Transitioning from a junior bankruptcy associate to a mid-level bankruptcy associate can sometimes feel like climbing the staircases at Hogwarts: difficult and uneasy at first, but it eventually becomes second nature. As a junior associate, one learns the fundamentals of bankruptcy law, fine-tunes research skills, and finds an understanding of how to work with managing and senior associates and partners. Stepping into a mid-level position requires letting go of the handrails and transitioning into managing up and down, engaging with clients, and running the day-to-day of cases.
This ascension up the hierarchical legal staircase happens over time (rather than the day your title changes). While we are by no means experts, we want to offer a few tips and tricks we have picked up throughout our personal transitions from junior to mid-level bankruptcy associates in the hopes of making the transition as smooth as possible for others in the future.
The Role of a Junior Associate
There is a reason junior associates are sometimes referred to as “baby lawyers.” A first-year associate is much like a newborn baby, dropped in an unfamiliar place where they must learn almost everything about the work of actually being a lawyer. On-the-job training takes on a whole new meaning as a first-year associate. For Elysa, she still remembers the time a partner kept asking her to put the “caption” on a pleading but had no idea what that meant! She kept writing the name of the case in bigger and bigger font at the top of the page until her assistant finally took pity and showed her what a case caption was in a pleading.
After year one, there is still much for junior associates to learn about how to read, write and think like a lawyer. Particularly in the bankruptcy and restructuring space, years two and three are filled with new experiences like participating in a chapter 11 case from filing to emergence, or learning how to calculate new value for preference claims. While the day-to-day practice of being a lawyer becomes clearer in years two and three, there are still countless unknowns. The biggest role of a junior associate is to learn.
Transitioning to Become a Mid-Level Associate
Ascending to a mid-level position marks a shift toward heightened responsibility and a presumed proficient grasp of bankruptcy law. At this stage, a mid-level associate will be required to take on more responsibility compared to newer associates. This could mean drafting an entire sale motion (rather than just sections or assisting with research), directly communicating with clients (as opposed to being filtered through partners or more experienced associates), and delegating and managing junior associates (compared to only sending work upwards for review).
Expectations of a Mid-Level Associate
At Dentons, mid-level associates are termed “managing associates.” While this is certainly not a universal title, it is useful for describing the increased expectations of a mid-level associate: to manage. Mid-levels are expected to manage themselves, their workstreams and, to a certain extent, junior associates. Mid-levels are still learning, but they are also expected to take on more responsibility. Of course, all the skills that a junior associate is working to develop should become close to second nature for a mid-level. A junior associate begins applying skills like communicating effectively, problem-solving and business development, while a mid-level associate is expected to master these skills by taking more ownership in written communications, identifying and solving problems, and actively participating in writing and speaking engagements to develop their firm’s profile, as well as their own.
A mid-level will be expected to take the lead on assignments, delegating when appropriate. Rather than turning to a partner or senior associate for constant review, a mid-level should be able to receive a project and work through the steps of completion with much less oversight.
Tips and Tricks for Transitioning to Become a Mid-Level Associate
1. Understand client needs. Bankruptcy lawyers are often tasked with crafting innovative and comprehensive strategies to address the diverse needs of clients involved in bankruptcy cases or distressed situations. With increased client contact as a mid-level associate, it is important to be a powerful listener when a client is communicating with you to understand their needs, timing requirements and desired best outcome. Prompt, clear communication is key.
2. Ask why. Learning does not and should not stop as a mid-level associate (or frankly, at any level), and a mid-level’s questions should change from asking how to asking why. A junior associate may ask how to draft a particular motion, but a mid-level should understand why the motion is being drafted. What is the strategy, and in what ways does the work that I am doing as a mid-level fit into the overall strategy? For example, if you are asked to draft a section of a brief, be sure to ask for the full brief in order to understand how your section fits into the overall picture.
Further, do not be afraid to raise additional thoughts or questions about the strategy, particularly without the client on the email chain. For instance, have we thought of making this argument, or have we considered this angle? You will either learn something new or will have provided valuable strategic input, either of which is an excellent outcome.
3. Get organized. Make sure you have a good system for keeping track of time, ongoing projects and to-dos. As discussed, there is a lot more to manage during the transition from junior to mid-level associate, and being organized is key in making sure the transition goes smoothly.
4. Take advantage of training opportunities. At Dentons, we have annual, specialized trainings for each “level” of associate. The focus of the program for mid-levels this year was to teach managing associates about their broadened responsibilities and new forthcoming challenges, including the importance of becoming integral contributors to the firm, managing others, understanding the economics of a law firm, and establishing the groundwork for our own individual practices. Be sure to take advantage of these programs if your firms offer them. They are a good opportunity to learn, understand your firm’s expectations, and meet other associates at your level.
5. Be conscientious about your career. Take time to reflect on your strengths, preferences and areas of passion within your practice. Consider the types of clients and niche areas that resonate with you the most. Whether that is working on the debtor, creditor, investment banker or insurer side, for example, or perhaps more broadly in a specific industry (like health care), identifying which of these factors matter to you as a lawyer is important and can lead to increased job satisfaction and long-term success.
6. Be patient with yourself. Remember, it is called a transition for a reason. With anything, it takes practice and hard work to improve skills. Some days, you might still feel like a first-year associate; other days, you might say to yourself, “Wow, I think I have the hang of this.” Embracing the mid-level role requires a commitment to continuous learning in the ever-changing and complex world of bankruptcy.