The fall has many constants: returning to school, leaves changing, and another year of UConn sports. And in the legal profession, the beginning of fall signifies another annual rite of passage—new attorneys joining our ranks. By the time this column is printed, these people will have been through the gauntlet of completing law school, studying for two months, and ultimately, taking the bar. It’s been an incredibly busy and stressful time in their lives, and they could use a break. To assist in their transition from law students to practicing students of the law, I felt it would be worthwhile to pass on five basic rules that I believe are essential for all young attorneys. And while every attorney is different, sticking to these general principles should keep new admittees on the straight and narrow during your career’s early years.

Rule No. 1 – It’s Not the IQ, It’s The EQ

Something I was fortunate enough to learn early in life was that I typically am not the smartest person in a room, but I usually have as much common sense as anyone there. In my opinion, the practice of law places greater significance on common sense and people skills than it does on shear intelligence. This is because anyone who has gotten through law school has a degree of intelligence. At a minimum, law graduates have learned where to find information. The law is delineated in statutes, legal opinions, and treatises. If you know where to look, it can be found. The same cannot be said for common sense or people skills. The emotional quotient, or the EQ, is often defined as the ability to manage emotions and to manage people, while using those skills to work with others. Our friends in the medical profession call this “bedside manner.” The most skilled physicians are at times ineffective because of their inability to communicate or empathize with their patients. Similarly, the personal skills that are required to deal with clients, opposing counsel, a judicial authority, or coworkers are just as valuable as the information found in law books. Being reasonable and trying to work through contentious issues is sometimes challenging, but it’s essential. Discussing an issue with a client and being told your wrong when you know you’re right is something you will deal with daily. Knowing how to respond with reason and care to those challenges is an art. An attorney’s EQ can often be more important than his or her IQ because of its focus on problem solving through people skills, leadership development, and team-first approach.

Rule No. 2 – Be Prepared, Don’t Be a Robot

Professional baseball is a great comparison to being an attorney. In college and the minor leagues, most pitchers can throw hard and every batter can hit a straight fastball. What distinguishes major leaguers from this group is the ability to make adjustments in a short period of time. In similar fashion, what makes truly special lawyers are those who can make adjustments depending on the circumstances they are given. No trial or appeal is identical, no deposition or transaction is the same. While you should thoroughly prepare in a consistent manner for these things, you should be willing and able to adapt on the run depending on the circumstances you are given. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a young attorney during a deposition insisting on asking a question because it was on his or her list questions, as opposed to reacting to the answer of a previous question.

Rule No. 3 – Work at Your Craft

As with most things in life, attorneys who work really hard tend to be the most successful. They are always looking for ways to improve, are constantly learning, and are always willing to outwork an adversarial party. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around several of these people at various points of my career, and although we should all strive for a work/life balance, the absolute truth for young attorneys is that you need to work, work…and then work some more. For whatever reason, our generation is often viewed by more senior members of the bar as lazy or indifferent. And while I believe that is an incredibly unfair characterization, I say take advantage of the misplaced prejudice. Show up to work early, stay late, and show a sincere interest in learning. If an opposing counsel is foolish enough to not take you seriously because of your limited years in practice, you have an obligation to make sure he or she does not make that same mistake twice. Do these things and you will be rewarded for your efforts. You’ll also find it easier to develop mentors, which are essential in this business.

Rule No. 4 – Someone has Been There Before

A common mistake among young attorneys is having a question and not asking it. We have all heard the numerous stories where an associate was given a task, was unsure how to complete it, and instead of asking a question tried to resolve the issue alone. Guessing is one of the worst things a young attorney can do. If you are fortunate enough to already have a job by the time you read this article, the first thing you need to do is find the person at your employer that you can go to with questions, whether they be legal-based or employer-based. Most places have someone who always “has an open door.” If your employer doesn’t have an open door policy, well, I’ve always been told the best time to look for a job is when you already have one.

Rule No. 5 – Pay It Forward

The most important advice I can give you is that while it’s important to strive to be a great attorney, I truly believe it’s more important to be a great person. When you are fortunate enough to be in the position where you can help others, it is imperative that you do. Be altruistic and be generous with whatever skills and abilities that you have been given in this life.

Whenever I sit down with a young attorney for coffee or lunch, I always end the meeting by asking them to do something similar for a young attorney if the opportunity arises. Being a professional is not just a job. The legal profession has been developed through centuries of hard work and relationship building. Once you’ve grown your sea legs, you must do whatever you can to pass the integrity, class, and institutional knowledge of our profession onto the next generation of attorneys.