Credit: Nuthawut/Adobe StockBuilding an Ownership Mindset as a Gen Z Junior Associate
Many junior lawyers find themselves struggling with the more fluid expectations of legal practice. While most genuinely want to succeed, they seem to be missing opportunities to take ownership of their work and development, instead waiting for explicit instructions or treating assignments as isolated tasks rather than chances to grow.
January 17, 2025 at 01:26 PM
5 minute read
The leap from law school to law firm life has always been challenging, but many of today's Gen Z junior associates seem to be struggling in unique ways that perplex more senior lawyers. Here's how we—a legal recruiter and a coach and trainer to lawyers—view the situation: After years of excelling in environments with clear rubrics and defined goals (prompting students to obsessively ask, "Will this be on the test?"), many junior lawyers find themselves struggling with the more fluid expectations of legal practice. While most genuinely want to succeed, they seem to be missing opportunities to take ownership of their work and development, instead waiting for explicit instructions or treating assignments as isolated tasks rather than chances to grow. The result? A widening gap between the potential these talented young lawyers possess and their actual impact in firms.
Moving Beyond the Checklist Mentality
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