Carpe diem: taking control of your career and making the most of development opportunities as a junior lawyer

The legal profession offers a myriad of paths for growth and advancement, presenting junior lawyers with a number of opportunities to shape their career. This article will focus on some of the broad career development opportunities available to junior lawyers that can be vital to them achieving their career ambitions. Although each firm provides different opportunities, by actively engaging with what is on offer both within their firm and through external associations, junior lawyers can actively navigate their career trajectory.

Find someone willing to invest in you

Day-to-day, junior lawyers have the opportunity to work with and learn from more senior colleagues, which can be key for developing both technical and soft skills. However, a number of firms also encourage and facilitate internal mentoring programmes where junior lawyers are matched up with more senior colleagues. This can provide a number of benefits including a ‘safe space’ to talk candidly to someone more senior.

The mentor dynamic promotes an environment in which the senior colleague is invested in the junior lawyer’s career and success. As the mentor can be from a different area of practice, they can often provide an alternative perspective offering valuable insights and practical advice. The mentor’s experience can be leveraged to better understand how to deal with clients, navigate the work/life balance and, in particular, provide networking and business development opportunities.

In large part what the mentor can offer will depend on the individual selected, so think carefully about who you choose. Some mentors will also be able to introduce their mentee to their wider network and the opportunities this presents.

Mentoring is often focussed on the ‘bigger picture’ in terms of the junior lawyer’s career aspirations, reflecting how they want to progress, what clients they want to target and any areas they want to specialise in. Discussing this with someone more senior can help junior lawyers navigate their career path more effectively.

A different perspective?

Junior lawyers should be on the lookout for opportunities that provide different perspectives that will help them to understand their clients’ needs and approach. Opportunities to pursue include international secondments, taking part in pro-bono work or spending time working in-house on a client secondment provide junior lawyers with opportunities to accelerate their careers. These types of opportunities enable junior lawyers to experience a different environment in which they can better understand alternative perspectives and motivations. Those experiences can help junior lawyers become more rounded in their approach.

In particular, a client secondment can deepen and entrench client relationships and ensure a better working relationship as there is an improved understanding of the client’s internal procedures, appetite for risk and commercial considerations. Where possible, junior lawyers should seek out diverse experiences or if they have their own ideas for how they can do this, they should be the driving force to make it happen. This can help junior lawyers build a profile both for themselves and their firm.

Build the practice you want

Junior lawyers should engage with business development whenever they can and, where possible, should seek opportunities to develop their own network. This can range from writing articles, recording podcasts, attending networking events or even becoming involved with professional associations.

I have found my personal experience of this to be extremely rewarding. Upon qualification I joined the Junior London Solicitors Litigation Association (JLSLA), which is a network for junior litigators up to eight years qualified. This has provided opportunities for me to attend lectures to develop and deepen my legal knowledge. The JLSLA has an annual survey where members can suggest topics that they would like to learn more about, which enables the committee to plan events where they know there will be immediate member interest. More importantly, the JLSLA has provided an opportunity to meet other junior lawyers at a similar stage of their careers. This has provided invaluable networking opportunities that I have been able to engage with on my own terms. This has helped expand my personal network, providing opportunities to make and receive referrals, and enhance my reputation through increased recognition and credibility. It is something I would recommend everyone to explore.

Conclusion

In summary, the key is to take control of your own career and pursue the opportunities that are available, and play to your strengths. Where possible, seek out more senior colleagues who will invest their time and experience to support your development. Most importantly, don’t wait for the opportunity to come to you, get out there and seize it.