Another Great Thing About Labor Day Is...

That besides being a holiday, it also results in a pleasantly short 4-day work week.

Got back into the swing of things fairly easily. I'm surprised by how much I've grown with my job. After I graduated from law school, I was like most other new law grads: relatively educated, but not very knowledgeable about law firm life or life as a lawyer in general.

A few years later, I can say with some satisfaction that I've learned a lot along the way. I still have a long way to go as a practicing attorney, but I feel comfortable in my own skin, which is a step in the right direction. Fortunately, I work in the type of office where you are expected to adapt quickly and "roll with the punches," but you're never quite alone in doing so. I've gone from not knowing how to practice to being able to function on my own.

Partially, it's the education and the preparation. But a lot of it comes from the more experienced attorneys at my firm. I hear old war stories about law school and court experiences, learn different bargaining techniques and tips for managing my cases, and get reassured that someday, I too will be a fully functioning, self-sufficient lawyer.

Maybe someday, if I'm lucky, I'll be the one telling the stories...