I’m a first year CRE associate and I know I want to start my own firm within 5-7 years, what would you tell your past self to start doing as a first year?

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Network in the business community.

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Set up a new email address on yahoo or gmail. As u work and find solid forms, bcc them to yourself at this address. Over time you’ll create a library with hundreds of forms.

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I would print the samples and bring them home once a week. Keep them in a safe place and scan them to a cloud once a quarter.

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Learn the deal from inception to closing and keep a roster of contacts. See how much people bill and how long things take.

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I endorse A1’s suggestions with a few additional comments.

1. Add the full contact info to your Outlook Contacts of every person you deal with professionally. Put the deal, the relationship and the facts in the “Notes” section. (If the relationship is strained, or your adversary is an asshole, note that too.) When you leave, send all appropriate people an email announcement. (Avoid the overused words “broad range” in your email. It speaks of a complete lack of creativity and originality.)

2. Get on LinkedIn and build your contacts there. It’s an amazing resource. I focused on LinkedIn and added 3,000 new contacts in 2 years!

3. Don’t specialize in “door law” (i.e., whatever comes through the door). You can do a few other things that interest you but stay in your lane as best as you can.

I’m a CRE lawyer, but I represent a lot of brokers and I occasionally work in entertainment because I have friends who went into that industry.

4. Read and/or take CLE classes. You’ll be surprised how much you learn.

5. Try not to make enemies. The late, legendary lawyer, F. Lee Bailey, once said that he never cuts off anyone in traffic because that person might just be on his next jury. Good advice for every practice area.

6. Do all these things now. Don’t wait. That way you’ll be ready for anything in five years!

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