Six months into starting at a law firm, a graduate lawyer was struggling to stay motivated.

Graduate lawyers & paralegals – does this sound like your story?

It wasn’t because the work was boring, or lack of interest in files, or anything like that.

What they actually wanted, more than anything, was to be fully immersed in their client matters.

And, since only a few months earlier this had seemed like their dream job, what had gone so badly wrong that they’d reached the point of wanting to walk away?

The underlying cause turned out to be something that they hadn’t realised was a really common stumbling block for lots of new lawyers.

Which is that horrible feeling of not knowing what to do.

When it seems as though you’re constantly confused & out of your depth.

Perhaps you’ve noticed how the pressure can begin to build up.

Maybe, like a lot of lawyers, you’ve already experienced waking up in the morning and wishing you could pull the blanket back up over your head & stay in bed rather than facing the stress of your law firm work.

To check whether you’re at risk of finding yourself in a similar situation, here are 3 common red flags for you to be on the lookout for:

1. You’re asked to undertake work without clearly understanding what’s required (but acting as if you’re fine).

2. Being handed a new matter and needing to look as though you’ve understood directions that have only been hurriedly half-explained (because you want to give the impression that you know what you’re doing).

3. Avoiding asking for clarification even though you’re unsure of what to do (since the senior lawyer seems to think that you’re ok with it).

If any of these red flags have become a regular feature in your law firm world then, to avoid being dragged into a downward spiral (both professionally and personally), action needs to be taken to prevent and neutralize the negative effects.

Here are three effective ways for you to retake control and turn things around:

1. Consider what you’ve been asked to do and break it down into separate parts.

2. Make a start on those sections which make some sense, even if they are only relatively minor.

3. Write out a list of questions so that you can clarify points that are unclear in a structured manner.

When you’re new to your legal career, it’s normal for there to be lots that you don’t know.

Nobody can expect to be able to automatically do everything without learning how, which means that it’s always ok to ask for clarification, direction or guidance whenever you need to.

RECOMMENDED BY LAWCOVER – New Lawyer Accelerator Program

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