The Rona: Can’t get a good Rookie down

Dear Rookie,

If there were ever a time to get your grit on, it is now! The world is in a crisis of unprecedented impact. Very few sectors, if any, seem to have been spared from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. If it hasn’t already occurred to you, the legal sector will not escape this period unscathed.

Now before you click away from this post, here is a disclaimer: This is not another doom and gloom write up about how we are all headed for utter ruin, au contraire. Here we spread hope! This is an invitation to a perspective shift, a call to silver-line this dark time.

I’ll cut to the chase…digital transformation is here! Well it has been here for a while but in just under three months the pandemic has accelerated the use of digital tools in the delivery of legal services. So what does this mean for Rookies? Why should we care so much?

It will become increasingly apparent that the work assigned to interns and Rookies can actually be automated and is in fact already being automated. So why should any law firm or institution bother hiring a Rookie when technology presents a cheaper and faster alternative? Even before the pandemic, entry level jobs were few and far apart and this is likely to get even worse.

Let me say this in a way that resonates with you. Look, the switch has flipped, TikTok, use your #StayHome time wisely because if you #DontRush to take action, the rest of your career may be a challenge. Get it!? Got it!

Here is the silver line…you can upskill and remain relevant. We love our Rockstars but their many years of practice means that, to some extent, they are set in their ways. Your career is still in its molding years, your mind is not as tainted and stuck in old models of delivering legal services. Agility is your superpower. You can reimagine the future and become exactly the type of lawyer that the 4th Industrial Revolution will require.

New practice areas are emerging right along side the new technologies. Grow your curiosity and decide on whether your want to play a legal advisory role, policy and legislative advisory or to contribute to digital access to justice.

Forbes lists Udemy, Skillshare and Coursera as three of the best online learning platforms. A good number of courses on these and many other platforms are free. Jump on to one of them and gain knowledge on something that sparks your interest and will keep you relevant. Future you will be grateful you started now. Use some of this ‘quarantime’ to inch closer to the 10,000 hours expert level. Consistency compounds so don’t stress about only managing an hour a day.

Pro-tip: take your chosen course with a group of friends or colleagues to keep each other accountable.

I am your resident optimist and I truly believe that not even the Rona can get a good Rookie down!

Happy learning. Stay safe!

Emmanuela