No doubt, ambitious and motivated associates have read plenty about what they “should do” as they begin their legal practice to be successful. I’ve listed below the six ‘must do’ pillars for associates to be successful, early and often.

1. Develop Productive Habits from Day One.  As you no doubt are learning, developing the discipline of effectively managing your time, harnessing the power of active listening, and maximizing non-billable time will serve you well throughout your entire career. These habits will manifest into your activities which, in turn, will determine your level of success.

2. Create a Marketing/Business Plan, Today. Though a number of my younger lawyer clients think their primary focus should be to learn their craft, setting written goals by way of a marketing plan will serve as the blueprint of your development as a lawyer and business generator. Having a written plan will provide for outlining actionable items and give you more control over your career. Today is not soon enough.

3. Proactively Build Your Network – Often, our newer lawyer clients tell us that they “don’t really know anyone” to which I respond “rubbish”. Think broadly. Enter into a contact list (Outlook or Gmail contact list will work just fine) names of your law school classmates, bar association colleagues, gym buddies, friends you run with, who live in your building, etc. Everyone you know could potentially be a referral source. Do not overlook the obvious, then get and stay connected with them via some communications means (social media update, e-blasts, etc.).  This will serve you very well as you grow your network.

4. Double Check Your Professional Image and Etiquette. You are not in Kansas anymore, ya’ll, and how you present yourself professionally inside the workplace as well as in professional settings sets a tone. Be sure you are making the “right” first impression. Aside from professional guidance, there is a fantastic new book (“The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success”) which can be a perfect primer in this area.

5. Develop a Marketing Mindset. Tweaking your bio and social media profile (with a professional headshot), refining your elevator pitch, and deciding upon your “targeted networking” venues are all part of developing a marketing mindset. As a private practice attorney, you must always have your radar “on” to recognize opportunities to present yourself as a “go-to” resource, to thoughtfully build your network, and leverage new business engagements.

6. Be Mindful of Your Clients. As a new attorney, you have many clients - - namely, your supervising partner, potentially all partners in your firm as well as any prospective new clients you may cultivate. Understanding clearly how to meet their expectations (and beyond), how to deliver extraordinary service and all that it entails in addition to producing an excellent work product will help distinguish you from your peers.

While there are space limitations to providing in-depth insights to all of the six pillars above, I will break each of them down in more detail in subsequent marketing posts. The implementation of these pillars is crucial to getting and staying on the top of the uber competitive legal services environment that we are in.