Improve your legal career: advice and support

Questioner

I work as a lawyer at a large firm. Although I am always positively assessed by my managers in the field of technical knowledge, communication, etc., my direct hours (hours related to client work) remain behind the norm. I do (a lot of) other work within the office. During the last assessment it was indicated that they want to start an improvement trajectory, with the aim of getting my direct hours 'up to standard'. I have to draw up a plan myself, in which I can indicate in which areas I want support from the employer. All initiative is now placed with me. I don't really know what to do with this. I think that the objective is formulated vaguely, and that the employer should also come up with concrete points for improvement. In the past I have tried in various ways to make more direct hours, but this has not been sufficiently successful. In addition, in my opinion it also depends on the employer to ensure that there is sufficient work. In my opinion, this improvement process is therefore doomed to fail. Of course I cannot refuse to cooperate, and I also want the process to be successful. How can I best approach this improvement process, in which I protect my own (legal) position as best as possible?

Lawyer

You already gave the answer, your employer must ensure that you have sufficient work. This also means that you can no longer perform (many) other (indirect) activities or no longer perform them fully. I sense a little that they want to get rid of you. I advise you to list and categorize the activities that led to the last assessment. Then give each category a percentage in terms of time duration. Then you can see what needs to be worked on.

Lawyer

I see this a little differently than Mr Albersen. It is not unusual in large offices for employees to be asked to draw up a personal development plan ('PDP'). Things that frequently come up in this are teaching acquisitive skills so that the employee can also generate work themselves and is not dependent on the employer for this. I therefore do not see this as an indication that the office wants to get rid of the employee, but rather as an opportunity that is offered to further develop and grow.