Reprinted with permission from the January 17, 2011 edition of THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL.

A senior trial lawyer we know enjoys recounting in detail his favorite experience from his days as a young associate at a litigation powerhouse. Like many young litigators, he was eager to gain exposure to trial work. On his first day at the firm, he was asked to join a team that was going to try a client’s products liability cases throughout the country, an exciting opportunity from his perspective. But some bitter came with the sweet—the team’s leader had a “difficult” personality.