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The National Law Journal
Most new lawyers have a touch of the "imposter syndrome," the sense that they aren't competent to serve as professionals and the fear that they will make a serious mistake, which will end their careers. But while junior lawyers are not likely to commit any mistakes so large that their careers will lie in ruins, a healthy sense of caution is appropriate. Jones Day partner Steven Bennett offers a guide to some of the worst mistakes and suggestions for how to avoid these potential pitfalls of practice.

Both Sides of a Federal Investigation
If a firm or company finds itself being investigated by the government what should it do? How does it prepare if one day the feds come knocking? Law.com bloggers and co-hosts J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi turn to Roscoe C. Howard Jr., who has been on both sides of federal investigations as a Washington-based partner with Troutman Sanders and a former federal prosecutor.
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The American Lawyer
Allen & Overy didn't like the idea of its associates using valuable bandwidth -- mental and electronic -- to play Scrabulous or "poke" their friends on Facebook. So the firm invested in Legal OnRamp, a social networking site specifically for lawyers, not lonely hearts and emo bands.
Texas Lawyer
Can religion and law be complementary? Indeed, say a number of attorneys. Dallas lawyer Princy Sethi, a Hindu, says the teachings of her religion require that she strive to be the best lawyer she can be. Lawyers who integrate their belief system into their legal life say it's the most fulfilling way to practice -- but that it isn't easy. "You have this internal compass guiding you to want to do the right thing," says another lawyer, "and sometimes that can be a disadvantage, especially in litigation."
Fulton County Daily Report
In the big-firm world, inflated associate salaries have exacerbated the pressure to perform, leaving many young lawyers scared to ask simple questions for fear that a partner, client or senior associate may determine the questioner is a moron and totally unworthy of a paycheck. But fear not -- humor columnist The Snark is here for those new attorneys. He has compiled a list of "stupid questions" and has answered them with the experience he has taken from his time inside the large-firm "machine."
The National Law Journal
Addiction is becoming more common among attorneys, says psychiatrist Mark Agresti. They tend to be accomplished, motivated achievers and can often hide the addiction well from others. Moreover, many drugs can provide the user with an illusion that they are able to work harder, better and faster -- even performing better for their employer or clients. Unfortunately, drug rehabs or in-patient hospitals are not always viable options for lawyers. So Agresti advocates a modified at-home treatment protocol.
The National Law Journal
With so many lawyers coming and going -- and the costs associated with hiring and replacing them so high -- how does a firm find the best talent? Some rely on a particularly favorable economic climate, and others on their stellar reputations. Legal recruiters Sheri Michaels and Margie Grossberg say a program in which partners are intimately involved in hiring should lower a firm's expenses, reduce turnover and improve the chances that the candidates chosen will accept the offer and be right for the job.
Fulton County Daily Report
Consultant Joey Asher has spent a lot of time thinking about communicating on the telephone and on conference calls. He's sought input from a radio broadcaster. He's even taken a tour of a client's call center. He's left experimental messages for himself on his voicemail. And he's learned that to be good on conference calls, you need vocal energy, simplicity and repetition of key points at the end of the call. Asher offers some tips to overcome the challenges of communicating over the phone.
The Legal Intelligencer
The rainmakers who spoke to The Legal for this article couldn't be more different from one another. They include women and men, litigators and corporate attorneys, large-firm lawyers and small. But they all have the same general ideas when it comes to building a book of business, and they all have little tolerance for excuses. It takes time, effort and interest to become a rainmaker, and all of these rainmakers have paid their dues.