the most important qualities you can develop as a young attorney. Recognize that you will need to continue to transform as the law and legal landscape change. Also, don’t be afraid to remake yourself as opportunities and challenges are presented to you in life.

–Robert D’Anniballe Jr., Ohio

Being responsive and organized are the most important qualities you can develop early on. Life as an attorney can be hectic, so creating systems to maintain organization is pivotal. Responsiveness can mean communicating with your clients about timely updates and developments or delivering work products promptly to your clients or supervising partner. These qualities help set you apart in the legal field as a dependable attorney.

–Robin Khanal, Florida

The best young attorneys have a little fire, a lot of eagerness, and an inherent curiosity about what they are doing and why they are doing it. Passion for an area of law helps keep the drive to succeed and enables that spark of success and drive to win. Find what feeds your fire and do it!

–Arron Nesbitt, Colorado

What Attorneys Wish They Had Known Early in Their Careers

Hindsight is always 20/20. But in the moment, it’s hard to appreciate the phase of life you are in while you are actively experiencing it. Being a young practitioner can be intimidating and full of uncertainty, and these attorneys have one last piece of advice to help you keep your current professional phase in perspective.

What do you wish you knew as a young attorney?

I wish I had taken more practical skills classes or interned in as many different fields of law as I could. There are so many varied areas of law out there, so try as many as you possibly can. What you thought coming out of law school or what you may begin practicing for a few years may not be what you are truly passionate about. Find your passion.

–David B. Willis, Massachusetts

I wish I had known that law school really would not teach me much about practicing law and that good support staff is the key to your development as an attorney. Paralegals, especially those who have been at your firm for a while and are working under your supervising partner, are integral to helping you know everything about the firm and what your supervising partner likes and dislikes.

–Michael Ayers, Nevada

As a young attorney emerging from years spent in the ivory tower of academia, I wish I had a better sense that law is, in the end, just a business like any other. Yes, there are isolated occasions when you have the opportunity to debate lofty philosophical concepts regarding arcane points of law, but, unlike law school or college, the actual practice of law is more a matter of rolling up your sleeves and doing the grunt work necessary to represent your clients best. I think the practice of law, especially for a younger lawyer, is more about perspiration and dedication, rather than education.

–Robert Ryan, Indiana

Reflecting on my early years, I wish I had a clearer understanding of the importance of building and nurturing relationships, both within and outside the firm. The demands of the legal profession can be intense, and cultivating a robust network can make a significant difference in your career trajectory.

–Carol A. Cesaretti, Illinois

I wish I had known the importance of developing a specialty early on in my career. Having an area of specialization you are known for helps advance your career and the opportunities you are given.

–Robert D’Anniballe Jr., Ohio

Looking back, I wish I had recognized the importance of adaptability in the legal profession. Embracing new technologies, adapting to client needs, and staying informed about emerging legal issues are key skills to begin developing as a young attorney that will take you far in your career.

–Robin Khanal, Florida

I wish I had realized that even as a young attorney, I could control and direct my own path. You are the commander of your own ship and have the ability and right to find your passion. If you don’t like an area of law, talk to your partner and brainstorm other areas you may want to explore. If you don’t like speaking in court and don’t want to be a litigator? You don’t have to! Finally, don’t be afraid to set boundaries or say no. Overextending yourself as a young attorney can quickly lead to burnout.

–Arron Nesbitt, Colorado

Always Seek to Improve Yourself as a Young Lawyer

With this valuable insight gathered straight from those who have already walked the same path, you can confidently step forward with the tools and guidance to form a solid foundation for professional success. Although the benchmarks for growth as an attorney are more varied and subtle at times, using these tips will provide the structure needed to advance your career and become a well-respected professional.

©2025. Published in TYL, July 15, 2025, by the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association or the copyright holder.