For new attorneys, it’s no secret that the first few weeks and months on the job can be overwhelming. You aren’t expected to be an expert in all areas of law, but you are expected to learn quickly, communicate effectively, and act ethically and professionally. Getting into the groove of law firm life can be particularly challenging when working remotely, as newbies miss out on opportunities to learn from senior colleagues in person.
All of this makes the Bridge-the-Gap (BTG) programs offered by Practising Law Institute (PLI) especially useful this year. These two live webcasts, focusing on ethics and skills for New York attorneys, cover topics relevant to all practice areas and settings, helping new practitioners recognize tricky ethical situations, sharpen their communications, practice negotiations, develop confidence in their pro bono toolkit, and more. Speakers include an array of established experts, including law firm partners and others from private practice, legal services organizations, in-house, executive consulting, and the bench.
Stephanie Figueroa, Program Attorney for the first half of the BTG series, Bridge-the-Gap I: Ethics and Skills for Newly Admitted New York Attorneys, uses the word “grounded” to describe PLI’s approach to developing these programs. “It comes from conscientiously and seriously thinking about newly admitted attorneys and the tasks and issues they face. What do I wish someone had taken the time to explain when I was in their shoes? What lessons did I learn the hard way that could have been avoided? We aim to make sure that the advice and guidance given is pertinent and truly useful to someone beginning their legal career.”
Communication skills can be the most challenging to bridge between the theory of law school and the practice of law. “Whether it’s learning how to negotiate with someone whose natural personality is unlike your own, or discussing difficult questions with your supervising attorney or case matter team, knowing the best way to communicate and how to handle delicate situations don’t necessarily get discussed in law school,” Figueroa notes. With an understanding that all professionals can use pointers and practice to communicate more effectively, the BTG programs emphasize “common real-world scenarios and tough situations all attorneys find themselves in at one point in time or another,” she says.
A related topic of great concern for new attorneys is how to ensure their social media presence is compatible with their ethical obligations. Jesse Sands, Program Attorney for the second half of the series, Bridge-the-Gap II: Ethics and Skills for Newly Admitted New York Attorneys, notes that “there is a natural tension between junior attorneys’ need to establish their professional brand and reputation and the sometimes-opaque ethical rules around client confidentiality, communications with represented parties, and avoiding inadvertently providing legal advice.” Promoting yourself – or even just having a normal online social life – while avoiding those ethical pitfalls “is not something that is usually covered in law school, but can be the easiest ethical trap for a new attorney to fall into,” Sands adds.
For its 2021 BTG programming, PLI also made sure to address issues of concern for new lawyers during the “new normal” of remote work. “In BTG I, we dedicate over two hours to the ethics segment, during which the panelists will discuss the nuances of being conscientious of where you are working remotely in terms of whether you are admitted to practice law,” Figueroa says, as well as a general discussion of how to be mindful of attorney-client privilege when working remotely.
Similarly, in BTG II “our pro bono skills session includes practical advice on tackling the unique challenges of remotely representing low-income clients,” Sands says, “and our interpersonal communications segment addresses the novel challenge of how to build productive relationships with supervising attorneys in a remote environment.”
All of this might seem like a lot to take in, but Figueroa offers some key words of wisdom: “First, even the simplest tasks can become complicated if they’re done carelessly. Always reach out to a senior attorney when you have a question or need help. Finally, always remember that you’re not alone in your situation – all lawyers were newly admitted at one point! – and there are answers available to you.”