There is a universe of young lawyers who grew up believing they were special. Their parents praised everything they did and they were constantly told some variation of “the world is your oyster.”

Alas, those pearls of wisdom from doting parents aren’t that wise in the law firm world. The associates whose parents loved them too much oftentimes don’t make good associates, and in the long term find law, which more or less is a meritocracy, not to be a nice womb-like environment.