Continuing our conversation with our Summer Associate Class:

2.  What do you think makes a great attorney?

• Commitment, compassion and ability to see the big picture while at the same time paying attention to detail. It also takes a lot of hard work.
• Attention to detail, work ethic, thorough thinking (looking at issues from every perspective), and integrity.
• Confidence in your abilities, but humble enough to understand that there is always something to learn. You must be able to lead and take direction interchangeably.
• Motivation & Initiative. Attorneys who welcome new challenges, who work hard, and who strive to produce the best work possible seem to be the most successful. The motivation to master what comes across your desk, the motivation to get the best outcome for your client, the motivation to simply conquer the more tedious of tasks, these are traits that define a good attorney (especially a good young attorney).
• People skills: Great attorneys, I've found, are able to talk to anyone about anything. They are generally outgoing people. Clients trust them, coworkers want to work with them. (I would imagine its hard to be very successful if your coworkers/teammates can not stand you). A sense of humor helps.
• Outreach: Great attorneys who are farther along in their practice also seem to have a high level of community involvement. Be it politics, non-profits, arts, etc., these attorneys tend to be easily recognizable in the community. Perhaps these attorneys simply are "branding" themselves as good people. No doubt these types of activities extend their network and garner good will. My guess, however, is that being civically involved is a positive experience that many attorney's genuinely believe in.
• Integrity. Being an attorney requires many traits: dedication, drive, sharp analytical skills, stamina, an ability to think outside the box, to name a few. These traits are, for the most part, common to all attorneys. However, I believe the characteristic that sets the great attorneys apart from the average is integrity.