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8 Young Law. (ABA) 1 (2003-2004)

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American Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division
750 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611-4497

Volume 8, Number 1

OCTOBER 2003

(Bointpuucating with Parters: anIs4allR
By Stephen E. Roth and Michael P. Sayne

e%)o Mics el ayn     tpe
Askheir respective  posiios  so
and the chair of a pracice group
in a lage fim. I'Ve given a bunch
of associate evaluations. rdl
Share somethig I'Ve lear-ned
fromi them' most poblems can
be,  head~edi of y caornn
'r- epca in and '
~ Ironlically,
buIIsiness i
good at con-
veying what
N       il-they' wantr' an-d
it Partesi v
associates assign-
mnts, and then immediately turn-
to the next task. NI clear to
them what form the project
should aad when it has to
be doe te    ust forge to-tell
the assQciato rng the work

When you get an assignmenask
like yo t  pend on it. Ask the
for she want it in (eVg, Copies
of case s or det-ailed w'ritten
Know your audfience. Y,(_o e
hadthis motbasic rue of
communcation a thousand
time's, but it bears repeating. Rt
applis to everythig fRom oral
argumrent tJ seling soap, and
not srprisinglyK i'T mOta.t ini
your inteation wit partners. Is
th-is partner all busiess, or does
she Ilke to chat, abutte big
game? Does he like you),.r
research in a detaile~dwrte
mlemo or an ora summary? Find
oUt hestl  of the peple wit
whvom you'l be interactig
Learn to make the cal1 When
there is a decison to be rmae it's
Very easy to go to a partne r's
offie, ie  tithrobem an~d
wait for her to tell you the soution.
Although there are exceptis,
mno st1 p art ners wio peia- t  e a
more proactive approah wheres
menrd a soGtin and ask for te
partnersoapprova and/or Oinpt.
This denmntates bot Your ini-
titie and your self-onfidence.
WtS also a good haittodeelp
Atrail someday you'll be a part-
per and yQ'XH be maodng the cSl.

An Assoviats Perspiertrv
Comnmunicate at all coss.
Remember that it is imnperatve to
keep lins of communication open
wvith parners, especialy thos fo
whom you ar handig mates.
As 1 wos once isrceyou
SO=l ThinK of the partner as the
inernal client. At ties it may
see m as- if youre eing assied
MMeS from parners who are
entrusting you with handing all
faces of representation. Ask the
parer to what exten e or she
wishes to be updated and confirm
in  somIre f'ashion thtteclient
understands towhm  uetin
shold be forwarded. Vf you fA to
communicate, Your internal clen S
left not lknowin wht vosawe
a lent    _! cal ad onay be at.rs
of osig addtioa assignments.
Be confident. As a forer
mr-anlage-r  n  nonlecgal fild ICan
a-ttest that nothing is mr  rsrt
ing than an emyee who is ari
to ofer suggestos and/or is so
lc ing i confidenc thah or
she offers suggestons wthi quali-
bly. Parners WaN realistc
wrepnses, yet expect suggestions
to be made wKi confience. A lack
of confidnce durinw omuia
io  ay ledto a lack of confi-
dence in you. if acnhevng such
conidecerequirs you to double

check reseac or revi a daft
on'e more  ti, you, wil be bs
served by doing so.
Knowe your audience. Mc
like snowflakes, no two partnes-
are Alke,. Lerig h    ann er !in
which parnrspefer to; be soe
to in Toe offic and
communicatedywth
regayrd n cases
can be a cumber-
some endeavor.
Hlowever,
those wih     ;
ness o    al
bass and rely
mnerits is  invalu able Som-e. part1
ners ma prefer a form-al relation-
ship wAhl others may demand a
far more r-elaxed atosi   As--k
othe asociaes.Ask yourme
apprache canspell disaster.
Stepen othis a_  shareholder i
aiWell & Berowit, where he is
mangin partne of the Knoxville
ofice_ and id head of the
commercial laion; practice.
the Non!~ Knoxvile offie and prac-
tics commercial litgation

Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
American Bar
Association

i     i .4 4  i

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