Bench & Bar March/April 2026

YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

BEING IN THE ARENA – THE BATTLE TO SHOW UP AND BE PRESENT BY KYLE R. BUNNELL

T he pace of a lawyer’s early career can feel relentless. Young lawyers often find themselves running from assignment to assignment—juggling case law research, drafting motions, preparing for hearings and depositions, late nights of due diligence before a big deal closes, all while trying to meet billable hour expectations, navigate firm culture, and the demand of their per sonal life. There is pressure from every direction: partners who expect precision, clients who demand availability, courts that impose deadlines, and—perhaps most per sistently—the exacting standards we set for ourselves. The profession asks for excellence long before most young lawyers feel ready to deliver it. Yet, young lawyers, who develop the fastest, build strong reputations, and ultimately find a sense of meaning in their work, do not just grind through tasks without purpose. Rather, they meet these tasks by being pres ent and showing up with intention. They

ask thoughtful questions. They volunteer for responsibility even when it scares them. They accept the hard assignments. They understand that lawyering is more than producing work—it is participating in the moment. Presence is not a soft skill, but a leadership quality and a foundation for growth. This idea is captured in President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 “Citizenship in a Repub lic” speech, often called “ The Man in the Arena .” President Roosevelt reminds us that the person who matters is not the casual observer, but the one who steps forward into uncertainty knowing that there is a risk of imperfection and failure. For young lawyers, this lesson is clear. It’s easy to fall into the habit of staying on the periphery—doing the work assigned without fully engaging, staying quiet in meetings (unmuting on the call with the senior partner to say “nothing from me”), avoiding opportunities that feel daunting. However, the legal profession rewards those

who are “in the arena” who take ownership of their development rather than waiting and worrying. SHOW UP, EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT COMFORTABLE. Presence begins with a simple, difficult habit: choosing to show up even when you don’t feel ready. Young lawyers rarely feel completely prepared—despite hours of preparation. You may walk into a client meeting worried you’ll be asked some thing you can’t answer. You may attend a deposition and fear you’ll miss an objec tion or question that you think you should have asked. You may draft your disposi tive motion then lose sleep worrying you overlooked a key point. But discomfort is normal. More importantly, it is productive. However, presence does not guarantee per fection. But the reward for showing up isn’t flawlessness—it’s experience. While Roo sevelt reminds us that the person in the arena “errs” and “comes short again and again”—but the more often one is exposed to challenge, the faster one develops judg ment, confidence, and resilience.

28 march/april 2026