Page 8 - November December CBA Report

Career-Focused vs.
Job-Focused Thinking
There’s a clear distinction between
doing your job and building your career. A
job might end, but your career continues.
You may work in two, three, or even
four different places in your first ten years
of practice. That’s not failure, it’s growth
and more common these days. What
matters is how you perform, how you
leave, how you maintain the relationships
built along the way.
Don’t “quiet quit.” Don’t burn bridges.
And don’t disappear after a matter closes.
Stay in touch with those you’ve worked
with. Reaching out during meaningful
times: birthdays, anniversaries, promo-
tions, keeps your network active and
authentic.
Play to Your Strengths
No one excels at everything, and you
don’t need to. Identify what you do well
and build your practice around those
strengths.
If you’re a strong writer but an average
networker, write articles, blogs, or practice
guides. If you’re a great communicator,
seek speaking opportunities, such as
presenting at a seminar or an internal
training. Leveraging your strengths is
more effective and often more fulfilling
than obsessively trying to “fix” your
weaknesses.
Over time, surround yourself with
colleagues whose strengths complement
yours. The best teams are built with diver-
sity of skill, not uniformity.
Leveraging the Broader Legal
Community
Your firm or organization is just one
part of the legal or business ecosystem.
The broader legal community can provide
mentorship, visibility, and opportunity
beyond your current role.
Consider:
•
Joining relevant bar sections, legal
committees, or Inns of Court.
•
Attending events where leading
professionals in your field are
speaking.
•
Staying in touch with law professors
and, when the time is right, consid-
ering teaching as an adjunct.
These relationships are invaluable
when you’re looking to transition, expand
your practice, or deepen your expertise.
Final Thoughts: This Is a
Relationship Business
A sustainable legal career isn’t built
overnight. It’s the product of strategic
thinking, ethical consistency, and a will-
ingness to invest in others. You and your
career are worth it.
Build your internal board of direc-
tors. Define your values and live by them.
Develop your brand with purpose. Stay
focused on your career, not just your
current job.
Above all, remember: Law is a rela-
tionship business. The earlier you embrace
that, the more fulfilling and successful
your career will be.
Kate Christoff serves as the Director of Legal Talent
for Keating Muething & Klelamp PLL. In her role, she
oversees law student and attorney hiring, manages
the firm’s professional development programs, and
administers the Associate Mentor program, Retention
& Advancement, Culture & Opportunity, and
Associates Committees. Kate previously served as
a Career Counselor in the Center for Professional
Development at the University of Cincinnati College
of Law.
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8 THE REPORT | November/December 2025 | CincyBar.org