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The Importance of Staying Informed
I have heard Dean Toben speak to large groups of students on multiple occasions, and in most of those talks he specifically mentions the importance of staying informed. He discusses how critical it\par
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last day of the 84th Legislative Session here in Texas. So when first considering what to write today, I thought about providing a list of key or controversial laws that have been (or will soon be) signed into Texas law this legislative session. However, I quickly realized that the point I was trying to get across was a larger one, and one Dean Toben often makes: it’s critical that you stay informed. So with that change of direction let's talk about what it means to stay informed, and why you should make it a priority. \par \par Why? First of all, there are practical reasons. You are budding lawyers who need to know what the laws are. It’s why you will be required to accumulate Continuing Legal Education credit in order to maintain your Bar license. It’s also a way in which you can distinguish yourself from the many choices people and companies have when it comes to who will provide their legal services. And let’s not forget, most job interviews start out with at least a little bit of chit-chat, and that’s at a critical point when first impressions of you are being made. \par \par What about the idea that as a lawyer, you’re also going to be called into leadership within your community. Baylor Lawyers in particular are serving their communities in a variety of roles all over the state and the nation, and you won’t be successful in those roles if all you know is your slice of the legal pie. Being knowledgeable about the issues of the day will be a necessity.\par \par Remember also that for long-term success as a lawyer, you’re ultimately going to have to attract new and retain clients and business. Being conversant in the news may not get that new client or convince that client not to leave, but it’s sure helpful to have some topics to draw from when you’re at networking events or in a position of having to make small talk. Conversely, not being able to carry on a conversation can make you come across as uninformed, out of touch, aloof or detached. None of these are endearing characteristics to a prospective client.\par \par As an example, last week I traveled to Houston early Tuesday morning after the severe rainfall overnight caused incredible flooding, which you’ve no doubt seen over the past week. How would it have made me look if I had gone into my first appointment without knowing what was going on, or without asking if the person I was meeting with and their family were safe? Once I realized the extent of what had happened, I emailed each of the people I was to meet with to ask those questions and let them know that I understood if we needed to reschedule. The early part of each meeting I had was all about the flooding, stories of missing people, where the worst of it was, etc. My credibility to discuss the virtue of you, the Baylor Law student, would have been shot had I been uninformed on the flooding issue.\par \par The last point I want to make is this: get out of your information bubble. The internet age and 24/7 cable news cycles have enabled us to seek out news that only appeals to our view of the world. This new era has its positives and choice is always good. However, it’s important to recognize that you’re going to interact with many people who don’t share your worldview, and you are going to have to find ways to connect with them if you’re going to be their lawyer. So challenge yourself to mix it up a bit; it’s always good to hear what someone else might be thinking or feeling, even if in the end you’re not going to agree with their conclusions or decisions. \par \par Take it from Dean Toben, staying informed is a critical piece of your professional development, and will serve you well in the great many roles you’re soon likely to assume. Oh, and since I changed directions on this blog post, go read the Texas Tribune (or your local news outlet of choice) to make sure you’re up on all the new laws.\par \par Connect with Daniel at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu and/or @BaylorLawDaniel on Twitter.\par \par Job of the Week: Each week I highlight a job in Symplicity you might be interested in but may have missed. This week's job is: Assistant County Attorney – Child Protective Services (Conroe, 3L/Alumni) Log in to Symplicity to view this job and apply. \par ]]>\par
last day of the 84th Legislative Session here in Texas. So when first considering what to write today, I thought about providing a list of key or controversial laws that have been (or will soon be) signed into Texas law this legislative session. However, I quickly realized that the point I was trying to get across was a larger one, and one Dean Toben often makes: it’s critical that you stay informed. So with that change of direction let's talk about what it means to stay informed, and why you should make it a priority. \par \par Why? First of all, there are practical reasons. You are budding lawyers who need to know what the laws are. It’s why you will be required to accumulate Continuing Legal Education credit in order to maintain your Bar license. It’s also a way in which you can distinguish yourself from the many choices people and companies have when it comes to who will provide their legal services. And let’s not forget, most job interviews start out with at least a little bit of chit-chat, and that’s at a critical point when first impressions of you are being made. \par \par What about the idea that as a lawyer, you’re also going to be called into leadership within your community. Baylor Lawyers in particular are serving their communities in a variety of roles all over the state and the nation, and you won’t be successful in those roles if all you know is your slice of the legal pie. Being knowledgeable about the issues of the day will be a necessity.\par \par Remember also that for long-term success as a lawyer, you’re ultimately going to have to attract new and retain clients and business. Being conversant in the news may not get that new client or convince that client not to leave, but it’s sure helpful to have some topics to draw from when you’re at networking events or in a position of having to make small talk. Conversely, not being able to carry on a conversation can make you come across as uninformed, out of touch, aloof or detached. None of these are endearing characteristics to a prospective client.\par \par As an example, last week I traveled to Houston early Tuesday morning after the severe rainfall overnight caused incredible flooding, which you’ve no doubt seen over the past week. How would it have made me look if I had gone into my first appointment without knowing what was going on, or without asking if the person I was meeting with and their family were safe? Once I realized the extent of what had happened, I emailed each of the people I was to meet with to ask those questions and let them know that I understood if we needed to reschedule. The early part of each meeting I had was all about the flooding, stories of missing people, where the worst of it was, etc. My credibility to discuss the virtue of you, the Baylor Law student, would have been shot had I been uninformed on the flooding issue.\par \par The last point I want to make is this: get out of your information bubble. The internet age and 24/7 cable news cycles have enabled us to seek out news that only appeals to our view of the world. This new era has its positives and choice is always good. However, it’s important to recognize that you’re going to interact with many people who don’t share your worldview, and you are going to have to find ways to connect with them if you’re going to be their lawyer. So challenge yourself to mix it up a bit; it’s always good to hear what someone else might be thinking or feeling, even if in the end you’re not going to agree with their conclusions or decisions. \par \par Take it from Dean Toben, staying informed is a critical piece of your professional development, and will serve you well in the great many roles you’re soon likely to assume. Oh, and since I changed directions on this blog post, go read the Texas Tribune (or your local news outlet of choice) to make sure you’re up on all the new laws.\par \par Connect with Daniel at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu and/or @BaylorLawDaniel on Twitter.\par \par Job of the Week: Each week I highlight a job in Symplicity you might be interested in but may have missed. This week's job is: Assistant County Attorney – Child Protective Services (Conroe, 3L/Alumni) Log in to Symplicity to view this job and apply. \par ]]>\par