Small Firm Confidential: What Are Law Firms Really Looking for in Their Jr. to Mid-level Associates?

Confidence: A large part of the job is having tough conversations with your clients and even tougher arguments in the courtroom. Confidence helps build trust, demonstrates credibility, and allows you to handle difficult conversations and high-pressure situations with ease. While no one expects a new attorney to have all the answers, firms do value candidates who are willing to speak up, take ownership of their work, and approach challenges with self-assurance. Don’t forget, confidence without the work product to back it up is just hubris, so confidence in your ability to apologize and correct mistakes is a huge green flag for firms. (And if client relations is an area you’d like to strengthen, check out our recent article on client care.) 

Ability to collaborate: Collaboration is a skill that any employer will look for in a solid candidate, but, in small law firms, this is especially important. When you’re working with such a small team, there’s no way around working together, making compromises, and pitching in. While independence is a great quality to have, firms want to know you’ll be a team player. 

Adaptability: You’ll often find yourself wearing a lot of hats in a small firm. Associates who can quickly shift priorities during their day or learn new areas of law are better equipped and more valuable to employers.  

Polish: Client care is one thing, but a polished presence in front of the court, opposing counsel, clients, and the community builds a firm’s reputation. That reputation not only helps (or hurts) business acquisition, but it can also have a very real impact on legal outcomes. 

Legal Research: Strong legal research skills are the foundation of effective legal practice. Whether you're researching for your own matter or supporting another attorney, the ability to quickly find, analyze, and apply relevant case law, statutes, and regulations can have a significant impact on a case's outcome. Ease fears of AI hallucinations in your work by addressing your AI protocols and philosophy up front. You’ll impress an employer when you anticipate this issue and already have a process in place for managing any potential AI usage problems. 

Strong Writing Skills: Strong legal writing is the number one requested skill by law firms of every size and practice. The AI enthusiasts might say writing is a dead art, but law firm partners strongly disagree. From drafting motions and briefs to client correspondence, clear and persuasive writing is essential. Firms are looking at your writing not just a standalone skill, but also as a window into your analytical skills and your understanding of the underlying laws. It's a key factor in the hiring process, as many firms request writing samples to evaluate a candidate's ability to produce professional, high-quality work before they will even schedule an interview. 

Handling a Case from Start to Finish: Employers value candidates who understand the full lifecycle of a case. Experience managing a matter from intake to resolution shows that you understand and can handle the many moving parts involved in successfully handling a case. 

Billing Experience (for relevant practices): You hate to hear it, and we’re sorry to have to tell you, but understanding how to track and bill your time is extremely important (for relevant firms). Attorneys who could otherwise thrive in firms have been a source of constant frustration (and under consideration for replacement) due to their billing track record. Time keeping isn’t anyone’s favorite part of the job, but if you are wondering if the partners care, they really do.