By Bethany Kolenic 
The tricky thing about being a new corporate associate is that no matter how well you did in law school, you will still feel unprepared for the realities of corporate practice. Part of that stems from the fact that law school coursework is generally weighted in favor of litigation (case-in-point: my law school offered more legal writing classes on the nuances of appellate brief-writing than there were students, but only one contract drafting seminar per semester). The other part is that learning how to practice corporate law requires getting out there and getting experience.
Understanding this does not change the fact that your first few months will feel overwhelming – you might sit through meetings and only understand a fraction of what just happened. You might get an assignment and spend more time clarifying what it is you are supposed to be doing than actually doing it. This is more than a little bit disconcerting.
The best advice I’ve received about starting out as a corporate associate is, if nothing else, be pleasant and be organized. No one actually expects you to know everything on your first day or even during your first year (if ever), so try to relax and keep it simple:
Be pleasant: add value to your deal team by having a good attitude and showing that you are eager to learn. Treat everyone with respect and kindness. Show appreciation for the opportunities you are given. Volunteer to help with the tasks that no one else wants to do.
Be organized: show up to meetings prepared. Be on time, bring extra copies of relevant documents, have a pen and legal pad ready to take notes. Ask your legal assistant for help creating files for your projects, so when someone asks you for a document you know where to find it quickly. Carry a pen and legal pad with you at all times, so you are ready for instructions if you run into someone in the hallway.
These basics have helped me keep my cool in situations where I felt overwhelmed by the volume of new information. The learning process (I’ve been assured) happens naturally, as you work on different types of deals and get experience. Until then, being pleasant and organized will go a long way towards building a good foundation on which to start your career.