By Jonathan Brophy 
Some people do their best work under pressure. As a young associate though, waiting until the last minute to complete a task is usually not advisable. This is particularly true with discovery. Whether you've just received a box of documents from opposing counsel in response to your discovery requests, or you've just received the other side's interrogatories and request for documents for your client -review discovery as soon as you get it.
If you've received discovery requests, review them within a day and get them out to your client immediately with your instructions and analysis. In most cases, you will have 30 days from service to respond, and waiting a week to get your client involved is a bad idea because it will put unnecessary time constraints on you and the client.
If you've received responses to discovery, review them right away. If you wait too long to analyze the responses and later find out they are deficient, you will needlessly shorten your time to meet and confer on any issues before filling a motion to compel.
You will invariably be pulled in many directions as a young associate, and prioritizing tasks will become a necessary skill to succeed. Make sure reviewing discovery always enjoys top priority status and you will avoid unnecessary headaches down the road.