Mental Preparation Tips for Lawyers Starting the Year

Twenty-three years ago, as a first-year lawyer, I remember the holidays being a clear point of demarcation. It was a chance to take a few days off and reset. The prior three months had been a sprint, with lots of stress and sleepless nights. I started as a first-year lawyer in the corporate bankruptcy department of a big firm a few days after 9/11, so the work was unrelenting, and I had little idea of what I was doing. But after the new year things settled down a bit—still busy but a more manageable load. I got my feet underneath me. Given the breakneck of the practice of law, I suspect that for many first-year lawyers today, the past three months have been particularly difficult. And I'm hoping that, as I experienced, most of them start to feel a bit more comfortable and confident soon. So what comes next? Here's what I think first-year lawyers should be focused on during 2024. 1. Do your job well. There is nothing more important than that in terms of your career development over the next 12 months. Do it on time. Do it at a high level of quality. Do that, and you'll create a strong reputation, people will want you on their teams, and you will have the opportunity to take on more responsibility. 2. Cultivate an ownership mindset. From client work product to internal firm initiatives, adopt an ownership-mindset for every task you take on. 3. Develop a personal productivity system. One of the reasons the practice of law is often so stressful is that there is always so much to do, the work is often subject to a hard, consequential deadline, and there are so many inputs (emails, etc.) that it's hard for a lawyer to keep up. One of the best investments of time you can make is to develop a productivity system for yourself that enables you—using tools such as your calendar, a master task list, and a daily time-block planner—to capture and control what you need to get done. 4. Maintain (or develop) outside interests. Your job can be all-consuming if you let it. There will always be something else to do. But if you intend to do this over the long term, then you can't just grind all the time. Find something outside of the office that you love and can't wait to get back to—which will lead you to become more efficient and effective with your time in the office. 5. Stay confident. You'll make some mistakes. You'll go through some tough stretches. But you'll come to realize that all lawyers go through the transition period you’re in. You’re not an imposter. You’re not alone. You've got this.

I was awake at 3 AM, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing through 78 different ways the prosecutor might ambush me the next day. The jury trial was less than 24 hours away, and the crushing weight of my client's freedom resting on my shoulders felt unbearable. After 15 years as a criminal defense attorney, you'd think this pre-trial anxiety would disappear. It doesn't. But I've learned something crucial about it. That anxiety isn't weakness—it's my body preparing for battle. A week before trial, my nervous system kicks into overdrive. I start imagining every possible scenario: • What if this witness says X? • What if the judge allows that evidence? • What if the jury doesn't believe our expert? I used to fight against this anxiety, telling myself I should be more confident, more prepared, more experienced. Now I recognize it as a natural part of the process. The truth? Trial preparation is never complete. The universe of possible trial outcomes is almost infinite. No attorney can prepare for every permutation. So instead of trying to control everything, I've learned to trust myself. I remind myself: "I can't possibly prepare for all scenarios, but I've done this before. I'm good at it. When something unexpected comes up, I'll handle it." This shift in perspective doesn't eliminate anxiety, but it transforms it from paralyzing fear into productive energy. Three practical strategies that help me: 1. Accept the anxiety rather than fighting it. It's your brain working overtime to protect your client. 2. Create boundaries. I work intensely before trial, but I protect my sleep and family time. Burnout doesn't serve anyone. 3. Remember you're human. Perfection isn't the goal. Being present, adaptable, and genuine is far more powerful than being flawless. The morning of trial, I still feel that familiar knot in my stomach. But now I welcome it as an old friend—one that keeps me sharp, focused, and ready to advocate fiercely for my client. Because in the courtroom, your greatest asset isn't perfect preparation. It's your humanity. #CriminalDefense #TrialPreparation #LegalAdvocacy

Think About It Thursday 💭 How much sleep can a lawyer lose before it affects our professional judgment? Let’s talk about sleep debt. Something very real, and something I had to face to combat this year. Long hours, heavy caseloads, constant deadlines. You know the drill. Sleep deprivation is common in law practice, especially in immigration work. What often gets overlooked is that chronic lack of sleep isn’t just a one sided wellness issue, it really can turn into a professional risk. Sleep experts define sleep debt as the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over time. Adults are generally recommended to get at least seven hours of quality sleep per night. When that doesn’t happen, focus, memory, and decision-making suffer. Sound familiar? These are all of the same skills we rely on to meet our ethical obligations. Research has shown high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among lawyers, and sleep deprivation makes all of these things harder to manage. On a neurological level, sleep loss interferes with memory consolidation and weakens the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for judgment, risk assessment, and understanding consequences. When we are exhausted, details get missed. We get frazzled and follow-ups slip. Small lapses can turn into bigger ethical problems. Protective steps matter, especially during high-stress periods. Maybe your new year goals to take better care of yourself will involve taking care of that sleep debt! Try the following: • Prioritize consistent, quality sleep whenever possible (read up on sleep hygiene before going to bed). • Reduce late-night screen time and caffeine (this was me all year) • Use checklists, written follow-ups, and detailed notes (I have a remarkable and it’s been invaluable doe checklists and jotting things down so I don’t forget) • Build accountability systems into your practice (my calendar time blocks have been a savior) • Focus work in areas where you’re most proficient when running low on rest I’ll leave you with this to think about/ 💭 If sleep deprivation increases the risk of mistakes, should we be treating rest as part of ethical competence, not a personal luxury? Maybe reframing it like that can help.

You've spent countless hours preparing your case to perfection—only to have a single unexpected ruling shatter your strategy in seconds. The pressure mounts, stress floods in, and suddenly, every bit of control you thought you had slips away. Sound familiar? I've been there too. After 45 years as an attorney, I discovered something shocking: most of what stresses lawyers out is entirely beyond our control. But here's the good news: The moment I stopped trying to control everything was when my practice actually thrived. In episode 303 of The Free Lawyer, I'm revealing the secret that transformed my legal career: the power of mastering what you can control—and letting go of the rest. I'll share the exact mental strength blueprint that helped me build a successful 40-year career without sacrificing my wellbeing, including: 1. The Control Paradox: Why the tighter we grip, the more everything slips away 2. Your Circle of Control: How to identify what you can influence and channel your energy there 3. The Mental Strength Toolkit: Three powerful techniques that will transform your practice: -Strategic Mindfulness (even if it's just in a courthouse bathroom stall!) -Professional Reframing (turning weaknesses into strategic advantages) -The Art of Letting Go (setting boundaries without compromising service) Plus, the daily freedom habits that create sustainable mental strength in our demanding profession. The greatest irony I've discovered in my 45 years of practice? By loosening my grip on everything, I gained more meaningful control over my well-being and practice than ever before. When you master these techniques, you don't just become a better lawyer—you become a healthier, more balanced person who happens to practice law at a very high level. What's one area of your practice where you're trying to control the uncontrollable? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. #MentalStrength #LawyerWellbeing #ProfessionalGrowth #TheFreeLawyer

Being an associate at a big law firm is hard. -You feel like you have to be perfect. -You get scared to let your guard down. -You strive not to let them see the tears, the struggle, the sweat. That makes for a stressful existence, and it can really take a toll. Over time, I developed a practice of keeping 3 folders in my office that really helped me feel less daunted and more in control. I thought you might try to do the same: 1️⃣ An “Evidence” Folder This is where you put all the positive feedback you ever received. It can be a draft that a partner wrote “Terrific” on top, a note to self that a client nodded and smiled when seeing your case writeup, and notes or any and every little positive thing that’s happened to you at the firm. This folder comes in really handy when you feel overwhelmed or like you’re not sure you’re good enough. Review this folder often to remember your past accomplishments and prop up your confidence to brave future challenges. 2️⃣ An “I have learned” folder. In this folder go all the new things you’ve worked on— topics you’ve researched, checklists you’ve created, motions you’ve drafted, contracts or deposition outlines you’ve prepared, presentations you’ve given, etc. In addition to helping you feel accomplished, the items in this folder will be an excellent source of models for you going forward. This folder will be thin when you start, but you’ll be amazed to see how it grows over time. Having this type of folder is a gamechanger when the time comes to write your year-end self-evaluation. It will also make it infinitely easier when the time comes to update your resume! 3️⃣ An “I need to learn” folder. In here, put all the cases, interesting articles, and other materials on topics you want to read about. These items will keep you moving forward when times are slow and you’re twiddling your thumbs worrying about hours. Instead of worrying, why not learn everything about a useful topic, write an article about it, and pitch it to a partner for publication? By collecting things little-by-little over time, you can really amass quite a learning library for yourself. ⬇️ Might you try some of my folders out? Let me know if you do! 💌 Amanda 🗳️ What have you started doing at work that’s helped you feel more in control at your firm? —Have another type of folder you keep? —Something else you do? Any and all ideas, no matter how silly, can be helpful for new associates who are coming up with their own systems for success! #JRLitigators