When a new lawyer gets into town, they’re often inundated with requests from local organizations, asking us to get involved and volunteer with their group. It’s a great way to quickly become a part of the community and to show some dedication to the people who will, eventually, become your clients.

At least, that’s how it happened to me. When I started working at the Newby law firm in 1999, it wasn’t weeks before I had been “volunteered” for all sorts of local groups, from the Relay for Life to the CDIC, a local community economic development group. I was asked many times over t...