SPECIAL EDITION FOR NEW BAR MEMBERS

Creating Your Own Professional Development Plan

Whether to prosecute or defend a case or to draft the necessary documents for a closing, lawyers apply their organizational and management skills to cases almost daily. Few of us, however, apply those skills to our own careers. Instead, too many of us simply take each day as it comes, with little thought to our professional futures.

Take control of your career. Organize and manage your career path. Create your own professional development plan before you find yourself daydreaming about what you'll be doing five years from now. Or, worse, five years down the road, wondering how you ended up someplace you don't want to be.

Long-range Goals. Start with the big picture. Ask yourself: "Where do I see myself five years from now?" Identify the specific professional and business development goals you have set for yourself.

Short-range Focus. Once you have identified your long range goals, ask yourself: "What steps do I need to focus on during the next year in pursuit of those goals?" Identify specific steps you will take toward both professional development and practice development.

Professional Development. Consider whether there is a particular specialty or sub-specialty that you could profitably develop. Once you have chosen one, determine how to develop the substantive legal skills you may need to pursue that specialty. If appropriate, plan to take continuing legal education courses to sharpen your skills in that specialty.

Practice Development. Remember that business can come from anywhere. Consider how you can increase your visibility generally, whether among other lawyers or to clients or potential clients. This may include participation in bar and other professional associations, religious institutions, art societies, political organizations, or other civic and community organizations. Plan to become involved in one or more of these organizations, then cultivate your new contacts. Consider also whether writing an article or participating in a seminar or other public speaking opportunity will increase your visibility to potential sources of new business. If it will, incorporate a specific idea for an article or speech into your plan.

Targeted Development. Make specific plans to develop new business by preserving and/or expanding your client base. This could mean improving relationships with existing clients, taking advantage of an opportunity to cross-sell (providing other services to existing clients), or pursuing potential new clients. Decide which clients or potential clients to target, then come up with a detailed strategy you intend to follow.

Relationship Development. Identify particular persons that are either existing clients, potential clients, or referral sources (such as other professionals or service providers) with whom you intend to strengthen your personal relationships. Make a plan to keep in touch with these contacts. Once you have created your practice plan, follow through and complete the specific tasks. Review your plan annually, or more often. Honestly evaluate whether youÕve done what you planned. Then, update and fine-tune your plan, taking into consideration what you've already accomplished, the results you've achieved, and any new goals you may have.

For more info come to the next YLD Professional Development Conference. E-mail YLD at younglawyers@abanet.org for Conference dates, locations, and details.