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Jon Van Gorp (courtesy photo)
With commencement now in the rearview mirror, recent law school graduates will soon take the bar exam before moving on to their first jobs in the legal profession this fall. As with all new things, these fresh-faced lawyers will have many, many questions — some of which they may be afraid to ask — about what their lives in Biglaw will look like, and how they can make the most of what may be a challenging experience.
Who better to answer these questions than the leader of one of the top firms in the country?
I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Jon Van Gorp, chairman of Mayer Brown, a top 20 Am Law firm, to get his thoughts on what incoming associates need to know about how they can succeed in Biglaw. Here is a (lightly edited and condensed) write-up of our lively conversation on how first-years can learn, grow, and build meaningful careers with their firms.
Staci Zaretsky (SZ): Hundreds of recent law school graduates will soon be joining Biglaw firms as first-year associates. What’s the most important thing they can do to ensure they start their careers off on the right foot?
Jon Van Gorp (JVG): Focus on connecting with colleagues, preferably in the office. And not just with the partner giving you work, but also with a wide range of people including business services staff teams, IT experts, and fellow associates. Not successfully building and maintaining internal relationships from the outset can hinder your development, so make these connections early and often. The relationship skills you develop by building internal relationships are essential tools for working with clients and generating new business later in your career.
SZ: Working well with others is the key to a successful law practice. What would you recommend they do to promote meaningful relationships with their fellow associates and partners?
JVG: I am a disciple of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The book makes two important points about relationships. The first point is about emotional bank accounts. If you help somebody, you make a deposit in your account with that person and the relationship grows. If you don’t help somebody when they need help, or if you continually ask for help but rarely give back, you make withdrawals from your account with that person and the relationship shrinks. Relationships are symbiotic and need to work for both people, so be aware of that fact and make a big effort to help others. Commit to building positive balances in your emotional bank accounts right from the start.
The second point is about listening. Covey’s rule is to seek to understand before being understood. Biglaw is complicated. As a new associate you will be required to address a wide range of intricate issues. Good listeners are a valuable commodity. Too many people like to hear themselves talk and therefore they often try to address issues before they understand them.
At Mayer Brown we have a free-market system where associates can work with whom they want, and partners can work with whom they want. We value this system not only because it creates incentives for positive behavior by both partners and associates, but also because it mirrors the reality of how partners build relationships to attract and retain clients. Associates who make an effort to give more than they take and who strive to develop a deep understanding of key issues typically succeed in this system. They build strong connections with the right people and stay busy.
SZ: Relatedly, what do you think is the best way to develop a relationship with a mentor, be it a senior associate or a partner?
JVG: Like many firms, at Mayer Brown we have programs that help mentees connect with mentors, but first-year associates should intentionally seek out mentors. It’s perfectly appropriate to be forward and ask somebody to be your mentor. I can’t recall a partner ever turning down a mentor request. It’s flattering to be asked.
As an associate at Mayer Brown, I had several mentors, and they all played a key role in the development of my career. I still have several mentors and mentees today. I find those relationships very rewarding, especially when the mentees reverse-mentor me! I hope my mentors and mentees feel the same way.
SZ: How can a first-year associate figure out what their legal specialty should be?
JVG: This is an important issue. Associates sometimes come to a firm with the idea that they can’t change their mind. More new lawyers should approach Biglaw with an open mind about finding the best career path for them. Practicing law is much different than studying law in law school. Law schools teach you how to think and expose you to various areas of law, but it’s hard to get a true understanding of private practice until you are at a firm doing the work. Life is too short and the work is too hard to practice in an area that you don’t find interesting and motivating.
Summer programs help with that process, but even after that experience, it’s common for associates to start in a particular practice area and not feel fully engaged and excited about their work. This is a hard job, and you really don’t want to get stuck in an area of law that you don’t find intellectually satisfying. The most successful people enjoy their work. If you don’t like what you are doing early in your career, be brave and consider making a change.
SZ: Once they’ve decided the area of law they’d like to practice in, is there a secret they should know about how they can succeed?
JVG: During your first year at a law firm, there will be a lot of things you don’t know how to do. Your more experienced colleagues understand that. When faced with a particularly challenging project, get it as far down the road as you can, but don’t torture yourself to get it all absolutely right. Sometimes first-years get so overwhelmed by the challenging tasks that they end up making errors on the simpler tasks they really should get right, such as avoiding typos, taking good notes on a call, and being on time for meetings.
Get right what you should get right, and give yourself a break on the more challenging tasks. You’ll get better the more you practice.
SZ: Even in a post-pandemic world where hybrid work schedules are prioritized, it can be important for newer associates to go to the office. Why is in-person work so valuable for first-years?
JVG: Law firms still have the apprentice/mentor training model. It’s similar to medical school. It’s sometimes described as the “learn one, do one, teach one” approach. You first learn how a task is done, then you develop your skill by doing the task yourself, and then you refine your talent by teaching others how to do it. That process works best when you are working collaboratively with others in the office. It can happen virtually, and we all appreciate the value of workplace flexibility, but this process happens more quickly and organically when working together in the office. And relationships with other associates and partners also clearly develop more organically when interacting in person.
SZ: With strenuous billable-hour requirements, working as an associate can sometimes be overwhelming. What’s your number-one tip on how new associates can manage the Biglaw grind and achieve a sense of work-life balance?
JVG: This can be a wonderful career, but you need to conscientiously take care of yourself. At Mayer Brown, we focus on mental health. One of the most important things you can do for your mental health is to make time in your workweek for healthy activities. The legal industry has progressed a lot in terms of addressing work-life balance issues. Yes, you often will need to work long hours and sometimes with little to no notice, but it is acceptable to tell a partner, for example, that you have a yoga class at 7 p.m. on Wednesday nights and expect to consistently get there. During a deal closing or a trial you might miss that class, but you’ll probably be able to make it most of the time. We are better lawyers if we can find a sustainable balance in our lives.
SZ: Biglaw is certainly a rewarding career path (financially and otherwise), but not everyone is cut out for it, despite what they may believe. What should new associates do if they discover that Biglaw isn’t the job they dreamed of?
JVG: Definitely don’t make it just about the money. The right job is out there for everybody, though not everybody finds their perfect fit. It’s important to always be aware of alternatives and have the courage to explore. We see people leave for in-house positions or shift to another industry. When I hear about it, I’m typically happy for them because change can be scary, and they have overcome fear and taken the initiative to forge a new path that might be more professionally satisfying. Biglaw is not for everyone.
On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, we’d like to thank Jon Van Gorp of Mayer Brown for taking the time to help answer some of the most pressing career questions for incoming Biglaw associates.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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