Biglaw Quotes

“Procrastination is tantamount to a death wish.”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review

“Similarly, if things are slow and I am trying to get more work by approaching various partners, as we discussed in the last chapter, I keep all of those emails I send asking for work. I want to be able to show instantly that I have not been sitting around or enjoying three-hour shopping lunches when I could have been profitably employed. If I am trying to get more work in a certain area, in order to develop specific skills that were found lacking in a performance evaluation (e.g., more depositions, more writing opportunities, work with experts, etc.), I keep the emails I write to partners asking about those kinds of opportunities”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review

“And, on the subject of preserving your job, do not admit to your own errors, oversights or screw-ups in writing, no matter how trivial. You do not want to give anyone any ammunition that could later be used against you – and this includes your friends and those seemingly laid back, sympathetic senior associates with whom you might work. This awareness should always be present and should govern all of your actions. Do not give in to the impulse to write the sheepish, but seemingly harmless, “I’m so sorry”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review

“Do not memorialize problems, ever.”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review

“Examine Analyze Compile Draft Edit Supervise Manage Oversee Assemble (exhibits for witness interview of . . . ) Address and resolve (technical issues in document review platform with vendor) Track (status of ongoing review projects or discovery work streams) Strategic discussion Tactical discussion Assist (with the deposition/interview/preparation of . . . ) Prepare Provide (feedback for staff attorneys for quality control) Finalize Build (list of key employees) Create (case chronology timeline; tracking spreadsheet of ongoing work flow and research assignments, etc.) Summarize Submit Assess (litigation strategy for client presentation) File (motion to dismiss . . . ) Participate (in client conference) Update Confer Notice two verbs that I did not include in the list: Review and Code. I never use these words. Biglaw associates do not review and code documents. That”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review

“but you need to have a strong, unshakeable sense of why you made the choice to enter Biglaw and what you hope to get out of it. If you do not have this focus to motivate you, drive you on through rough times, give you solid, achievable goals or at least a purpose, Biglaw is perfectly capable of crushing the soul out of you and leaving you broken and bitter by the side of the road.”
― Sarah Powell, Biglaw: How to Survive the First Two Years of Practice in a Mega-Firm, or, The Art of Doc Review