Leverage For Lawyers

By Elizabeth Zelinka

 Welcome to the next installment of my blog series, “Life After Big Law.” 

Big law is a unique professional experience, because it is an environment of intellectual powerhouses.  It is both exciting and daunting to work around that kind of mental capacity day in and day out.  There is perhaps no better place from which to launch your career and absorb as much genius as possible along the way. 

That said, I find that most junior to mid-level big law lawyers are fairly convinced that they somehow slipped into the system unnoticed.  They are certain that they are not in the same league as most of their colleagues, and it is just a matter of time before they’re found out.  Even as lawyers mature into seniority, these doubts seem to linger, and it is the rare few who find their way confidently into the future, whether inside of the firm or otherwise.

 The real truth, of course, is that you would never have been accepted into the world of big law if you didn’t have the same outstanding mental material as your peers and senior colleagues.  Even if you’ve been set free in the current economic maelstrom, you are just as smart as those who are still at the firm.  Ironically, it is the lack of intellectual contrast we all experience inside of law firms that leaves us wondering if we are truly smart or just somehow lucky.  When everyone is smart, no one seems smart (especially you).

 So, no matter what direction you take as you move forward, know that you are smarter than you think you are.  Set aside any lingering self-doubt and be confident that your intellect is one of your most important assets. 

Elizabeth Zelinka is a Strategic Growth Consultant and Career Coach with Zelinka & Prince Search Partners.  She can be reached through her website at http://zpsearchpartners.com.

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