It is no secret that success in the legal profession, at a minimum, requires professional excellence, dedication and hard work. But are there any other practical things a new attorney can do to maximize the likelihood of career success? At a recent conference sponsored by the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group (PDLG), career strategy experts Werten Bellamy and Milana Hogan offered to PDLG Fellows Program alumni some invaluable advice on how to achieve a rewarding legal career, placing emphasis on relationship building and a resilient mindset.
Bellamy observed that new attorneys need to make the effort to understand not only what is expected of them, but also why it is expected and how they can achieve it. To him, joining a law firm as an associate is just like being a rookie in a professional sport. Bellamy reminds us that when we receive our law licenses, we enter a realm where “everybody can ball,” meaning that everyone has proven they have the requisite skills and intellect to practice law. Similar to becoming a professional athlete, however, the requisite skills alone do not guarantee success and young attorneys must continue to make a conscious effort to differentiate themselves within their organization in order to succeed in the profession.
