Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Marketing the Law FirmFeaturesCareer DevelopmentLaw Firm Marketing and Business Development

How to TOOT Your Own Horn: Exceptional Self Evaluations

By Sharon Meit Abrahams
November 01, 2019

It's that time again. As the year comes to a close many firms are beginning the associate review process. Even if your firm does not have a formal review process I recommend that you write a self-evaluation that outlines your achievements and specifies your goals for the coming year.  Because I have worked in law firms for over 25 years I have seen a variety of review processes, and whether or not a self-evaluation is part of your firm's process I want to share a few tips I have learned through the years.

First Things First

You should be familiar of your firm's performance management system. Ask your supervising attorney(s), the professional development department or someone in human resources about the process. There are probably written materials, a slide presentation or a video that explains the steps. Of course, you can ask your colleagues, but they may or may not be fully versed in the details and will share their own opinion of the process. For example, they may think no one reads a self-review so they opt to not complete one. From my experience, not completing a self-review is detrimental when the reviewers begin to formulate their comments.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent Trolls Image

With trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.