How I Made Partner: ‘Get Involved in as Many Transactions as Possible,’ Tristan Dollie Tells Law.com

Tristian Dollie, who joined Brown Rudnick's partnership earlier this year, was featured in Law.com's "How I Made Partner" series.

In the Oct. 7 profile, Dollie said he moved to Brown Rudnick in March 2022 because he was searching for a firm with a proven track record and long-term commitment to finance for real estate and special situations to ensure he would have the necessary support to develop and build his practice.

He noted that while all law firms tout themselves as being "commercial," entrepreneurial" and "dynamic," it is hard for a conservative and risk-adverse profession to truly live up to those claims. "Brown Rudnick does - we try to be a general 'consigliere' to our clients as well as a trusted legal adviser," he said.

Asked what was the deciding point for Brown Rudnick making him partner, Dollie said "knowing the law and having good technical knowledge was not enough." "Rather, you need to prove your ability to manage transactions, counterparties and clients effectively," he explained. "This will earn you trust which is key - other partners need to trust you to look after their clients and get the deal done. Additionally, I think you also need to show the ability (or even potential), to bring in new clients."

Dollie advised associates who want to make partner to get involved in as many transactions as possible. "Take ownership of your work streams. Ask questions," he advised. "If you do that, you'll automatically be a more valuable member of the team and more likely be on the right track for partnership. Also, try and develop your own network of contacts early. They don't need to be decision makers now, but they may be in the future."

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