Practicing With Professionalism - South Carolina Bar Association

20. Never turn in the first, second or third draft of a brief, and when a senior
lawyefasks you for a draft, he or she means your very best final product.
21. Only pull all nighters four days before or the very night before something
is due. After staying up all night and through all or part of the next day,
you will be worthless. Don't find yourself unable to function with still a
day left before the deadline.
22. Never wingit. Be prepared. For anything that might happen.
23. Proof read everything at least twice. Many people (including judges and
opposing counsel) will form their first impression of you based upon your
written work product. 1£ you make errors in your written work, you will
be perceived as unprepared and sloppy in all that you do.
24. Use your expert witnesses to prepare to take the defendant's deposition.
Find out before hand what the defendant should have done and what he
shouldn't have done.
25. Always inform a client of any settlement offer in writing, even if the client
has already given you authorityto reject an offer under a certain sum.
26. Always return calls or attempt to return calls within 24 hours. Most
complaints against attorneys filed with the bar association stem from
attorneys who do not respond to client inquiries.
27. Never, under any circumstances, lie to a client or shade the truth.
28. Your character and integrity are your most valuable assets.
29. . In oral argument or at trial, treat opposing counsel as you would treat
your grandfather, not your sibling, in a debate. Sharp remarks, even
when deserved, will make you seem petty and detract from the force of
the substance ofyour argument.
30. Sometime for practic~, try writing the initial draft of your brief without
citing any cases. Youwant to,beable to justify your.positions because you
can show and argue that your position is substantively the right choice,
not just because some other court did this once before. Once you have
adequately explained why you are right, add in the cases as additional
support. Not the other way around.