I was inspired to write this column about young lawyers by a combination of recent events: the Hong Kong Law Fair that took place just this past weekend, where firms were out at the convention center showcasing to talented law graduates; my Friday night movie pick, which was “Philadelphia,” featuring Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks as lawyers; and a meeting with a partner who is struggling to find “quality associates” and has been forced to work with subpar lawyers. (I should clarify that those weren’t the partner’s exact words—they are mine.)  

The thing is, not everyone is cut out to be an outstanding lawyer. Surely, even in an era where we’ve learned to operate around everyone’s most heightened sensitivities, we would accept that as a fact.