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If you are like most new attorneys, you entered the practice of law
because you wanted professional fulfillment and to earn a good
living. But like most of your peers, you also want to have balance
between your personal and professional lives. If you recognize
this early in your career, there are things you can do to ensure
that you have this balance.
Here are five strategies.
- Strategy #1: Invest in your career now, and save work/life balance for later.
When you are young and unencumbered, it is easier to work long hours or plan
a business trip with little advance notice. Try to become a "yes" person
in the early years of your career. Develop the reputation for working hard,
doing good work and getting clients the results they want. And get the training
you
need to become a great lawyer (through CLE courses, internal training, asking
for feedback from your superiors, bar association committees, etc.). While
this is inconsistent with work/life balance in the short run, once you've proven
yourself,
you will have more ability to negotiate a flexible arrangement.
- Strategy #2: Build professional relationships.
Build relationships inside and outside your firm and in and out
of the law. Professional relationships will help you build a practice.
In the first place, once you become a source of business, you'll
have much more bargaining power if you need to negotiate a change
in your schedule. Second, professional relationships can help you
find another job if you need to move to achieve the balance you
want.
- Strategy #3: Develop the right expertise.
Some matters lend themselves to predictable workflow; some don't.
In corporate, this might mean finance, general corporate advisory
and SEC compliance. In contrast it is harder to do mergers and acquisitions
and IPOs if you are trying to maintain a flexible schedule. In litigation,
this may mean giving up emergency litigation. It may be exciting
to help a company obtain a TRO but TROs are unpredictable. In short,
you want to have a proven track record of doing work that lends itself
to part-time or predictable work.
- Strategy #4: Make technology work for you.
Mobile computing and mobile phones are part of what makes working
away from the office possible. Technology is also a way to improve
your efficiency. Experiment until you find a mix that works for you.
Get the proper training you need to use these tools; it is time consuming
but well worth the investment. One caveat: Technology should not
tether you to your work on a 24-7 basis. Use it to make yourself
available when you are not in the office. But don't use it so that
you can work all the time even when you are supposedly on vacation,
out socializing or spending "quality time" with your children.
- Strategy #5: Schedule time for yourself every day.
Do something you like – exercise, reading or whatever gives
you pleasure, at least get out of the office once a day. This will
help you prevent burnout and make you more productive when you are
working. Write the activity into your schedule and consider it just
as binding as a conference call.
Over time, you will need to assess the culture at your firm (it can take a
year or two to figure out what the future really holds for you at a firm).
If after a significant investment of time you conclude that you will be unable
to achieve the balance that you want, then you can always consider a move.
You need to remind yourself that you are a highly educated professional with
options. There are models for success out there. Some of you are already working
in government jobs or smaller firms where hours may not be as rigorous. Some
of you will find balance at larger firms. I know of one corporate associate
who recently assumed the role of part-time general counsel. After working long
hours at a large Boston firm for six years, she will now be job-sharing with
another working mother. Firms are increasingly creating staff attorney positions
that are off track and have no marketing responsibilities. And rising billing
rates will put pressure on more companies to bring their legal work in-house
(meaning more opportunity to discuss part-time arrangements with companies).
By Steve Seckler, JD, legal career consultant www.counseltocounsel.com
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