When you are the junior member of a team, it can be difficult to see a clear path to the moment when you will be “first chair” – whether that means leading a trial or stepping into a senior role at your firm, organization, or public office. 

Many of our members remember that stage of their careers well. As someone who has traveled that path and watched many others do the same, I can say there is no single route to professional growth in our profession. But there is a guiding principle that applies at every stage: continually ask yourself a simple question – “How can I make myself valuable?” 

Something came out of the ether, at random, a few nights ago. I am still reacting. Processing. I hope writing brings me some clarity. 

It’s a moment lawyers dread. They have filed a Petition to Withdraw, and a hearing is scheduled. The last thing they want to do at the hearing, however, is publicly reveal the reason for their withdrawal. It may be that they weren’t paid, or that the client lied about material facts, or that they determined the case had no merit. In every instance, the goal is not to disclose more than necessary when the presiding judge asks.  

In the 1990s, Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson set out to study medical errors in hospitals. She expected to find that the best-performing teams made fewer mistakes. Instead, she discovered the opposite: the highest-performing teams reported more errors, not fewer. 

They were not making more mistakes. Team members felt safe enough to name them. The lower-performing teams looked smoother on paper because everyone stayed quiet. 

For millions across the globe, the pervasive effects of climate change have become an ever-increasing presence. Due to drastic temperature changes and glacial melt, sea levels have risen, causing climate disasters to breach human communities.