The story goes that, the day after his inauguration, President Ronald Reagan sat in the Oval Office with his advisors and said, “What the heck do I do now?”  At least Reagan knew that he was president.  For many young U.S. lawyers who took the bar exam last week, they don’t know if they passed or what they will do with their careers now.  Knowing whether they passed is just a matter of time and waiting.  No point fretting over it.  What they should be focusing on is the “what now” question.
In today’s business environment, law students and career placement offices are faced with unprecedented uncertainty.  Law students must focus on launching their legal careers, not merely on finding jobs. Placement offices should help law students maintain that perspective.  Here are the three preliminary questions that law students need to answer when deciding on their future legal careers.
1.   What’s your passion? Perhaps you imagine yourself arguing in front of a jury, or maybe you’re the analytical type longing to pour through mountains of statutes and cases in search of the magic piece of information that will sink the other side.  Could you be the next big dealmaker?  What about public service or government jobs?  Are you an entrepreneur at heart who has always cherished the thought of building your own business, or would your dreams be solidified by running your fingers across your embossed name at the top of the firm’s letterhead?  Whatever it may be, the first step in launching your career is determining what it is you truly want to accomplish.  You have to love what you do, so figure out what you love doing. After identifying your goal, you can work backwards from there to develop smaller milestones that will help you stay focused and bring your dream to fruition.
2.   Understand the problem. The future belongs to those who can adapt.  It’s easy to lay blame on the lagging economy, your law school, outsourcing and countless other factors.  Regardless of the current situation, laying blame will not help anything.  The days of sitting in a plush office charging $600 an hour with countless billable hours happily nestled on the horizon have vanished from most law firms.  As corporations face the reality of slashed legal budgets, they find themselves turning away from stereotypical legal providers and towards more affordable alternatives.  During this transitional phase, success will come from willingly changing with the climate.  Ask for ways to sharpen your skills, seek out training to become more flexible and open to change, and strive to become more competitive. Take control!
3.    Remember children’s television. Do you remember watching children’s TV shows when you were little?  Remember how those shows emphasized how special you are?  Despite all of that, why do we place so much emphasis on fitting in?  We all have unique attributes that have prepared us for something special.  Maybe you speak several languages.  Perhaps you have spent time abroad.  Did you work in the family business growing up?  Did you have a career before law school?  Sit back and think about which life experiences have made you special and unique. Chances are, somewhere in there is a career path that is specially suited to you.  I cannot tell you what that is.  I can only suggest that you think long and hard about this so that you can create a unique career as opposed to taking a cookie-cutter approach.  If you need help, find a mentor.
This is a very scary time for many young lawyers who are either entering the legal market or are early in their careers.  Adapting and succeeding will not be easy.  But that is precisely why this is a wonderful time to identify and exploit out-of-the-box opportunities.

A Fresh Perspective

Just like our planet, the world of law goes through climatic changes.  In 2009, we recognized that the legal climate changed.  The billable hour and the dominance of large law firms have been questioned.  Contract lawyers, legal outsourcing, e-discovery, and a host of other developments have been the topics of discussion at CLE presentations and in conference rooms all over the world.

The future will belong to those lawyers who thrive by staying out of their comfort zones through innovation. This blog site is a labor of love by the men and women of Atlas Legal Research, L.P.  Our dedication to the law and the legal profession has emboldened us to open this forum in an effort to help all lawyers embrace innovation and adaptation and, thereby, become better and stronger advocates.

History tells us that innovation and adaptation will win.

Humanity’s beginnings

How did modern humans defeat Neanderthals in the race for survival?  According to scientists on the History Channel, National Geographic, and other sources, modern humans had a special advantage over their more muscular counterparts.  Not everyone agrees with the idea of evolution, but the concepts that emerge from the argument are fascinating when viewed from a 21^st Century prism.

In the human vs. Neanderthal context, we were not physically stronger than Neanderthals. They were bigger and more powerful.  Our brains were not necessarily larger.  They were of roughly equal size.  However, our brains functioned in a manner that allowed us to shape our environment by creating superior tools.  Through those tools, we were able to live in a variety of climates and thrive.  In short, modern humans were able to adapt better than Neanderthals. Our instincts were sharper and gave us the ability to innovate. Since then, that ability has led to humans becoming the dominant species on planet earth.

What This Blog Will Deliver to YOU

Our modern human ancestors prevailed through adaptation.  Arguably, adaptation will determine the winners and losers in the legal profession as well.  In this forum, we will examine the legal profession from every angle we can fathom.  We hope to provide a fertile ground for discussing innovation and adaptation so that, as lawyers, we can all thrive long enough to continue serving our clients and our society.

Welcome to Legalinstincts.com, the official blog site of Atlas Legal Research, L.P. (www.atlaslegal.com).  By sharing stories and experiences, we hope to push the envelope of legal innovation.  Let the adventure begin!