I recently attended a great webinar on career management for attorneys.
The panel, moderated by Shauna C. Bryce, JD, had some great takeaways.
The program, Level Up: Proven Strategies for Career Growth and Professional Visibility, was sponsored by the Career Center of the American Bar Association and is part of an ongoing career series sponsored by the Career Center (I’m proud to say that I sit on the board!) Click here to learn about other complimentary programs in the series.
Tristan Bramble, Peter Ferola, and Deborah Martin Owens shared their combined wisdom and offered up some gems including:
• Your career is your responsibility. Doing great work is table stakes. The lawyers who advance think proactively about what’s next.
• Relationships compound over time. Waiting until you “need” a network is too late. Invest early and consistently.
• Technical excellence isn’t enough. Advancement requires business judgment, executive presence, and the ability to see the bigger picture.
• Visibility matters (internally and externally). Treat partners, colleagues, and staff as internal clients. Be known for adding value, not just being busy.
• Think like a business. Whether in-house or at a firm, lawyers who understand the business of law (and their clients’ businesses) stand out.
• Start small but be intentional. A few strategic conversations, one article, one bar role, or one stretch assignment can change momentum.
• Broaden your circle. Some of the most valuable insights come from people outside the legal profession.
The biggest takeaway: careers rarely stall because of lack of talent. They stall because of lack of strategy.