The following
posting is made with permission from the State Bar of Wisconsin who originally
printed it as an article with the same name included in Fresh
Perspectives, State Bar of Wisconsin, July 2015, Vol. No. 18, Issue No. 3:
Dear
Young Lawyer,
“Behold
the turtle. He makes progress only when
he sticks his neck out.” – James Bryant Conant
For
the past two years I have been the editor of this newsletter. This is my last issue serving in that
capacity, and I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to consider
writing for this newsletter and the other publications of the State Bar of
Wisconsin.
As
a young lawyer you are no doubt intimately aware of the problems facing young
lawyers today. You can help your fellow young
lawyers. You can help yourself. By starting a discussion, by sharing what you
have learned, and by not being afraid to voice your opinion, through writing
you can help this newsletter be a free source of education, mentorship, and
collegiality.
You
may think you have nothing to offer. You
may think others could say it better.
You may think you have to research the issues more to be sure. My retired partner, Steve Adamini, once told
me, “You can’t be so afraid of screwing up that you never act.” I’ll bet you have something to say that could
help your fellow young lawyers, particularly when it comes to practical advice.
Think
about it this way – if you have ever helped a friend or colleague with some
aspect of the law or legal profession, then that could be turned into an
article. Not every young lawyer is lucky
enough to have coworkers. Some are
forced into trying to practice solo.
Speak to them. Help them
out. Don’t worry about getting it
perfect.
As
editor of this newsletter, I have felt it was my job to encourage young lawyers
to become authors. Getting started
writing is the key. Your second article
is much easier than your first and after a while people start to notice. I’ve been more of a salesman than an
editor. If you wrote it and submitted
it, I almost certainly published it.
Virtually all authors are careful enough that extensive editing is
unnecessary. The potential for screwing
up in front of thousands of people is generally motivation enough, and getting
the information out there is more important than getting too hung up on
delivery.
I
hope the next editor takes the same approach. Thank you for this
opportunity. I hope you will consider
writing for our newsletter.
And
in case you thought you had heard the last from me, for better or worse, you’re
stuck with my ramblings for at least three years more. I am now the President-Elect of the YLD. Scary, I know. Thanks.
Cordially,
Brandon
© July
2015 Brandon J. Evans
