Thriving In Your First Legal Role

This practical session is designed to help law graduates and junior lawyers successfully navigate their first year in the legal profession. Lisa Gray and Ben Holloway from Tyler Wren share exclusive recruiter insights and real-world advice on how to survive and thrive during your first 12 months, whether you are entering private practice or an corporate in-house legal team. The session breaks down a comprehensive 12-month roadmap, guiding you through the transition from academic law school writing to delivering short, sharp, commercially focused advice. Attendees will gain actionable strategies on how to master legal tech, manage conflicting deadlines from multiple partners, handle "red ink" feedback with a growth mindset, and build authentic professional networks from day one. Key Topics Include: The 12-Month Roadmap: A quarterly breakdown of what to expect, from initial team integration to finding your autonomous voice as a practitioner. Learning the Machine (Months 1–3): Tips for mastering practice management systems, logging daily billable units, and mapping out your team's unique working styles. Shifting Style & Connecting Outward (Months 4–6): Ditching academic legalese for actionable advice, establishing a "first draft" standard, and building a vital peer network. Managing Stakeholders & "Managing Up" (Months 7–9): How to transparently communicate your capacity when the workload piles up, and how to triage urgent client tasks. Adding Value & Taking Ownership (Months 10–12): Transitioning into an advisor by bringing calculated solutions to your managers rather than just identifying problems. Conquering Imposter Syndrome & Nerves: Reframing heavy edits as free mentoring and setting up personal quality-control safety nets to eliminate errors. Law Office Etiquette vs. General Corporate Environments: Navigating obsessive attention to detail, strict confidentiality guardrails, and the traditional chain of command. This webinar is presented by Tyler Wren in partnership with The College of Law. It is the third instalment in our legal career series. Be sure to check out our previous sessions covering CV/cover letter preparation and interview techniques on the College of Law or Tyler Wren websites. For additional career resources, job opportunities, or tailored support, visit www.tylerwren.co.nz. #TylerWrenLegal #TheCollegeOfLaw #JuniorLawyer #LegalCareersNZ #LawGraduates