Zooming to success: how junior lawyers can excel in remote or hybrid workplaces

Introduction

In recent years, in particular, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the legal profession has undergone a transformative shift as remote and hybrid working models have become the norm rather than the exception. Although firms are increasingly encouraging their employees to return to the office, it is unlikely that the industry as a whole will go back to full onsite work. For junior lawyers, who typically rely on in-person interactions to find their feet during the early stages of their career, this new environment presents unique challenges, but it can also offer novel opportunities. This article attempts to offer insights and practical advice that junior lawyers might employ to not only adapt to remote and hybrid workplaces, but to thrive in them and build a solid foundation for long-term career success.

Junior lawyers’ quest for guidance and learning

One of the biggest challenges with which junior lawyers are confronted in a remote or hybrid environment is the lack of day-to-day guidance and informal learning that typically come from in-person interactions with senior colleagues. When working onsite in an office, junior lawyers benefit from simply observing more experienced colleagues, but also from asking spontaneous questions and receiving immediate feedback, all of which accelerates their learning curve and professional growth. Without those face-to-face opportunities, junior lawyers may find themselves working in a vacuum, not knowing whether they are meeting expectations or performing well.

To address these issues, junior lawyers should take a proactive approach to seeking guidance and feedback in remote and hybrid settings. A useful strategy is to regularly take the initiative to ask for virtual check-ins with senior colleagues or supervisors to discuss professional development and to request feedback on recent work. Communication technology tools, such as MS Teams and Skype, make it easier to set up those check-ins, with requests being less intrusive and feedback being more efficiently provided, either via chat or short calls. The strategy of proactively seeking virtual check-ins will not only help junior lawyers build professional confidence by having their existing strengths highlighted, but it will also allow them to understand which areas they should focus on for growth and improvement. Although some firms have formalised feedback systems, such feedback can and should also be sought on an ad hoc and informal basis to receive ongoing input.

In a wider context, seeking longer term guidance by connecting with more experienced lawyers through formal mentorship with regular virtual or, in hybrid settings, in-person chats can provide a helpful source of support for professional development. Being in remote settings means mentorships are not limited to geographic proximity, and mentor and mentee are not restricted to meeting only in-person when they are both in the office. Many firms have mentorship or ‘buddy’ programmes set up and junior lawyers should ensure they engage in those actively, where available. However, such programmes also exist outside of firm structures and having an external mentor has the added benefit of facilitating more open conversations because criteria, such as career progression or firm policies, do not factor in the discussions. In the same vein, an external mentor may be able to offer different insights because they are assessing issues from an independent angle.

Often overlooked as a means of professional development, but no less important, are peer-to-peer exchange and support. Insights and advice shared between junior lawyers who are facing common challenges can promote learning, build confidence and enhance critical thinking by taking into account different perspectives. Whether within a formalised framework or in informal settings, peer-to-peer encouragement not only provides a valuable support system, but those connections can also form the basis of a network upon which to call at later stages in junior lawyers' careers.

Finally, the remote and hybrid environment has led to the vast majority of training and knowledge resources, both within firms and externally, being moved online. Junior lawyers should make the most of the wide array of learning tools. Online courses provide greater flexibility, allowing junior lawyers to learn at their own pace and fit training into their work and personal schedules. Virtual seminars and conferences also enable access to a broader range of materials and experts beyond in-person offerings which, of course, are limited to geographic vicinity.

From digital desks to meaningful networks

Remote and hybrid work naturally limits spontaneous interactions and in-person conversations, making it harder for junior lawyers to establish strong professional relationships and networks. A significant proportion of internal and external meetings, conferences and seminars are now run either fully online or as hybrid in-person and virtual events. Occasions for informal chats and networking can therefore be few and far between, especially for junior lawyers who tend not to have existing ties to leverage and who are therefore often dependent on ad hoc opportunities.

There is no denying that face-to-face interactions remain the most effective way to foster solid connections with colleagues and clients, both within firms and across wider practice areas. As such, junior lawyers should seize as many chances for in-person attendance at meetings and events as possible. In firms that offer hybrid work settings this may include attending team days which employees are encouraged to come into the office for, where employees have the flexibility to choose their office days, ensuring that those days align with their colleagues, as well as team or case meetings. Although social events, especially impromptu ones, may be less frequent than they were in pre-Covid-19 times, their importance for relationship building has, as a consequence, increased. Junior lawyers wanting to hone their networking skills should therefore make every effort to attend in-person socials organised by their teams and firm. For networking more widely, junior lawyers could consider joining professional associations, some of which, including the Junior London Solicitors Litigation Association (JLSLA), focus specifically on seminars and networking events targeted at an audience of junior lawyers. Such events not only provide excellent settings to gain further legal knowledge and meet new peers, but they have the added benefit of allowing junior lawyers to practice their networking skills with colleagues at a similar level and without the pressures of trying to insert themselves into conversations between more senior professionals.  

Despite the obvious limitations that remote and hybrid work environments impose on professional relationship building and networking, they have also inspired a host of alternative techniques that junior lawyers might utilise to make up for reduced in-person opportunities.

Most obviously, junior lawyers can harness the power of social media to raise their profiles and engage in online networking. Using platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to connect with legal professionals and share insights with a broader audience of potential new contacts allows targeted relationship building aimed at specific practice areas or clients. LinkedIn, in particular, provides a user-friendly and far-reaching forum on which junior lawyers can publish anything from conference recaps to insights into their learning journey to career milestones to articles to which they have contributed. Even simply engaging with other LinkedIn members’ posts can be an effective way to engage in legal discourse and develop professional connections.

Further, and despite the above stated advantages of in-person attendance, remote attendance at virtual conferences, seminars, presentations and workshops should not be dismissed as futile networking opportunities. Such virtual events occasionally do include interactive segments for attendees to engage with each other and with the speakers or panellists, and the vast majority will close with a Q&A session offering the audience the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions. Junior lawyers should not be shy to actively participate in and contribute to those sessions, as they will frequently benefit from diverse viewpoints put forward by professionals at different levels of seniority. After attending online events, opportunities may arise to connect with other attendees on social media or through email, thereby laying the groundwork to expand existing networks and establish new professional relationships.

Balancing the scales: mental wellbeing and work–life balance

Remote and hybrid settings blur the lines between work and personal life. As a consequence, that environment can very easily have a negative impact on a person’s work–life balance and can often pose a significant mental health risk. These potential issues are compounded for junior lawyers, who are less likely to have sufficient experience to manage those challenges, especially when balanced against the desire to prove and establish themselves at the outset of their careers.

The most important, but also the most difficult, strategy that junior lawyers should learn to employ is to try and establish clear boundaries between their work and their personal life. This might be done by setting defined working hours and making their best efforts to stick to those timings. Of course, that is often easier said than done, it is incredibly tricky to balance this approach against the regularly long working hours expected in a legal career and the requirement to demonstrate a strong work ethic and job commitment. However, setting defined working hours does not necessarily mean that those hours are short, in fact it may mean managing one’s own expectations by recognising that a particular phase of work will require extended hours. Nevertheless, those hours should still incorporate, wherever possible, defined and conscious breaks throughout the day, during evenings or over weekends, and those breaks should involve physically stepping away from laptops and phones, even if only for a short amount of time, to allow for intellectual and physical respite. This technique has numerous benefits. It increases focus and productivity because it prevents mental fatigue and supports improved cognitive function and efficiency, especially when dealing with repetitive or intensive tasks. Taking breaks, even short ones, also gives junior lawyers a chance to remove themselves from stressful tasks or situations, thereby reducing feelings of burnout and anxiety. A few moments of deep breathing or a short walk outside can significantly lower stress levels, boosting overall mental health. Whilst applying this strategy, it is important to communicate availability and capacity consistently to team members and supervisors, thereby avoiding accidentally taking breaks at inconvenient times.

Another strategy that can be employed by junior lawyers is to create a dedicated workspace at home. Ideally this will be a quiet space away from household distractions and separate to areas of relaxation to create a mental boundary between work and home life. If carving out a separate space is not possible, junior lawyers might consider using room dividers or screens to create a visual boundary, which can help reduce distractions. Using noise-cancelling headphones or white noise can further limit disturbances and create an environment in which it is easier to focus on tasks and ensure efficiency during working hours. It goes without saying that in this day and age investing in a solid technology set up for dedicated home workspaces can save junior lawyers considerable amounts of stress and frustration otherwise caused by dealing with IT problems. In any home office set up, it is of the utmost importance that the highest standards of confidentiality are applied, in the same way in which they would be observed in an office setting, including, as applicable, privacy screens, secure internet connections, document safeguarding and confidentiality when discussing matters on calls. Once a dedicated workspace has been established, it can be helpful to maintain a clean desk policy, meaning that at the end of each workday desks or tables are tidied up to create a mental reset for a fresh start at the beginning of the next day.

Many firms across the legal industry have recognised the importance of their employees’ mental wellbeing and the challenges that a demanding career in law can pose to it. In response, they have introduced resources to assist lawyers in maintaining their mental health, but also to intervene in situations where problems do arise and where support is required. Junior lawyers should take advantage of any firm-provided tools, such as on-site therapists, peer groups, designated mental health first aid colleagues and mental wellbeing events. Communication is absolutely essential when junior lawyers start feeling that their mental health is deteriorating and they should flag this to more senior colleagues or supervisors in a timely manner so that they can provide appropriate support.

The bottom line

Remote and hybrid working is likely to continue shaping the legal profession and to pose a host of different and developing challenges to junior lawyers, in particular. While this evolving landscape may seem daunting, embracing new tools and approaches can empower junior lawyers to develop strong foundations for a career in a modern working environment.