Behind the Biglaw Curtain: Demystifying the Junior Associate Experience - How to Succeed As a Junior Lawyer in Biglaw

Book Synopsis: Behind the Biglaw Curtain – Demystifying the Junior Associate Experience does just that – it gives you an insider’s view on what it takes to succeed as a junior lawyer in the elite law firms of the world that are collectively known as “Biglaw.” While each firm is different, there are some universal truths about what an associate needs to do to succeed at every one of them, and those secrets are all in this book. It is not that difficult to be an average lawyer or an adequate junior associate. But it is difficult to be an outstanding or exceptional one, and that is what this book is here to teach you. Broken down into 25 easily digestible chapters, this book will serve as your guide throughout your junior associate years. With advice ranging from the importance of working with people at the firm of all levels (from the paralegals to the senior partners), to understanding what it means to bill your hours and how to do this the right way, to owning up to and handling your mistakes, to taking a vacation (there is an art to this in Biglaw), to learning how to play the game that is Biglaw, this book will show you how to get ahead. This book is for law students looking for information on what it is really like to work in Biglaw and who want to prepare for their first day on the job. Law school can only prepare you so much; what you need is information from the inside on what is expected of you once you enter the working legal world. It is for those Biglaw associates out there who are struggling with the day to day demands of the job, as well as those who are already excelling but who want to take their careers to the next level and become even better at what they do. And it is for Biglaw senior associates and partners, too, who haven’t been junior associates for many years. Think of this book as a refresher course for you. Are you assuming things about what your junior associates should know how to do, but they keep disappointing you by not meeting your expectations? This book will help you understand (again) what it was like to be a junior associate and what things they still need to learn. (Alternatively, you can just give your junior associates a copy of this book and tell them to read it and implement the advice – you’ll definitely be pleased with the results.) Marissa Geannette was an associate at a top-20 international Biglaw firm in New York City for eight years and in this book she draws on that experience and gives you practical tips on how to become an outstanding Biglaw associate. No matter your ultimate career goal (whether it is Biglaw partnership, paying off your student loans and finding another legal job, or something else entirely), this book will help you navigate those first few years of Biglaw when it can sometimes feel as though you aren’t doing anything right. With this book in your hand, you'll know you're doing everything in your power to make it in Biglaw and beyond.