News
Law Office Management
Sep. 2, 2015
An Unforgettable Journey
by Zachary M. Turke
I still remember getting the call. It was a Thursday night in June 2005, early in
my 2L summer associate position with Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles, and I was out
with friends at a bar. My cell phone rang. I looked down at the screen and saw, with
a slight twinge of panic, that the call was from Larry Braun, chairman of the firm's
corporate practice group. I wondered, had I made a colossal mistake on one of my summer
projects?
I answered, and Larry asked, "Do you have a passport?"
Just like that, within 24 hours Larry and I were on a plane from LAX to Taiwan to
attend negotiations for an upcoming M&A transaction. During the 13-hour flight, Larry
explained the transaction process-from the letter of intent to the closing dinner-as
well as what our negotiation posture would be, and what I should pay attention to.
I absorbed it all like a sponge.
The five-day trip itself was a whirlwind. I sat in on everything: the negotiations
with the CEO of the public- company buyer, the private sidebars with the investment
bankers, the social meetings in the evening. Larry, our client (the private-company
seller), and I even spent some time touring Taipei and taking in the sights. It was
an amazing experience for a young law student.
When we returned to Los Angeles, two ideas were firmly cemented in my mind. First,
that I wanted to be a corporate attorney. And second, how important it is to have
a mentor take an interest in your professional development.
Unless you grew up in a family of lawyers or religiously watched L.A. Law as a kid, no one comes to this profession fully understanding what it means to practice
law. And whatever your opinion of the Socratic method as a tool to impart legal theory,
law school does little to prepare students for navigating the politics of a law firm.
Add to this the millions of other little questions that pop up throughout a young
lawyer's day, and mentorship becomes crucial for our success.
Now, almost ten years later, I'm a partner at the firm. I still work with Larry, and
we still meet monthly to discuss my career progression. And I am more convinced than
ever that I would not have made partner without Larry, or someone like him, taking
an interest in my career.
It can be easy to lose sight of the importance of mentoring as we progress through
our careers-juggling multiple projects and client development-and still make time
for our families. As the beneficiaries of mentoring, however, it is imperative that
we return the favor and help develop the careers of the young people around us. As
a young partner, I am doing what I can for the associates who work for me.
Mentoring can be as simple as taking time to explain the reasoning behind the particular
document revisions we're making, so the young attorneys understand the logic behind
the redline, or summarizing how their individual projects fit into the transaction
as a whole.
Every few months, I take each of my associates out to lunch individually to make sure
they are getting the type of work they want, and to give them the opportunity to ask
questions they may have in a less-formal setting. And much like Larry did for me,
I take them to as many client meetings as possible. Unfortunately, as I am still building
my practice, these meetings are not yet in glamorous foreign locales (unless you consider
the City of Industry glamorous, of course). But, as I can vouch from personal experience,
there is still benefit in each opportunity to interact with clients.
I will always remember my trip to Taipei; it helped set me on my current career path.
I'm thankful to my mentor for giving me that opportunity, and I hope that the people
who work for me will one day feel the same way.
Zachary M. Turke is a partner in the corporate practice group in Sheppard Mullin Richter
& Hampton's Los Angeles office.
#270358
Donna Mallard
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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