What An Associate At Morrison And Foerster LLP Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Law Industry
Michael, a corporate attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP, learned that "process management is a huge skill" crucial for deal-making, a fact not fully appreciated during law school. This highlights the importance of balancing legal expertise with non-legal skills for corporate attorney success.
Process Management, Legal Research, Legal Knowledge, Communication, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Santos
Associate
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Santa Clara University
Georgetown University - JD
Business Management & Admin
Law
Legal
Took Out Loans, Transfer Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Process management is a crucial skill for corporate attorneys.
2. The balance between legal and non-legal skills is essential for success.
3. Legal research and knowledge are important but less critical than process management in corporate law compared to litigation.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
As a corporate attorney, I didn't realize how important legal research and knowledge are, but less so than for a litigation attorney. Litigation attorneys are in court, filing motions and briefs.
On the corporate side, process management is a huge and very important skill in running deals. Coming out of law school, I didn't fully appreciate how balanced the legal and non-legal skills and attributes needed to be for a successful attorney.