Your first few weeks as a young ­attorney at a new job (in the public or private sector) will be a whirlwind of trainings, signing forms, meeting your fellow attorneys and potentially even getting that terrifying first assignment. It should also involve introductions to your nonattorney colleagues—assistants, paralegals, office managers, supply managers, etc. While it is obviously critical for you to produce an excellent work product and develop a good reputation for yourself among your fellow attorneys, it is equally critical—though too often overlooked—that you learn (and quickly) how to properly interact with and treat your nonattorney colleagues.

What you are not taught in law school is that your nonattorney colleagues are actually the key to your success or failure as an attorney. What do I mean? Well, who do you think is going to teach you even the most basic tasks necessary to function an attorney: how to draft a letter on firm letterhead, how to print and (more importantly) where the printer is that you just printed to, how to send a fax, how to create a conference call-in number, how to upload documents to review, how to reserve a ­conference room, and the list goes on and on. These are all things you will need to know as an attorney and your nonattorney colleagues know the 
answers.

It is an unfortunate reality that your nonattorney colleagues, so-called “staff,” are often marginalized, considered easily replaceable, the first to go in any economic downturn, and, worst of all, too easily treated as second-class citizens—usually by insecure or self-centered attorneys who think their status as an attorney somehow grants them the right to treat others working with them (not for them) poorly. Because of the importance of nonattorneys to your position as an attorney, you should heed the following advice to ensure you create an ­effective, collegial and helpful ­working relationship with your nonattorney colleagues.

Be Appreciative, Not Entitled

It is a critical error (and demonstrates a glaring lack of social awareness/tact) to assume that because you decided to go to law school and someone else did not or had the advantage and means of going to law school that you can now treat those who might not have had the same benefits worse than you would your attorney colleagues. While there are of course going to be ­nonattorney colleagues who are not competent, most nonattorney colleagues, at least in my experience to date, are quite the opposite. Treating nonattorney colleagues poorly simply ­because they are nonattorneys not only adversely affects their motivation to help you (something you do not want to do when there is an ­emergency and you need help), but also damages your reputation with attorneys and nonattorneys alike. Even if a ­nonattorney colleague is just doing their job, there is no reason not to say “thank you” or show your appreciation for their efforts.

Be Friendly From the Start

As a young attorney at a new job, you are going to be slightly overwhelmed (whether you outwardly show it or not)–if you are not, please call or email me to let me know your secret. However, despite the newness of the situation, you should not let the pressure of this busy work environment make you hyper-focus only on attorneys and not on your nonattorney colleagues. Always smile and try to engage in conversation. This may seem like such logical advice, but you would be surprised how many people pout or look super serious when they are walking to and from an office or cubicle. A simple smile goes a long way to engender support. You are not going to be instant friends with everyone (attorneys and nonattorneys alike), but establishing a friendly rapport with your nonattorney colleagues at the outset will only help you when you invariably need advice or ­guidance on how to do something.

Supplement, Do Not Replace

An effective attorney (in the public or private sector) should not only be good at research, writing and advocacy, but also know how to do the more basic tasks necessary to complete their work. What that means in real world practice is that you should know how to, inter alia, e-file, hand file, format, prepare contract templates, and even populate a table of authorities/table of contents in a brief, etc. Now this may seem like a lot of extra effort for an attorney, but such knowledge—particularly for a young attorney who may not even have the benefit of an assistant—is important in case your nonattorney colleagues are not available (which they may not be if you have a late night filing or weekend work). The key is using this knowledge effectively to not replace your non-attorney colleagues, but supplement when required and necessary. As an attorney, you are going to be busy, do not make more work for yourself when a non-attorney colleague can help.