Are you a fresh grad about to start working as a lawyer, or a relatively junior lawyer still figuring things out? The road to becoming a lawyer certainly isn’t an easy one; and the shift from studying law to actually practicing law can seem a bit intimidating. 

In this episode of Young Lawyer Rising, guest and litigation attorney Dave Scriven-Young shares top tips for starting your legal career off on the right foot, as well as some common mistakes young lawyers make early on. Get professional insights and practical advice on:

• How to Pick the Right Law Firm and Law Practice Area for You
• How to Get Involved in Your Practice Areas of Interest
• The Benefits of Having a Good Mentor and How to Develop a Legal Mentorship Team
• Goals Young Lawyers Should Set and Try to Accomplish Early on in Their Legal Career
• How to Build Confidence as a New Lawyer
• What Young Lawyers Need to Know About Career Planning
• Tips to Make You Stand Out as a Junior Lawyer
• Steps to Take to Ensure Your Success as a New Lawyer

We also welcome our new host of Young Lawyer Rising, Montana Funk! Montana is a criminal defense attorney in Billings, Montana.

Additional Resources:

• How to Think Like a Lawyer
• Incorporating Interpersonal Skills in Everyday Law Practice
• The Client in the Next Office
• The Importance of Asking "Why?"
• Get Into the Big Client Meetings and Important Hearings
• Some Advice for the New or Soon-to-Be New Lawyer
• Building a Career You Love as a Young Lawyer
• ABA Young Lawyers Division
• ABA Career Center

How can the legal profession be more supportive of law students and lawyers with disabilities? In a profession already marked by the hypercompetitive pursuit of performance and achievement, young lawyers often face pressure to downplay their disabilities. In addition, access to accommodations for law students and lawyers with disabilities can be difficult, adding a lot of stress to an already stressful process. 

In this special episode, host Sonia Russo sits down with three different lawyers to hear their stories, struggles and triumphs of dealing with disability in law school and the legal profession. Hear how these three inspiring young lawyers overcame the unique challenges of law school, navigated the LSAT and bar exam, their process of finding a job after law school, and their continued work and perseverance in the legal industry today. 

• How the Legal Industry Often Lets Down Lawyers With Disabilities
• What is the definition of 'Disability'?
• How to Support Law Students and Lawyers with Disabilities
• Improving Disability Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession

Guests on this Episode:

Elizabeth Hardcastle – Partner with Sidley Austin, LLP

John Broadbent – Corporate Attorney and Disability Advocate with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Spencer Hill – Environmental and White Collar Litigation Lawyer at MANKO | GOLD | KATCHER | FOX LLP

Episode Resources:

The Time is Now | A Conversation on Disabilities and Change

John Broadbent at TEDxDuke

On average, everything you are buying today costs 7% more than it did a year ago. In this show of the Young Lawyer Rising Podcast, financial speaker-writer-consultant Eric Rosenberg joins host Mathew Kerbis to discuss the effects of rising inflation and how best to beat these effects through good investment decisions and mitigated risk. Learn how to fine tune your portfolio to offset inflation and weather whatever the markets throw at you!

Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Sonia Russo is joined by Shawn Hoover (a first chair trial attorney with the Georgia Capital Public Defenders), Anthony Santos (a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County, Colorado), and U.S. Army Major Earl Wilson (the chief of military justice at the first cavalry division at Fort Hood, Texas). Together, they deep dive into the criminal justice system from the perspective of lawyers of color.

Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Regardless of your financial situation, the beginning of your career is a terrific time to build credit. Great credit affords you critical opportunities when you fund your practice or buy a home. It’s not about what you’re earning, it’s about the payment mechanisms. Financial speaker-writer-consultant Eric Rosenberg joins our very own Mathew Kerbis for a deep dive on establishing and building incredible credit. Together they discuss how to leverage credit card use and point systems to help optimize your financial strength. Tune in and live the good life!

Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Most lawyers remember what their first two years of practicing law were like. There’s a lot to learn and sometimes not much guidance. What do you know now that you wish you knew then? Sonia Russo sits down with a panel of young lawyers who have been practicing for several years. They share wisdom on topics like setting boundaries at work and recovering from mistakes. Whether you’re in your first two years of practice or beyond, the advice from our guests Danielle Borel, Silvia Mansoor, and Jess Arena will be insightful.

Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Sonia Russo returns for a special announcement about upcoming season two. Stay tuned for new episodes.

Mathew Kerbis, of the ‘Financial Wellness Minute’, talks about a topic near and dear to his heart (legal education) with Kyle McEntee, the co-founder and executive director of Law School Transparency. Together they discuss the inputs and outputs that can impact a career before it gets started. Issues like cost, school ranking, and licensing can all play a part in those early job options but what can we learn from it? How do we optimize? Stay Tuned for the ‘Financial Wellness Minute’ when Mathew discusses the value of life insurance (even for young in-debt lawyers).

Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

In this part two of two, Sonia continues her conversation with Ravi Ramanathan and Mathew Kerbis about financial health. In this episode, they discuss what you need to consider before refinancing your student loans, the recommended savings everyone should have, and whether or not the Nintendo Switch can save you money. {hint} ... It’s about less subscriptions and more Mario. Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.