A colleague, not a competitor: how a young advocate can integrate into the professional community

An advocate who views colleagues from other practice areas as partners rather than competitors can refer a client to a specialist in that area, seek advice on an unfamiliar case, and share their own experience. For a young advocate, this is also a way to find support within the profession.

This was discussed during the webinar «The advocate’s brand: online vs. offline. Two strategies, one result», held on October 21 by the UNBA NextGen in the Mykolaiv region. Regional representatives of the Committee Dmytro Slobodyanyuk and Iryna Tsybko shared their experiences.

D. Slobodyanyuk, in particular, explained that from the start of his career, he adhered to the principle that there are no competitors among fellow advocates. According to him, colleagues are a source of referrals, and the best person to recommend an advocate is a colleague who specializes in a different field. That is why he began by joining professional organizations and attending events.

Advocates who handle criminal cases usually do not want to venture outside their area of practice. Therefore, they are happy to refer civil or administrative matters to colleagues they trust. I. Tsybko agreed: if someone approaches you with a matter you do not handle, you can refer them to a colleague with the appropriate expertise. You can also turn to a colleague for advice when you’re working on a particular case for the first time.

D. Slobodyanyuk cited speaking at continuing legal education events as another way to enter the professional community. In his observation, becoming a lecturer is challenging due to fear and the need for thorough preparation, but competition in this area is low. It’s best to choose a topic based on your own practice. He himself spoke to colleagues about intellectual property tools that enabled them to offer new services to clients. Since then, colleagues have come to view him primarily as an expert on these issues.

To ensure that colleagues and the public understand what to come to you for, your specialization must be clearly defined. «Criminal law and procedure advocate» sounds too broad, whereas «advocate specializing in criminal cases related to traffic accidents» immediately evokes a clear association. In competitive fields, the speaker advised narrowing one’s practice down to two or three articles of the Special Part of the Criminal Code.

At the same time, D. Slobodyanyuk cautioned against immediately offering help to acquaintances whom you perceive as having a legal problem. In his experience, the “I know your problem and have a solution” approach doesn’t work. Trust is built gradually, and it’s better when a person reaches out on their own.

I. Tsybko admitted that she started out without anyone to help her find her footing in advocacy. A webinar participant who received her license last month asked precisely this question: where should a young advocate look for professional networking opportunities? D. Slobodyanyuk advised joining the region’s closed online community of advocates and not being shy about suggesting a meeting with colleagues. You can also reach out to the regional office of UNBA NextGen, whose mission is to support advocates who have recently received their license, regardless of age.

Previously, at UNBA NextGen events, participants discussed how a lawyer’s reputation begins with predictability, explored how to maintain one’s reputation on social media, and shared their experiences with building a personal brand as a young lawyer.