Becoming a Lawyer: Discovering and Defining Your Professional Persona

Toni Jaeger-Fine, Fordham University School of Law

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Table of Contents

Guidance for Using Becoming a Lawyer to Fulfill Professional Identify Formation Standards

This second edition has changes throughout and especially includes new and enhanced sections on:

• Wellbeing
• Managing, Developing, and Retaining Talent
• Accelerating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Profession

Learn more about this series.

“The topics covered in this book are truly important both for young lawyers looking to develop the professional skills and character traits to succeed, and for law firm leaders that want to create an environment where talent can flourish and lead the profession into the future.”
—Peter A. Furci, Presiding Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

“Toni’s work is a must-read for anyone in the legal profession who is looking to hone their skills and become not only a more effective lawyer, but also a more successful one. . . . I am sure it will help lawyers to develop the kind of well-rounded skill set that is increasingly necessary in today’s fast-paced legal environment.”
—Barbara Levi, Group General Counsel & Member of the Group Executive Board, UBS

“At a time of profound disruption in the legal profession, Toni Jaeger-Fine offers a thoughtful, deeply-researched, and wise road map that will help lawyers flourish—both as professionals and as people. It is an invaluable guide that is fun to read.”
—William M. Treanor, Dean and Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center

“Becoming a Lawyer provides an essential study in why the practice, study and community surrounding the law is suffering from a lack of meaning, authenticity and empathy. Toni offers a comprehensive analysis of how the culture of law school, law practice and the engagement in law can lead to a lack of self-worth, values and purpose. She also provides meaningful tools to help lawyers rebound, reframe and try to take back what may have been lost so that we can become more impactful in our daily lives for ourselves and for others.”
—Nishat Ruiter, General Counsel, TED Conferences LLC

“Becoming a Lawyer: Discovering and Defining Your Professional Persona is an essential tool for both junior and more experienced lawyers interested in continuing to grow and evolve. As the Chair of a diverse and growing practice group, I strive to promote a culture of authenticity and a growth mindset. This book offers tremendous support to these goals and new ways of thinking. I have been grateful that Toni has come to our firm numerous times to share the book’s insights, and it’s always met with terrific feedback.”
—Maria-Leticia Ossa Daza, Partner/Chair of Latin America Practice, Corporate & Financial Services, Willkie Farr & Gallagher

“Finally, a work that addresses the real behavioral and skills issues that separate success from failure as an attorney. Deep substantive knowledge and critical thinking skills are less than half the equation—attorneys need to develop good habits, reinforced by repetition, empathetic listening skills, learning how to read a room, and knowing how to package and present communications to simplify complex issues and give business decisionmakers the information they need. Most other books on the profession fail to address any of these core behavioral issues, and Toni’s work more than fills that gap.”
—Andrew Bonzani, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Interpublic Group

“Becoming a Lawyer: Discovering and Defining Your Professional Persona addresses the tangible and intangible skills needed to succeed as a lawyer. Acting with intention in creating an internal and external brand, in managing one’s own and others’ expectations, and in meeting client demands—while also focusing on well-being—are critical to success in a demanding and evolving client service career. This book helps future and current lawyers center themselves with intention.”
—Palmina M. Fava, Partner, Vinson & Elkins

“Becoming a Lawyer is a critically insightful and timely book on what a successful career in law actually entails for practitioners. It articulately elaborates many of the attitudes and behaviors that account for a successful career in law, highlighting the importance of relationships, mindset, wellbeing, and professionalism generally, and addresses the personal and developmental challenges we face in creating and developing our lawyer persona.”
—Jean Michel Enriquez, Partner, Creel

“Toni Jaeger-Fine has clearly thought long and hard through the issues that comprise this excellent book. She takes us on a well thought out and comprehensive journey of the world of the modern lawyer, from the importance of (good) habits to emotional intelligence, from leadership to the right mindset, from commitment to excellence to character, from time management and organization to wellbeing, from working with others to talent management, effective communication to advice on how to develop your professional E-persona. I had an immensely enjoyable reading and learned or re-learned several things along the way despite my more than thirty years in private practice. Now, with respect to young lawyers, some of them will thrive, some others will not, but I can say without hesitation that the ones who have a chance to read Ms. Jaeger-Fine’s fine book will stand a much better chance in the highly competitive legal world to not only succeed professionally, but to do so while maintaining their personal wellbeing.”
—Ricardo Veirano Partner, Veirano Advogados

“Toni Jaeger-Fine’s book Becoming a Lawyer: Discovering and Defining your Professional Persona is a must reading for lawyers of all ages. As a senior lawyer with multiple decades of professional practice in the international arena I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her book and often use it as a source of inspiration when preparing talks directed to younger legal professionals in my native Brazil as well as abroad. I wish I had come across such a book in the early years of my professional formation as it would have saved me a lot of time and effort in grasping important concepts for achieving satisfaction and success in the wide spectrum of the legal profession. In addition, Professor Jaeger-Fine’s writing style is extremely objective and easy to follow which makes it a pleasure to go through the entire book. If one has embraced a legal career, reading her book is a must for those aspiring to a successful and rewarding experience.”
—Ronaldo Camargo Veirano, Founding Partner, Veirano Advogados