Anyone thinking of going to law school, thinking of graduating from law school, thinking of making partner in a law firm, or just thinking period should take a good look at a new book called Never Eat Alone (and Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time), by an acquaintance of mine named Keith Ferrazzi.
Keith is a Harvard MBA, not a lawyer, and from the title, the book sounds like another how-to-succeed-with-networking-manual. There’s a little bit of that in the book. But Keith is more ambitious, even if his text has the feel of a pop-business best seller. A lot of his concrete suggestions and a lot of his philosophy are worth thinking about — especially if you’re a young lawyer feeling like you don’t get the kind of career support that you should. If you have the time, you can work out most of his methods on your own. I did it myself. But the book will give you a big boost.
Even the best and most supportive law firms out there are hierarchies designed to extract your soul. If you want to have a chance at holding on to it, law firm or no law firm, read this book.