As a new or even semi-new associate at a law firm, you will take on many assignments with varying degrees of difficulty and sometimes conflicting deadlines. Assignment management (time management in law firm speak) is probably the key to success for a junior associate.

The stories of the following three associates at a fictional firm illustrate the traps of taking on too much work, blowing deadlines, failing to adequately communicate, and missing the mark on the assignment instructions.

Jen’s Method