Workplace Issues

Having the right social skills is key to succeeding in both remote and in-person office environments. Below are the six most important social skills you’ll need to continue to advance your career.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your professional journey.

If you didn’t catch our previous post about BigLaw employee benefit packages, take a look here. In that post, we outlined “typical” benefits that BigLaw firms offer their associates, and highlighted some very important but often underutilized benefits that can greatly improve associate quality of life.

What is Experiential Learning? You may have heard the term experiential learning, but what exactly is it?

Today, we're excited to release our 2023 Banking 25, a ranking of the best investment banking firms to work for in North America. The ranking is based on a survey of more than 3,000 investment banking professionals.

Humans are constantly making new technological advances, many of which are intended to improve our everyday lives. Nowadays artificial intelligence is all the rage, with companies such as OpenAI developing products that are capable of interacting with humans on a creative level.

As an attorney, you’ve established yourself as a resource (and possibly an expert) in an area of the law where clients will seek your guidance and representation. And in this relationship, you need to instill confidence in your clients.

The ideal workplace is one that encourages professional growth and collaboration, celebrates achievements, and provides the necessary downtime for its employees to relax and recharge. Unfortunately, not every workplace values its employees, and some even actively keep their workforce in a constant state of fear and discomfort.

Pregnancy for a working woman can be a joyous time, but it can also be a stressful time. The good news is some of that stress might soon be alleviated.

It’s the start of the second semester. Whether you have just survived your first semester as a law student, or you are on your way out the door as a third year, here are some ways you can make the most of your second semester.

The Covid-19 pandemic became a catalyst for change in the workplace. Since 2020, change has been the only constant.

Success in any industry relies on developing strong communication skills, which are essential to sharing information with colleagues, managers, and clients. So, below are five easy ways to improve your professional communication skills and boost your career in the process.

There are two groups of people in the workforce:  those who can easily say no, and the rest of us. Saying no can be hard, especially early on in your career or when you are new to a job.

When it comes to diversity and inclusion in the legal world, few initiatives have been as successful, and as widely embraced, as the Mansfield Rule. In the five years since its inception, it has gained astonishing momentum among law firms (as well as other companies).

Whether you’re unsure about your future in BigLaw because of burnout from trying to meet billable hour requirements, concerns over recent layoffs (including those at Cooley, Gunderson Dettmer, and Kirkland & Ellis), or upcoming uncertainty in how BigLaw will respond to declines in business and hiring needs, an attractive option for attorneys may be to go in-house with a corporation or startup. And why not?

Salma Shitia is an associate in Linklaters’ Dispute Resolution group in Washington, D.C. Chris Smith is an associate in Linklaters’ Capital Markets practice in New York.How do you manage your time when you are working in a hybrid environment, and what tips or insights can you share? Chris: I think there are both positive and negative sides to hybrid work.

The new year is right around the corner, and with it will come flying cars, teleportation devices, time travel, UFOs, and if my calculations are correct, we will finally learn the true identity of the entity known as Bigfoot. Yes friends, it will be an exciting year indeed, but we must also remember to keep our feet on the ground and our eyes on our goals.

Dealing with difficult people can be, well, difficult. Whether it be a partner, a peer, or someone in your personal life, difficult people are everywhere.

If you’re an avid reader of our Vault rankings and profiles, you’ve certainly come across references to the Mansfield Certification. Firms that have achieved this certification will usually list it among their “Notable Awards,” and for good reason: Mansfield Certification, while relatively new, has become an important and powerful indicator of a firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through commitment to the “Mansfield Rule.

Going to law school isn’t—or at least shouldn’t be—something you decide to do suddenly or aimlessly. Such a commitment of time, money, and effort should be taken on only after much deliberation and preparation, especially since your career and your future are at issue.

It’s the most stressful time of year—whether it be annual reviews, bonus season, or law school finals—all are major events that can make us feellike we aren’t good enough. The dreaded imposter syndrome can take hold at any point in our careers.

If you struggle to make decisions, you’re not alone. Most of us have a hard time making at least some decisions in life.

“New hire’s remorse”—at least under this name—is a recent phenomenon that we broached last week. Also called “shift shock,” it arises when an employee regrets taking a job because it isn’t the right fit or is completely different from what was expected.

Soon after Elon Musk acquired Twitter this past October, approximately half of the social media giant’s staff was laid off. Meta, Stripe, and Amazon also recently laid off large portions of their staff.