Mentoring Associates with Katy Mickelson

In this episode, Alay and Katy discuss: Hiring young attorneys and what they should be taught. Mentoring young attorneys within your law firm. Building a growing, thriving team to build a growing, thriving business. Encouraging a sense of community in a post-pandemic world.   Key Takeaways: As a young attorney, they need to understand that they will fail at some point. Everyone does, it does not make you a failure. Mentoring must be part of your everyday routine to make the clients happy and to help your younger attorneys grow. Time is your most valuable asset. Dedicating some of that time to mentoring your younger attorneys is time well spent. While the pandemic is not yet over, the world is moving into more in-person events. Take advantage of those to meet with strategic partners and to continue growing your personal branding and book of business.   Tweetable Moments: “I always think of the ultimate younger attorney as somebody who makes themselves available and is enthusiastic. Some of this is innate, and some of this is teachable. ” —  Katy Mickelson “It is absolutely critical to building a thriving business to have a strong team. You don’t get that overnight, you get that by mentoring people, helping them grow and develop. ” —  Alay Yajnik “Invest the time and effort to ensure that your associates are successful.” —  Alay Yajnik “One of the things that we’re trying to do is to incentivize people to want to come to the office, because part of a really good associate experience is the camaraderie of being in a firm. It’s really hard to be a new attorney and be practicing by yourself.” —  Katy Mickelson   About Katy Mickelson: The only owner at Beermann LLP to have started her career at the firm as a law clerk, Equity Partner Katy Mickelson has risen through the ranks to become of the most influential and highly respected attorneys at her firm and in the industry. She is known for her pragmatic approach to practicing an area of law that is often fraught with emotion and drama, and she remains a source of strength for her clients who are leaders in their field but require discrete and strategic assistance with highly personal matters. She is skilled in both litigation and mediation and her calm demeanor, preparedness and assertive style has earned her numerous industry awards and recognition from her peers, prior clients and judges.   Katy takes on leadership roles within every organization she joins, from her current role as President of the Chicago Council of the American Writers Museum, to her former role as Philanthropy Chair for Make-a-Wish Illinois’ fundraising arm, the Women’s Network. She is a frequent lecturer, educating audiences on complex family law issues, such as the nuanced area of prenuptial agreements, and has been a featured contributor to legal publications, including the American Bar Association Journal.   Last, but certainly not least, Katy prioritizes her role as a mentor to other young female attorneys. Never forgetting where she came from, Katy’s open door policy to law clerks, associates and staff has made her a trusted confidante both to those in and outside her firm.     Connect with Katy Mickelson: Website: www.beermannlaw.com Email: [email protected] Show: 312-621-4382 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-homburger-mickelson-580b793/   Connect with Alay Yajnik: Website: LawyerBusinessAdvantage.com One Page Strategic Plan: LawFirmSuccessGroup.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alayyajnik