It's your first day at your new law firm. It's a big law firm, or at least it feels big. Maybe this is your first job out of law school (possibly your first full-time job period). Maybe you lateraled over from another firm, or came from an in-house or public sector job. You survey your office—your office. The shiny computer, the phone with too many buttons, the view out of the window (looking at the high-rise building next to yours), the bare walls where you will hang your diplomas, pictures of your family, and tasteful yet eccentric art. You think about the work that will soon land on your desk, and the intellectual rigors and stimulation that are to come in your long and successful legal career.

But outside of that office is where the magic happens. More likely than not, the keys to your success will be found in the relationships you develop—not only with clients and potential clients outside of your law firm, but just as importantly, with the lawyers and staff with whom you work. Make no mistake about it: the practice of law is a team sport. To construct the building blocks to a successful career—particularly early on, when you may not have regular client contact or the tools to build a book of business—junior lawyers need to learn to communicate effectively and build relationships with members of their law firm "team," from the legal assistant to the managing partner.

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