Career Progression Moving from trainee to assistant to partner
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Career ProgressionMoving from trainee to assistant to partner
Career ProgressionMoving from trainee to assistant to partner
Paula SkinnerPartner
25 May 2012
Me!/ Background
/ Career history
/ Personal transition
/ Areas considered during appraisals
/ Your career progression
/ What makes a good lawyer?
– Historically
– 2012
/ What I have learned at each stage?
/ Top tips!
Career history/ Strathclyde University/ The Glasgow Graduate School of Law/ Dundas & Wilson - trainee/ McClure Naismith - assistant/ Scottish Enterprise Investment Team/ Sigma Technology/ Harper Macleod LLP/ Course Co-ordinator - Company Law/Diploma in Legal
Practice
Personal transition at Harper Macleod
/ Assistant – January 2005
/ Associate – September 2006
/ Partner – April 2011
Your career progression
/ Trainee
/ Assistant
/ Associate
/ Partner
Areas considered
/ Client relationships
/ Technical legal knowledge and business skills
/ Training, development and reviews
/ Teamwork
/ Financial performance
/ Improvement and innovation
/ Business development
Trainee/ Strong commitment
/ Professional and polite
/ Knowledge of law and willingness to learn
/ Communicates clearly
/ Plans workload
/ Punctual
/ Willing to adapt
/ Comes prepared for meetings
Assistant
/ Understands client’s business/ Appreciates how important relationships are/ Attends client events/ Adheres to firm policies and systems/ Ability to work in a team/ Takes full responsibility for own behaviour and
performance
Assistant continued
/ Suggests topics for training/ Able to recognise and admit mistakes/ Contributes to group discussions/ Assists in estimating client costs/ Delivers client service cost effectively/ Aware of firm’s wider client offering/ Involved in press articles, bulletins
Associate/ Takes client instructions
/ Gives “added value” advice
/ Can undertake competent work without supervision
/ Can suggest improvements to systems
/ Fixes mistakes
/ Leads training sessions
/ Conducts appraisals
/ Appreciates and acknowledges success of offers
Associate continued/ Can set meeting agenda and manage meetings
/ Understands important of targets
/ Maximises billing opportunities
/ Complies with Solicitors’ Accounts Rules
/ Pursues client opportunities
/ Develops proposals for future business opportunities
/ Networks
Partner/ Lead advisor/ Ensures others are building relationships at right level/ Works in partnership with clients/ Developed reputation in legal market as having good
legal skills/ Well developed variety of interpersonal skills/ Manages others/ Ensures clear objectives for team/ Contributes to ensuring team targets are met
Partner continued
/ Responsible for risk and quality of own work and team
/ Puts client and others at ease in social settings
/ Introduces additional work
/ Contributes to tenders
/ Ambassador for firm
/ Cross sell across firm
/ Intelligence/ Dedication/focus/ Attention to detail/ Argumentative?/ Confidence
/ Ability to deal with stress/ Good negotiator/ Experience/ Accept limited
responsibility at start/ Leadership
What makes a good lawyer? Historically
What makes a good lawyer? 2012
/ Personable/ Persistent / Innovative / Empathy / Attentive / Prompt at returning calls
/ Adaptable/ Relationship focussed/ Practical / Creativity/ Problem solving ability/ Understand client’s
needs and affairs
Qualities that make you a better person in life generally!
Attitude makes all the difference!
What have I learned at each stage?
Top Tips/ Speak to others within department
/ Ensure comfortable with systems
/ Familiarise self with research tools
/ Be aware of firm generally
/ Save good styles
/ Attend training and social events
/ Diarise properly
/ Be realistic about deadlines
/ Speak up (within reason!)
Contact
Paula SkinnerPartner
25 May 2012
t/ 0141 227 9271
e/ paula.skinner@harpermacleod.co.uk
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