Hi all, late diagnosed ADHD female litigator at AmLaw 100 firm. I’m hoping folks can share some of the most impactful practical tools or tips that have helped you succeed at work. There is so much information out there. It feels overwhelming. I think it would be helpful to hear from fellow litigators that have to balance handfuls of cases and multiple supervising attorneys.
After years of masking and always playing catch-up, I am at complete ADHD burnout.

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

Calendar everything. Calendar when a draft needs to go to the client, and when it needs to go to the partner/team for review. Calendar when you will follow up on an email you sent asking a question/asking for something. Calendar when you will check in with juniors/paralegals on pending projects.

I also keep a running list of active cases and go over it every few weeks to catch up on coming deadlines and action items. Once a week, go through all of the deadlines coming up in the next four weeks and back out what needs to be done to meet these deadlines.

There may still be balls that drop, but hopefully you'll at least catch them earlier before they become problematic.

like

Delegate whatever and whenever possible. Use staff/juniors for detail work. Medication. Sleep. Keep blood sugar balanced.

like

I totally get how overwhelming it can be, especially in a high-pressure role like ours. For me, breaking tasks down into smaller, manageable chunks helped a lot. I also use time-blocking to stay focused and set alarms for check-ins with myself. Also, don’t hesitate to delegate when possible, you’re not alone in this!

like

Related Posts

Do industry professionals involved in M&A sign to close and integration work long hours too or do they peace out at 6

likehelpful

Hows the industry doing in MENA right now? Any worries about a potential crash? Are firms still hiring? Based in the US and everything is tense here with the recent tech layoffs

like

Blue shield of CA fired 375 people. Any other insurance companies having massive layoffs?

like

Marketing Career: When should I move to the director level? I have 4-5 years of Growth Marketing experience and my salary is stuck at $100k. I want to make $200k within the next year - what should I do?

like

I am an email marketing specialist. I am approaching my one year at my new job. I have been going above & beyond. I have been recognized by my boss that I have been doing great as well. I have been implementing new strategies, completing all assignments on time, and I do the most in all of our meetings, interviews and business events. How much can I ask for a raise?

like

Out of curiosity. How would a company view a potential candidate who has a period of unemployment to study for the CPA. I am considering to start studying for the exam but I know I would need to leave my employer in order to give 110%. I am contemplating the idea of at least passing one part while employed. Then leaving my employer to study FAR. I am considering to leave my current employer anyways, so it’s more of how my future employer would view that lapse.

likehelpful

What are some expectations that are important to convey to the people making a narramatics film? For example: tone, speed, high impact moments. What else would you convey to achieve the best results?

like

Need a job as Scrum Master.. I am fresher into it .

Anyone use Ashwagandha? What type/brand?

like

I’m looking for assistance on building your own portfolio in my traditional 401K. I’ve been reading that it’s important to choose funds with low expense ratios. Also, that it is recommended to have at least one US stock, international stock , and bond. I am 24yo so ideally, I’d want to allocate 90%-100% to stocks and 0%-10% to the bond. Any other things I should be looking at?

like

Sooo AMC.. who’s in?

😂

like

Got interviewed for EY FAAS UK Assistant manager role. What should be the expected GBP salary range and what other benefits do they usually offer/ negotiate EY for relocation from India? YOE 5 yrs

like

Is Koch good company to work? How is culture& work life balance?

like

Apart from offer do we have any other additional benefits in ibm like leave encashment, travel or internet allowance, food card allowance etc.
I also see sign on bonus of 1lk, could you please let me know when and how it will be paid considering working for 1year plus ?
What is the % we can expect for yearly performance bonus which is not part of package and how is it calculated and when it will normally be credited ?

like

Can anyone let me know, if Capgemini allows people to work from other countries who is going on tourist visa? Should we work only in Capgemini laptop? or any laptop? I am planning to work from other countries while going on a tour. Any ideas

like

Ericsson IT Solutions & Services Hi folks I have been selected in below companies. Working as a Java backend developer in TCS with 3.5 years of experience. To day is my last working day. Please suggest me in choosing company

Accenture Bangalore
ADP(Automatic Data Processing) Hyderabad Ericsson IT Solutions & Services Bangalore Virtusa (Standard Chartered Bank client project)
ACS Solutions hyderabad

like

US peeps, what are you doing for thanksgiving?

like

Hey! I’m planning to take an Orff Level 1 course this summer. Any tips, tricks, or advice as I prepare? Also, what other trainings would you recommend for elementary general music teachers? Thanks in advance!

like

Full disclosure, I didn’t read past the first sentence.

Post Photo
funnylike

Additional Posts in Lawyers with ADHD

What tricks do you guys have to keep you focused for bursts of time? I feel like as soon as I start something, I go back and forth between it and whatever else pops into my mind. Any suggestions are welcomed.

like

There’s been some posts on the best planning tools (e.g. planners, calendars, etc.), but my question is how do ppl make sure they use them? I get them and am excited about the possibility of them helping for about a week then I just stop using it. Even if I find it helpful I just never stay consistent with it. Does this happen to others? Any tricks or suggestions to stay consistent using planners, to do lists, calendars, etc.

like

Has anyone used an ADHD /executive functioning coach? I’ve been on meds since I was 13, but am struggling more than I think I should be with basic things. Some of my poor habits have definitely caught up with me. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

like

Can anyone offer advice for helping with adderall side effects? I was diagnosed a few months ago and I am new to medication. I have been taking 20 mg xr in the morning but have a terrible crash around 2/3pm each day where I just get very very tired. Doctor recommended 10mg ir mid day to combat but I still experience pretty severe fatigue as a side effect. Just wondering if anyone has found any natural strategies to cope or mitigate. Thanks!

like

How do you add positive structure to your life outside of work? I am way too worn out when I get home and my ADHD just takes over...

like

Hi everyone! How do you manage to read so much with adhd? I find myself to be a slow reader and my reading and writing comprehension is not the best :(

like

After 4 years I want to leave law because of my adhd! I have been to 4 different firms and at each place I feel like I have been “found out”. At every place at least one attorney catches me about my attention to detail. I am so down on myself now. I can’t bring myself to care about small details that I know don’t actually matter. Sitting at a desk all day in word documents is the ultimate form of torture to me. My strengths are talking to people. I am super outgoing. Looking for a new career

like

I know I’ve seen a few similar posts before in the past, but do you guys have preferred/recommended apps to keep you organized and productive with work? I have my work calendar and synced through outlook on my phone, but just looking for suggestions to keep everything as organized as possible.

like

Everything always takes me so long to do :/

like

How do you manage keeping track of and responding to teams chats and emails in a timely manner? I have a hard time addressing chats when I am focused on something else, because I know it will completely derail me. But then I forgot to circle back to the chat when I’m done and I’ve recently been told that my response time is unacceptable and needs to improve, but I’m truly unsure how to improve.

like

What’s the best advice/strategy you’ve adopted for lawyering with ADHD?

like

Anyone else? This is one of the things about my ADHD that makes work so difficult!

Post Photo
like

Anyone else have days where it seems like your meds just don’t work? What do you do to offset those? This week has been a struggle.

like

Anyone on straterra? Starting week 4 on it and have not noticed much, but I have zero appreciate and have food aversions. Would be interested to know how people deal with this / if it actually helped? I know it takes some time to see the effects,

like

Has anyone figured out OneNote? I’m trying to get organized...again.

like

Are people still live on here? I was diagnosed last year with ADD and I’ve tried two stimulants so far. I know they aren’t meant to be a magic pill but I’m still struggling with general tasks and feel like I’m doing the bare minimum. The Nurse has suggested I try non stimulants. What are peoples experiences with meds ? Did they work or not?

like

What are your strategies for completing work efficiently? How do you figure out how long projects should take? A consistent piece of feedback on my yearly reviews has been that I over-bill & spend too much time on assignments. It’s something I actively work on, but I still have no concrete sense of how long I should spend on basic tasks (e.g., drafting a motion to dismiss). My firm is right to expect that I manage my time better as a mid-level associate. WFH has made my time management worse.

like

How do you deal with making mistakes at work? I’ve been doing good work lately but there’s one partner who thinks I’m mistake prone and I just made a mistake on something he asked me to do, but I corrected it quickly. However, there is public record of my mistake.

like

Lately been wondering if my meds are even working anymore… had to skip today’s dose (long story not worth telling) and, yeah, can now confirm my meds are working.

likefunny

Does anyone work in an area with lots of exterior environmental noise (traffic, concerts, trains, etc.) and have tips for not becoming overwhelmed and/or distracted by it? I’m finding that environmental noise has increased near my office now that tourism has picked back up in my city, and I’m struggling to block it out. I’ve tried earplugs but the noises tend to vibrate my office building so the earplugs don’t work well as an entire block.

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal