OTLA Trial Lawyer Winter 2021

38 Trial Lawyer • Winter 2021 your best bet is probably a lower salary, higher commission-based system. But if your case load is more stable, and you’re just looking for some help managing what you have, a higher base salary with fewer incentives may be more appealing. Again, there’s no right or wrong offer — only the one that fits best with what you’re looking for in an associate and what an associate is looking for them- selves. And if the match isn’t quite right, that’s okay! Finding the right fit is really the most important thing. Expanding potential Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a natural introvert, so I think I have a pretty good understanding of just how scary a job search can be. Was my own most recent search stressful? Absolutely. But it also ended up being incredibly rewarding. Through my ne twork of OTLA colleagues, I was introduced to some terri f ic lawyers — lawyers that I otherwise never would have known were looking to add an associate to their prac- tice. After those introductions, I was able to work — more or less full time — on a number of contract projects that col- lectively gave me a really good sense of how each office’s business model oper- ated, what each supervising attorney was looking for in an associate, and whether my style of work and skill strengths would be a good fit. At the end of the process, I was able to compare the offers I received, and pick the firm and com- pensation package that felt like the best match for what I needed. And now — even in these incredibly uncertain times — I find myself in a situation about which I really can’t complaint. I get to do a job I enjoy, every day, in the setting that works best for me. The best situation Expanding a practice by hiring an associate is challenging even in the best of times, let alone right now, in this mo- ment. But, as I hope my own experience shows, OTLA members are fortunate to have a number of tools at our disposal to help make those challenges extremely manageable. Our tight-knit community and excellent local law schools provide us with a constant pipeline of talented young lawyers. The variety of creative ways that potential associates and their employers can “try each other out” help ensure that everyone finds the right fit. And the end result is unquestionably rewarding: offices that are efficient, prof- itable and get the best possible outcomes for our clients. Timothy Walsh specializes in plaintiff ’s personal injury law, with a focus on cases involving injured bicyclists and pedestrians. He is an associate attorney at Charley Gee PC, 3709 SE Gladstone St., Portland, OR 97202. He can be reached at 503-278- 5389 or [email protected] . New Associate Continued from p 37