For as long as I can remember, I’ve organized my life around two seasons: football season and waiting for football season. What does that have to do with my career as a full-time attorney or my current status as a less-than-full-time attorney? Everything!
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I’m a die-hard Packers fan and season ticket holder, and this year, I will be traveling from my home near Seattle to Green Bay for most of the home games and at least one road game. And I won’t be on any red eyes to Green Bay or early morning flights back to Seattle so I miss less work. I might even hang around in the Midwest for a day or two before or after each game because I have given myself permission to do so.
Back when I was a full-time attorney, that never happened.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve organized my life around a calendar that has two sections: football season and waiting for football season. As I think about it, I also organized my career that way.
The Preseason of a Legal Career
I spent the preseason of my career as a law clerk and baby lawyer in Chicago, where I lived and went to law school. It was hard. I was working seven days a week, 12 hours per day. Just like the baby running backs I watch in preseason games (yes, I really do watch those games), I scrambled around trying to figure out what I was doing. I hoped against hope that I wouldn’t make a mistake that would hamper my progress or, worse yet, hurt a client’s case. Fortunately, there was no social media back then, so there was no chance of public commentary on my struggles. There was, however, quite a bit of commentary from my employer as I tried to figure things out.
Back then, I had youth on my side, and in Chicago, there were plenty of restaurants open at midnight, so my friends and I could work crazy hours and still have a life.
Current old and crabby me fears that young lawyers may not see the beginning of their careers this way. I am all for work-life balance, but there is no substitute for experience. Like it or not, the only way to get it is to do the work and put in the hours. So, I encourage young lawyers to put work-life balance on hold for a year or two to get a firm footing for the work side of work-life balance. It will pay back benefits for the rest of their careers.
Anyway, when you’re 25 years old, work-life balance can happen at midnight because bedtime is not nearly as important as it is later in the game.
The First Half of a Legal Career: ‘Put Me In, Coach’
Once I made it through the preseason of my career, things started to gel. I still worked long hours, but rarely seven days a week. By the end of the first quarter, I had more cases of my own and the growing confidence and experience to become more creative and proactive.
I was also the first to raise my hand when the call went out for help on a case. “Put me in, coach” was my mantra. I was happy to cover a motion deposition or client meeting. I knew if I did it well enough I would earn a role in more and bigger cases. Although I had a good start on figuring things out in the first quarter, my goal was to get more playing time.
In the second quarter, my confidence continued to grow, and along with it, my ability to think about work-life balance. I knew the hard work in the preseason and first quarter had paid off because I spent less time figuring things out and was much more efficient. I was able to spend more time with creative work that was fun and beneficial to my clients. Also, I regularly got enough sleep and had time to have fun.
The Third Quarter: Work-Life Balance All-Star
In the third quarter, everything changed because I was a mom, and that was my focus. I was in game management mode. I knew and understood the work I did, so I was able to continue to do it well while also going to PTA meetings, basketball games and third-grade recorder concerts. (Full disclosure: I may have tried to schedule a late afternoon deposition or two, which might have meant I would have missed a recorder concert or two.)
Looking back, I am sure the hard work I put in before kids allowed me to continue to work full-time and give my kids full-time attention.
Fourth Quarter Comeback: The Seasoned Pro
My kids grew up and I came back strong in the fourth quarter of my career. By then, I had figured things out. The regular plays were working, so the challenge and the fun part was thinking outside the box.
Certain areas of the law that impacted my work changed significantly, and I worked hard to incorporate those changes into my practice. I read the NFL’s new rules each year so I can be a know-it-all when watching with friends. I also pay strict attention to important cases that affect what I do so that I can speak with authority when proposing something new (which is the professional equivalent of being a know-it-all).
That’s how I kept a practice focused on representing people hurt in car accidents new and interesting for almost 40 years.
Overtime Playbook
To my surprise, the game didn’t end in the fourth quarter. Instead of completely retiring, I decided to become a less-than-full-time practicing lawyer. So, I’m in overtime now and the playbook is wide open. I choose the players — nice people with good cases. And I control the clock — heading back to Green Bay on flights that come and go at reasonable times.
And I’m going to win because I’ve put in the time and done the work. Here’s hoping that my beloved Green Bay Packers do the same!
Image © iStockPhoto.com.
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