Know Better, Do Better

Lweendo Haangala is one of my favorite Senior Counsel and the type to see potential in you and hound it out of you.  She is an advocate of over 4 years of progressive legal experience which includes work in private practice and in-house, with a focus on commercial and corporate practice. I hope you enjoy this read and apply every single word that you can.

Happy Reading!

Edwina

Dear Rookie Advocate,

You passed the bar. Well done. It’s going to be an easy ride from now on, the hard work is done. Oh but it isn’t! The thing is you have made it to the other side. On this other side the assumption is you are learned and stemming from that no one will hold your hand. “When you know better, you do better”, hopefully with the little knowledge I have, you will be able to do better;

On the off chance that you came across this post and you are not an Advocate yet here is a tip for you, search for an internship while in university. You do not have to wait to get your degree or start your Directed Research to begin internship hunting. Everyone is hunting so what will set you apart? Grades may not be enough. Try and start your hunt in second year of Law School during your vacation. Hound the firm every holiday after that, work hard enough and they will offer you an internship when you head to ZIALE.  If this is not relevant to you, do pass this tip on to a junior who looked up to you at University;

Again, just in case you are reading this and you haven’t crossed over, remember to each his own. Find what works for you. Find your niche even while at ZIALE. Not everyone needs to be in a study group or to attend the extra classes offered by Mr. Chimuka and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, do not be afraid to seek clarity and ask for help as and when needed. Your lecturer actually wants you to succeed and doesn’t mind being “bothered” to guide you or walk you through that past paper question you cannot wrap your head around.

You have cleared ZIALE. Well done. It should be easy sailing from here, but guess what, you will likely be thrown off the boat into the deep end without a life jacket. It may feel like you are sinking, but remember those people you studied with, those allies you made during the hectic year at ZIALE, one of them may just throw you the life jacket you need. Do not be afraid to call on them.  No one will hold your hand from here on, and as you are now regarded as learned, make those mentorship connections as soon as you can. Imagine being able to call on State Counsel for guidance on legal issues that make you feel out of depth. A good lawyer is one who knows where the law is found, a great lawyer is one who utilises all resources available to them.  Also, that circle of friends, you will rise together to the top of the food chain, one of them will one day be your biggest client. Cultivate those circles.

You never stop learning. If there is a workshop, seminar or any talk organised by the Association, attend it. If payment needs to be made, present a cost benefit analysis to the partners to show them how the training will benefit the firm. You will need to justify the payment, it is not a matter of right, be prepared to do this.  The harshest of lessons will come from the mistakes you will make along the way. It may be hard in the moment, allow yourself to feel whatever emotion washes you over in the moment, but then chin up and take the lesson and move forward.

You may have crossed over to the mythical other side, and yes you are not plankton anymore, but you are still at the bottom of the food chain. Your boss really doesn’t hate you but they are not your friend either.  You will be put through your paces and have to put in those extra hours at work. You see dear Rookie, passing the bar doesn’t mean a bigger pay day and a fancy car, it means longer working hours and more responsibility. Take it with both hands, be patient with yourself.

Balance is extremely important to avoid burnout. Those leave days, there is no need to commute them. Your peace of mind is directly related to your output at work, ensure you take the time you need. Self-care is not just a millennial concept; it is important to ensure you always have your wits about you.

You will have someone below you in the pecking order. They will look to you for guidance. You will be their “mentor” yes Rookie Advocate, you are not too young to be a mentor. They will make mistakes. Do not throw them under the bus, their mistakes are as much your responsibility as their triumphs. Own them both.

Keep track of the work you are doing, keep track of billings (set a monthly target for yourself, 3x your gross is always a good place to start), keep track of all the victories you score on behalf of clients. Remember the firm is a business, find out how you can positively contribute, attend those seemingly annoying expos, show your boss the firm matters to you. This is important when you are negotiating a pay rise or requesting sponsorship. You are as valuable as your billables.

Avoid complacency. Just because you have drafted a contract of sale, mortgage deed or completed a PACRA Form 3 a hundred times over should not prevent you from reading and re-reading your work. If ever you feel a task has become so mundane you can do it in your sleep, look up the story of the million-dollar comma. If that does not snap you back to meticulousness, then nothing will.

Finally, how old were you when you decided you wanted to be a lawyer? 16? Do not let the decision you made when you were barely legal hold you at ransom for the rest of your life. You are in charge of what you do with your career. It is okay to hang up your Practicing Certificate and do something completely different with your life, it is okay to not want to have to pass through the corridors of justice every day and it is really okay to have an unorthodox legal career (just don’t end up before the Legal Practitioners Committee).

Get in touch with us if you have any questions for us or for the author.