Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Marketing the Law FirmFeaturesCareer DevelopmentLaw Firm Marketing and Business Development

Defending Your Career: Self Advocacy at Review Time

By Sharon Meit Abrahams
November 01, 2020

The annual review process has begun for associates, partners, of counsel and other timekeepers. This year will be different because of the pandemic so it is more important than ever to build a case for yourself. Even if your firm does not have a formal review process, write a self-evaluation, an annual memorandum or year-end report so it can be taken into consideration at year-end for compensation purposes. Firms have taken a hit due to COVID-19 and some will use this review cycle to pinpoint underperformers and reduce compensation. This is why it's even more important for you to make a case for yourself.

Understand Your Firm's Process

Unless this is your first year of practice, you should know if your firm has a formal performance review system. Most firms of all sizes have an evaluation process for associates. This is the tool they use to determine if an attorney is on track for partnership. Big Law usually has some mechanism to measure their partners, but many smaller firms may not have a structured process for partners. If you are in another category such as counsel or staff attorney there may be no review process at all no matter the size of the firm so, take matters into your own hands by writing your self-evaluation.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent Trolls Image

With trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.