The road to becoming a lawyer is testing, to say the least. Not only does the journey require time, effort, and grit, but it also brings our self-esteem and self-worth into question along the way. This often means that once we start practicing, we hold on tight to our identity as lawyers. But if making a transition in your career is a decision you’re grappling with, it makes taking the first step or even knowing where to start challenging. 

 

Here to guide you through a long-term career strategy that works for you is Smith Legal Search recruiter, Beth Mountford. Beth is a lawyer turned legal recruiter who is also a certified coach and breathwork facilitator, and she’s here this week to share how she gives lawyers as much visibility as possible on their options, so they can make informed, intentional decisions about where they want to go. 

 

Something I’m increasingly seeing in the legal world is lawyers considering their careers and wanting to do things differently. They want to try on different hats and figure out how the skills they’ve developed could be applied elsewhere. And this week, I’ve got the perfect guest on the show who is a true role model and inspiration for exactly this. 

 

Erin Cowling is the founder of Flex Legal; a freelance lawyer company that matches freelance lawyers with law firms and in-house legal departments across Canada on an as-needed basis. She started out as a commercial litigator, then went freelance herself, and eventually ended up growing so much that she’s now got a team of close to 60 freelance lawyers, paralegals, and law clerks. 

 

If the feeling of frustration is coming up for you, you’re in good company, my friends. There’s a myriad of triggers that leave us feeling totally frustrated, whether that’s because of hybrid working models on the go, having to deal with difficult bosses or clients, or having no one to turn to in times of need. Nevertheless, the layers of frustration just seem to keep piling on.

 

If you have school-age kids, you’ll know too well the frustration of your best-laid plans becoming completely altered and having to adapt on the fly. And even if you don’t have kids, I’ll bet you’ve had those days where you arrive at the office, ready and excited to work, and all of a sudden, that dreaded urgent email that needs your attention right this second comes in, and your schedule is turned upside down. So, how do we deal with frustration? 

 

Is there a decision you’re sitting on that is keeping you up at night? What are you currently grappling with, and how do you move forward? We resist making certain decisions, and for good reason. The unknown is daunting, and within the context of law, it’s likely you’re risk-averse and don’t want to gamble a secure position for something entirely unpredictable.

 

The desire for certainty is one that is human and normal. But if there’s a decision that is keeping you stuck, and the back and forth of ruminating on this decision is leading to more trouble than you started with, you’re in the right place. The longer we stay in indecision, the more our self-confidence gets undermined, so this week, I’m helping you evaluate your decisions with clarity and self-trust.

 

Something that comes up all the time in my work as a coach for lawyers is how to approach difficult conversations in the workplace. So, whether it’s bullying, harassment, negotiations, or anything else you wish you could speak up about, I’m bringing you the perfect guest to help you ease your mind around bringing up the difficult or awkward conversations.

 

My guest this week Catalina Rodriguez, a lawyer, workplace investigator, certified organizational coach, and so much more. She’s here to discuss all things related to difficult and awkward conversations in the workplace and approaching those kinds of topics that seem too difficult to bring up but are still incredibly important.

 

Something I see often in my practice is lawyers who want to make the transition out of law and find themselves at a crossroads. They want to know what they can do with their law degrees outside of the legal career, but feel stuck and confused about what else is possible. And this week, I have the perfect guest on the podcast to talk about this.

 

Randi Bean is the founder and CEO of Life After Law. She’s a criminal defense lawyer who transitioned out of the practice herself, and now through her organization, helps other lawyers pursue non-traditional law practices. I know you’re going to love hearing from her because she’s going to share some vital information about how else you can use your law degree to go after a career you love. 

 

Difficult people; we’ve all got them in our lives. They’re our colleagues, acquaintances, or even family and friends outside of law, and it’s an experience that isn’t unique to just legal professionals. But while running into challenging situations where we have to deal with difficult people is a normal part of our professional lives, it doesn’t have to be as painful or frustrating as it is right now. 

 

In a legal environment where there are high stakes, high profile deals, and clients’ livelihoods on the line, it’s no surprise your relationships become heightened and difficult. Whether you feel like you don’t have reliable support, your boss is a bully, or you’re intimidated by opposing counsel, my objective this week is to help you strategize and come up with new, more sustainable ways to deal with difficult people.

 

When my clients first come to me, they present the pain and challenges they’re going through. They have a weight on their shoulders, or they’re struggling with something in their lives. But what very quickly comes to light is how they’re fighting to keep whatever is broken, even though they know they want a different future.

 

Whether you’re looking to grow and you don’t think that’s possible in your current organization, or you want to make a brave, bold move, there are so many reasons we tolerate and hold on to what no longer serves us. I’ve heard and experienced it all myself, from the belief that I’ve worked too hard to let something go, or that I’m not going to concede, to telling myself I’m too busy to redirect that energy.

 

Delegation has come up a lot in conversation with clients recently. It’s one of those topics that we need to explore a little more deeply because drama around delegation not only costs us our time, but it might be costing you financially in some ways you wouldn’t expect.

 

We know delegation is important, however, the Canadian Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum conducted a compensation study that suggested your ability to delegate is something that is evaluated when deciding on your compensation. So, with that in mind, we’re talking about all the things that holding you back around delegation, and the respective solutions.

 

In honor of International Women’s Day, I have the privilege and honor of delivering a presentation to the European Law Students’ Association this week. I love any opportunity to connect with women all across the globe, and I’m especially excited about speaking with female students about the challenges and opportunities out there. 

 

So this week, we’re doing something a little different. I’ve prepared a Q&A session for this upcoming presentation, and the questions I received were so good I knew I had to share them with you on the podcast. The questions we’re diving into today span a wide range of topics, from procrastination and whether I miss the legal profession, to the advice I would give my younger self if I could turn back time.