Work hard, play hard

Over the last 16 years,
I have observed
the legal world developing and, like most other professions, it can be a very challenging environment.

I was reminded of this recently when attending an event at my daughters’ primary school. It was aimed at parents whose children are about to take the daunting step into year 5, which, in our area, can see them preparing
for an eleven-plus equivalent exam for the (excellent and free) local grammar schools.

The headmistress’ clear message was that one size
does not fit all: the grammar environment is not going to be the right one for everybody’s little rocket scientist.

She said that unless your nine-year-old is willing to pick up their homework and progress it independently without you having to sit on them/bribe them, you shouldn’t look to put them through the exam. This is because you would inevitably spend the next seven years having to sit on them/bribe them while they would probably be miserable and struggling
to keep up with their peers.

It was a thought-provoking evening and led me to question one of the most serious parenting decisions that my husband and I have yet to make.

Health warning

I recommend that a similar advance health warning is rolled out to would-be lawyers before they shell out good money on LPC/CPE fees. It is not simply a message that the job is not for slackers, as obviously most
jobs are not by definition.

It is, however, a demanding profession that is not for the faint-hearted. Lawyers are constantly challenged
with client deadlines, court
deadlines, internal targets,
key performance indicators,
CPD hours... the list goes on.

It’s never a one-size-fits-all approach either as every client you work for is different. Many lawyers could take a second job as a juggler in a circus act; I imagine they would excel at it.

Last week, I drafted a letter of response to a rather long letter of claim for a case on which I thoroughly enjoyed working. It was a 13-page veritable labour of love as it took me hours to wade through the boxes of documents that came with the instruction.

As I clicked the ‘send’
button on my email, which forwarded the draft to our
client, I felt satisfied that I
had completed a decent
day’s work then proceeded
to have a great weekend.

I was delighted this week to receive the client’s comments
on the draft as they approved it precisely. Here’s hoping that the other side are just as impressed.

I find that the trick is to use my environment as motivation. There can be no dispute that it is hard work being a lawyer, but those who are industrious, proactive, flexible and client-service-orientated will thrive in a law firm.

French dressing

On a different note, my family watched the Tour de Yorkshire earlier this month. The weather was kind and we could have been in the south of France
itself for the race, with glorious sunshine smiling down on the riders and the very entertaining cavalcade that preceded them.

A gendarme made our children’s day by stopping
to speak to them and their friends in French, which they have started to learn at school. He said: “Bonjour Angleterre, comment ça va?” Then, sounding his motorbike’s sirens, he shot off into the distance flashing blue lights at them. It is moments
like these that I hope make for lasting memories.

So, as my eldest daughter progresses towards secondary school and my younger one starts in the juniors, I am reminded how quickly they grow. My message for the
month is: remember to both work hard and play hard. SJ