Signs You Won’t Get Hired Back at a Law Firm (Part 2 of 2)

What if nobody tells you that you're not on track to get hired back? In Part 2 of this Behind the Bar series, Susan Van Dyke explores two more invisible warning signs that law students and summer students often miss. You may still be getting assignments. People may still be friendly. Nobody may have given you negative feedback. But behind the scenes, partners are making decisions. Are they coming back to you for more work? Are they confident in your work product? Do they trust you with their files? Drawing on decades of experience working inside and alongside law firms, Susan explains what these signals really mean, why students often miss them, and most importantly, how to course correct before it becomes a bigger problem. You'll learn: • Why lawyers stop returning with additional assignments • What repeated corrections to your work may be telling you • How trust is built inside a law firm • Why visibility and responsiveness matter more than you think • Practical ways to improve your reputation immediately • How to recover when you sense confidence is slipping If you're a summer student, articling student, law student, or junior associate, this episode may help you spot issues early and take action before opportunities disappear. *Lawyer Launcher links:* Instagram: https://instagram.com/lawyerlauncher/ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lawyerlauncher/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@LawyerLauncher-BTB/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/susanpvandyke/ -- Chapters 00:05 - Introduction and Part 2 Overview 01:22 - Welcome to the Lawyer Launcher Podcast 01:57 - Mindset Shift: From a 9-to-5 to Legal Professionalism 02:51 - Support the Show: Subscribe and Share 03:24 - Understanding Subtle Signals in Law Firms 04:00 - Invisible Sign #3: Past Assigning Lawyers Aren't Coming Back to You 09:58 - How to Fix Sign #3: Re-engaging and Building a New Pipeline 12:57 - Office Visibility vs. Remote Work Strategy 15:42 - Invisible Sign #4: Misinterpreting Too Much Feedback 18:21 - How to Fix Sign #4: Managing Up and Getting Better Instructions 20:34 - Utilizing Internal Resources and Law Librarians 21:36 - Collaborating with Paralegals and Assistants 23:07 - The Final Pass: Ensuring Work Accuracy and Quality 27:38 - Summary of the 4 Invisible Signals and Final Takeaways