Becoming a flexible lawyer allows you to serve clients and have work-life balance
Did you leave big law in search of a break from stress and more autonomy in your work? If so, you are not alone, and you are part of a growing cohort who know that becoming a flexible lawyer means regaining control over your work and life.
Many of the lawyers who left big law firms last year did so in search of a work-from-home lifestyle, but that’s not the only reason. In fact, growing profits in law have contributed to the exodus, according to Law.com:
“Conditions are ripe for Big Law lawyers to go small this year, some analysts and firm leaders say, by forming their own law firms or moving down to smaller firms.
An infusion of remote-working flexibility and a bit of a breather after a busy 2021—plus a desire to control billing rates—are leading some lawyers to downsize into smaller firms or spin out into their own boutiques in 2022. A surge in profits, too, has expedited late-career lawyers to the Big Law offramp.”
Better working conditions and more profit? Who would turn that down?
Let’s take a look at some of the additional benefits of creating your own law firm model:
More control
The law.com article mentioned one lawyer who was “tired of turning down clients due to potential conflicts.”
Existing relationships and firm structures can leave lawyers’ hands tied in terms of pursuing smaller and more diverse casework. As an independent lawyer or an attorney in a small firm, you have more freedom to seek out new clients that don’t necessarily fit a traditional mold.
You also have the ability to set your schedule and choose where you work. As an independent lawyer, you can create a hybrid schedule that works best for you. Opt for a coworking space or shared office on days when you need to focus or meet clients, and then work from home on days when you have more personal commitments.
As your own boss, you get to let go of traditional office hours and work when you concentrate and think best.
More enjoyment
In big law firms, partners and firm leaders tend to emphasize bigger and higher-paying clients, which leaved little flexibility for finding a more diverse client base.
Working solo or in small law, in contrast, allows you the freedom to pursue more interesting cases and clients. That, in turn, can help you reconnect with work you enjoy and not simply work that fulfills a billable hours quota.
This corporate lawyer sums up the burnout that many lawyers feel:
“Add the feeling of being misplaced to the pressure of a notoriously stressful profession, and it’s easy to see why some lawyers find themselves unhappy, burnt out, or battling the demons of depression and substance abuse that plague the legal profession.”
She goes on to offer advice about how to rediscover meaning and purpose in a law career once burnout has set in:
“Finding place and purpose within the law begins with introspection. That requires defining what makes your heart soar and what makes your stomach drop.
Listen to and honor those physical responses. They are clues from within about the types of experiences might make a fulfilling career.”
After you make the decision to launch an independent law practice, take the time to uncover your values and passions. Then build a flexible law firm culture that allows you to embrace them professionally and personally.
More balance
The biggest upside to flexibility? A well-rounded life. While nobody ever achieves perfect work-life balance, flexibility gives you the opportunity to devote energy and attention to what matters most for you.
Has it been years since you booked a tee time? Enjoyed a good meal without checking messages on your phone? Have you taken a family vacation without your laptop in tow? How many school plays or kids’ sports events could you attend if you had more flexibility in your work?
HR experts across industries have taken up the call for more flexibility in workplace schedules and structures. One of these, WorldatWork, has started framing the issue in terms of “life-work tilt” rather than “work-life balance,” emphasizing the life component as key to well-being:
“The corporate ‘work-life balance’ standard must evolve to align with the changing needs and desires of a workforce that increasingly values time to explore personal interests and spend time with loved ones, rather than focus on their career development and professional responsibilities…
A recent study supports the idea that flexibility now not only includes flexible workdays, but also flexible work times within the day, flexible workplace options, and even flexible benefits themselves.”
Creating a flexible work life leads to more fulfillment and enjoyment in your personal life. One feeds the other.
LawBank members enjoy the flexibility of our shared office and coworking spaces in Denver and Las Vegas. With LawBank, you can enjoy the benefits of an office without being tied to a set schedule or long-term lease. Reach out to learn more or schedule a tour today.
