Trachtman: Becoming a lawyer in the COVID era

By Cameron Trachtman

In January 2020, my friends and I waltzed into our last semester at IU McKinney without a care in the world, ready for a few months of freedom before preparing to take the bar exam. Our course loads were light. Our law review articles were written. We were just months away from graduation. Two months later, our visions of celebrating graduation together, late nights studying in the library and coffee runs during our bar preparation class vanished in an instant. Just a few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized we would accomplish our dreams — graduating, passing the bar and starting our legal careers — alone.

To say the last 14 months have been difficult is a gross understatement. But despite the hardships of 2020 and 2021, I also feel a remarkable sense of pride in my classmates who persevered through the challenges of the past year with determination and grace. We are a class of attorneys who has had to be incredibly flexible and adaptable over the past year, and these skills directly benefit our law practice. As a result, I am inspired and encouraged by the professional growth potential held by the tenacious class of 2020.

Becoming a lawyer in the era of COVID-19 has not been without its challenges. As the February 2021 bar examinees are sworn in, and as May 2021 graduates begin their bar preparation journey, more outstanding graduates are also joining the legal profession in the coming weeks. Because I am uniquely situated to speak on starting my law practice during a pandemic, I’m delighted to provide my advice — unsolicited as it may be — to Indiana’s newest lawyers.

Overcommunicate and overplan. Any article providing advice to new lawyers undoubtedly emphasizes the importance of communication and organization skills, but in the era of home offices and Zoom hearings, it is even more critically important to communicate about each and every project on which you work. Providing status updates for projects — even if the update is that there are no new advancements — is the easiest way to keep yourself on track and to keep the team with whom you’re working on the same page. Keeping track of deadlines is also crucially important. Whether through an Outlook Calendar, a day planner, iPhone reminders, desktop sticky notes (or all four, if you are like me) making sure that your calendar is up-to-date and you are aware of deadlines well before they hit is one of the most important skills a lawyer can have.

Cami’s way: I play a game called “Inbox Zero” with myself. Any projects that I’m working on must stay in my inbox until they’re complete. Only when a project is finalized can it go to its respective Outlook folder. Not only does this keep all my projects top of mind — my unread email notification haunts me — but it provides me with a daily to-do list without my having to lift a finger.

Emphasize facetime … respectfully. While obvious safety precautions must be taken, physically going to the office most days is vital as a new lawyer. I often receive projects from attorneys with whom I don’t normally work simply because we chatted by the elevator or coffeemaker. Equally as helpful is the fact that I am getting to know more and more people in the firm daily, thus growing my professional network and boosting firm morale. An in-person meeting, even with masks on, is much more valuable than a meeting on Microsoft Teams because I can clarify assignments, ask questions and get to know the other attorneys at the firm more personally. I feel grateful to work at a place like Frost Brown Todd, where the firm followed the mandates of the governor while also accommodating employees’ specific needs for working from home. No virtual experience can compare to the interactive, contemporaneous nature of an in-person meeting.

Cami’s way: I am fortunate enough to be fully vaccinated. I still wear my mask the majority of the time, but now that restrictions are lessened, I keep my door open as a way to invite our firm’s attorneys and business professionals into my office. Whether it leads to an attorney stopping in to ask about a project I’m working on or a friend inviting me to lunch, showing face in the office has made me both more engaged in substantive legal work and more social within the firm.

Give yourself grace. Feeling a little lost as a first-year associate is almost to be expected, and the challenges associated with remote work and public health precautions certainly have not helped. Constructive criticism can be difficult, especially when given remotely. Remembering that almost all of your colleagues have been in your shoes and know exactly how you feel can be calming. Focusing on maintaining some perspective — and remembering that no one expects flawless work on the first draft of a brand new assignment — helps.

Cami’s way: I’m an extrovert, so being able to talk about what life is like as a first-year associate is a need for me. I am fortunate to have formal mentors within Frost Brown Todd’s formal mentoring program and several informal mentors who are always willing to listen. Finding people who will make time to cultivate the mentor-mentee relationship cannot be overstated: They are the first people I call when I feel overwhelmed or confused, and they are able to provide real, practical guidance on how to face any issues head-on.

Becoming a lawyer amid COVID-19 has been unpredictable and lonely at times, but it has also been remarkably rewarding. Freshly minted pandemic-era lawyers have a demonstrated willingness to overcome difficult situations, and I believe this trait makes our class a very special, promising class of new attorneys.•

• Cameron (Cami) Trachtman is an associate in Frost Brown Todd’s Indianapolis office. Her practice focuses on corporate and regulatory matters in the insurance industry. Opinions expressed are those of the author.