Lawyer onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
Verify required credentials: State bar admission, Board certification (as applicable)
Prepare equipment and access: westlaw or Lexis; document management systems; practice management software; e-filing systems
Assign a buddy or preceptor
Enroll the new hire in Lawyer training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
Protect client confidentiality
Avoid conflicts of interest
Follow professional conduct rules
Manage stress and burnout
Shadow an experienced lawyer through a full shift
Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

Supervised practice: research a legal question
Supervised practice: prepare a witness for a deposition
Supervised practice: draft a clear business contract
Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

Advise clients: independently
Research the law: independently
Draft contracts and documents: independently
Negotiate deals and settlements: independently
Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
Begin cross-training on a secondary task
Agree on a credential goal (for example, State bar admission)
Discuss the career path: Associate → Senior Associate → Partner
90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or task	Trained	Observed	Signed off
Research a Legal Question
Prepare a Witness for a Deposition
Draft a Clear Business Contract
Legal research
Legal writing
Negotiation
Litigation

How to measure onboarding success

Time to independent work
Error or rework rate
Internal customer satisfaction
90-day retention

How Lawyer training maps to this plan

Introduction to the Lawyer Role
A Day on the Job
Essential Lawyer Vocabulary
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Common Tasks, Step by Step
Tools, Equipment and Technology
Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
Skills Employers Look For
Launching Your Lawyer Career
Final Knowledge Check

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Lawyer Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)