I was feeling both excited and nervous starting my 2L summer student position at McCague Borlack LLP, but a friend’s pep talk reminded me that there are many new beginnings when starting out on any endeavours.
There was the first day of high school, the first day of undergraduate studies, the first day of law school, and now, the first day as a law student at a firm.
Of course, next will be the first day as an articling student and the first day as a lawyer. Each first seems just as daunting as the last. It never feels like you are fully prepared; but here is where our conversation embedded itself into my mind.
When starting your summer student position, you are already as prepared as you can possibly be. Let me clarify. Though prepared, you are not always as competent as you can be, but this is a part of starting something new. The transition between law school and the legal profession is one that will always give you challenges. You cannot, and will not, get it perfect. You will slip up, make mistakes, and probably feel like you are unable to perform the tasks in the way that you should. When transitioning from undergraduate studies to law school, there is often that familiar feeling of imposter syndrome. Because when you start something new, it is always new. You cannot be better prepared for it except if you have already done it, and if you have already done it, well, then it is not your “first” time doing it after all.
This recognition and mindset shift is something that helped me accept this new challenge. Because it is not about making mistakes; it is not about getting everything perfect the first time, and it is not about presenting yourself as though you know what you are doing. It is all about learning from your mistakes, accepting that you know next to nothing, and being willing to become competent in this new process and experience. Just like how the shift from high school to undergraduate studies, and on to law school involved adaptability, so too does the shift from law school to a professional career. I realized that this transition is just that – a transition.
With this realization also came the understanding that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Learning from different lawyers and looking to my peers in both a school and professional setting, everyone develops their own strategies and processes. This plurality of approaches which showcase flexibility and an eagerness to learn seems to be the only universal mode of success to me. Being able to absorb everything you see and being willing to accept your position as someone at the start of a new journey sheds light on the path ahead. These lessons prepare us for the future “first” steps that await.
by Kayen F.