When I first started here at Rice, Amundsen & Caperton I
was told that I should ask as many questions as was necessary to get the job
done right. I was, of course, reluctant
to do that because I believed that it would seem like dumb questions or like I
was less capable than other people in the office. However, the truth of the matter is that
everyone asks questions and asks a lot of questions. I quickly learned the value of making sure to
get all the information on the front end.
All of the
staff here and Larry himself are very accepting and understanding of asking a
lot of questions. When I get a new
assignment or project I spend a significant amount of time asking
questions. Who is it for? What’s the story behind this? What are we trying to accomplish? How long do I have to get it done? Where do you want me to send it, file it,
save it? In my opinion, this is one of
the most fundamental skills of working in a law office. Whether it’s a big firm with big name clients,
or a small firm, cases get complicated and it can be difficult to know about
all the developments or positions that need to be taken. Therefore, we ask a lot of questions.
While
asking questions is fundamental to understanding the goals and tasks that are
assigned to you, it is not the only thing that we do to make sure everyone is
on the same page. We spend time
discussing the cases in meetings and trying to figure out the best way to
approach each case. These meetings are
the place where law clerks like me get to sit down and ask a lot of questions
and see how attorneys organize and strategize in complex litigation. Asking questions in and out of meetings and
before or during assignments is the best way to start learning the practice of
law.
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