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Learn how to say no
This is a pretty common piece of advice for new attorneys, and one that is thoroughly ignored simply because the idea of turning down a few hundred bucks when you’re starving seems completely insane. However, there is a huge danger in accepting work commitments or clients purely out of desperation. Accepting cases when you’re already in danger of missing deadlines can get you in some serious shit, even if you are your own boss. Furthermore while it might be easy to accept — and simply shepherd — doomed cases over the inevitable cliff because you’re being paid regardless, putting that sort of bad karma will bite you in the ass (probably in the form of a Yelp review comparing you unfavorably to Lionel Hutz).