**********************************************************
BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR (TM) - Making the Hours of Your
Life Worth More (TM)
*********************************************************
Issue # 4 - Reality or an Impossible Dream? - Effective
Strategies for Achieving Career Success AND
Life Balance
=========================================================
ARTICLE SUMMARY: "Having it all" isn't an impossible
dream. Conversations with women lawyers who've made
this dream a reality indicate that their strategies
include: self-advocacy with a clear sense of your value;
accepting challenges while learning as you meet them;
telling partners and clients what you can do and when you
are available vs. apologizing for limitations; finding
flexible schedules that include full opportunities for
advancement and take advantage of new technologies;
fighting gender discrimination; cultivating advocates;
rainmaking; and settling for nothing less than success
AND life balance.
==========================================================
**********************************************************
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D., Editor
Ellen is the founder of LawyersLifeCoach.com (TM)
Personal and Career Coaching for Lawyers Determined
to Achieve Professional Success AND
a Fulfilling Life
**********************************************************
OUR PERSPECTIVE
Most attorneys - especially women -- live impossibly busy lives.
Finding a balance between work and life without sacrificing
professional success, deciding on the best practice area or
work setting, and making career transitions can be a daunting
task, even for the most gifted and accomplished lawyer.
Just as every person deserves the best possible legal
counsel, every attorney deserves professional, dedicated
support in accomplishing her most important goals.
You know how hard you've worked to get where you are --
you serve others, both personally and professionally.
You've earned the right to both career success and
a fulfilling life.
This newsletter is intended to help you create a
satisfying life -- within, or outside of -- legal practice.
**********************************************************
"Reality or Impossible Dream? - Effective Strategies for
Achieving Career Success AND Life Balance"
"...the more I look at my life as the
fabric of my own choices, the easier
it is to use all my energy to accomplish
what I set out to do." (Footnote 1)
Siobhan Helene Shea
President, Palm Beach Chapter,
Florida Association of Women Lawyers
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT "HAVING IT ALL" IS IMPOSSIBLE?
Most attorneys wrestle with the challenge of accomplishing
career success without sacrificing the rest of what makes
life worth living. The desire to "have a life" outside
legal practice is driving increasing numbers of lawyers
to reconsider their careers. They are realizing that the
more they trade off other meaningful aspects of life --
relationships, significant interests, health -- the emptier
they feel.
You, too, may be realizing that even a big bank account
doesn't fill the void that results from ignoring other
aspects of your life. And if you're still trying to make
your practice more lucrative, you probably wish you could
do so without forfeiting your personal life.
Many attorneys believe that it isn't possible to
achieve optimal professional success and life balance.
Yet I've recently spoken with a number of women
attorneys who've made this "impossible dream" a reality.
Obviously their strategies work -- their lives exemplify
the effectiveness of their approach to "having it all."
Here are brief descriptions of 11 strategies they've used.
STRATEGIES THAT REALLY WORK
1. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Advocate on your own behalf as you would for your
clients. Often, the same woman attorney so
effective in a courtroom, feels intimidated within
her firm. This is natural when you're in the
minority and don't perceive yourself as having a
power base. But represent yourself as you would
a client: do research, cite precedent, develop
persuasive arguments, believe in your own rights
and interests and prepare your best case.
2. BE BOLD IN TAKING ON NEW PROJECTS
You've probably noticed how the men with whom you
work eagerly accept assignments outside of their
primary area of expertise. They simply assume
they'll fill in any information gaps as needed.
In contrast, women attorneys often react first to
what they don't know. Assuming that they must be
100% prepared before taking on something new, they
decline the challenge.
The women "experts" of work/life balance follow
the model of their male counterparts in this
regard. They accept opportunities and meet ethical
responsibilities through research and consultation.
3. REMEMBER THAT NO ATTORNEY IS AVAILABLE TO EVERY
CLIENT 24/7
Many women lawyers are vulnerable to complaints
that their family, or other personal, responsibilities
reduce their availability to clients.
Try to remember that attorneys who have multiple
cases are never available to every client simultaneously.
They've always been putting off one client while
attending to another's needs. Don't buy into the
notion that your family's needs are a greater obstacle
to your responsiveness than the needs of other clients.
Tell a senior attorney or client, "I'll be available on
Tuesday," rather than "My son has strep throat."
4. SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO, NOT WHAT YOU CAN'T
When the "experts" of work/life balance know that
they will not be able to meet a deadline at work
because of a family commitment, they don't say,
"I'm sorry, I have to take my child to the doctor."
Instead, they reply, "I'd be happy to. I can get
it to you by Monday. How will that be?" No apologies,
no explanations -- just a statement of what they can do.
5. LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE, FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES THAT PROTECT
YOUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT
Part-time, flex-time, job sharing, telecommuting, and
working on contract are gradually gaining in popularity
in law firms. (For example, see Footnotes 2 and 3:
Chanow, 2000; Lovell, 2000.) Chanow (2) asserts that
the typical firm argument that such arrangements are
not profitable simply does not hold up. She cites
compelling evidence that firms would, in fact, save
extraordinary amounts of money by retaining lawyers
with flexible work options; otherwise they risk losing
"the best and the brightest" through attrition.
Effective alternative work schedules provide access to
good cases that allow equal opportunity for advancement;
they are not just marginalized "mommy tracks." I strongly
recommend that you read Linda Chanow's (2) excellent
review of these options and the factors that make
them successful: (http://wbadc.org).
6. RECOGNIZE THE INHERENT GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN
FLEXIBILITY AT THE EXPENSE OF CAREER ADVANCEMENT
As Professor Joan Williams argues compellingly
in her book "Unbending Gender," (Footnote 4) the
"ideal worker norm" -- i.e., someone who takes no time
off for childbearing and childrearing, who works full
time and puts in substantial overtime -- is incompatible
with women's bodies and the fact that women still
bear primary responsibility for childcare.
The women who "have it all" are unwilling to accept
this norm and are willing to acknowledge that it is
discriminatory to be marginalized in a "mommy track."
They recognize that work/life balance is a political
as well as a personal issue. These "experts" are
involved with their local and national women's bar
associations. This enables them to recognize they are
not alone, reduces their inclination to apologize for their
determination to find professional success and
a balanced life, and empowers them to work for
institutional change.
7. USE TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE YOUR AVAILABILITY
Many successful part-time women attorneys have
found that by using email, faxes and electronic
research they are able to work from home. This
allows them to be more available both at work and
at home.
With this option, you may run the risk of working
more rather than fewer hours. But if you effectively
set boundaries between work and home, this can prove
an extremely useful strategy.
8. FIND AN ADVOCATE
Cultivate at least one strong relationship with a senior
attorney or a partner who recognizes your talents and
is willing to advocate on your behalf.
9. KNOW YOUR OWN WORTH
You can't persuade the powers that be to make efforts
to retain you unless you believe you're worth retaining.
Partners are notoriously stingy about providing positive
feedback. Show work samples (deleting confidential
information) to senior attorneys outside your firm.
Let them affirm the excellence of your work and advise
you on how to improve it. Talk to recruiters. Find out
how marketable you are outside your firm. When you know
there are other firms that would be eager to hire you, you
can advocate for yourself with greater confidence.
10. BE A RAINMAKER
The ranks of women in positions of power in the corporate
world are steadily increasing. Meeting on the golf course
with the "old boy" network is no longer the only way to
develop contacts and bring in business.
However, many women lawyers have difficulty seeing
themselves as potential rainmakers. To overcome this,
realize that every time you discuss your work with
someone you have an opportunity to generate new business.
Share what you do with people at school functions, social
events, fund-raisers, etc. Some of the people attending
will be in positions of power in the industry you
represent and they'll be grateful to learn about what you
can do for them.
11. DON'T STOP UNTIL YOU HAVE WHAT YOU WANT
In her comments at a recent Women's Bar Association
of D.C. Annual Awards dinner, President Marguerite S.
Willis asked the 1200 women attorneys in the audience
to imagine the person for whom they'd be willing to stand
in front of a bus heading directly toward them. "Did you
imagine a client?" she asked.
She advised women attorneys to seek support from their
workplace for the things that matter most. "And if you
can't get the support, find another place to work. And if
your clients can't support you, find new clients."
POSTSCRIPT: Many women lawyers find that a personal and
career coach can help them develop and adhere
to the kinds of strategies that have enabled
"the experts" to achieve extraordinary success.
Notes:
1. Shae, Siobhan Helene. "Getting Into the Balancing Act,"
F.A.W.L. State News, Winter 1999.
2 Chanow, Linda Bray. "Results of Lawyers, Work & Family:
A Study of Alternative Schedule Programs at Law Firms
in the District of Columbia." The Women's Bar Association
of the District of Columbia; Gender Work & Family
Project, American University Washington College of Law;
Women's Bar Association Foundation of the District of
Columbia, 2000. The full text is available at
http://www.wbadc.org
3. Lovell, Sandy. "With Demand for Lawyers High, Part-
Timing Gains in Acceptance." New Jersey Law Journal,
May 2000.
4. Williams, Joan. "Unbending Gender: Why Family and
Work Conflict and What to Do About It." Oxford
University Press, 2000.
**********************************************************
ARE YOU A LAWYER WITH CAREER SUCCESS AND LIFE BALANCE?
The legal field needs to hear your strategies. If you
are willing to share them, I'd love to hear from you.
You can send email to Ellen@Lawyerslifecoach.com.
Lawyers Life Coach is dedicated to sharing practical
strategies that lawyers are already using --
from something as small as hiring a virtual assistant
to something as large as leaving the profession.
Of course, I will only share your strategies and any
identifying information with your permission.
**********************************************************
BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR ™ is published monthly by
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D., founder of LawyersLifeCoach.com.
She brings 20 years of experience assisting women
attorneys to her work in Lawyers Life Coach ™.
LawyersLifeCoach.com is a professional and personal
coaching firm specializing in working virtually (by
phone with email and fax backup) with women attorneys
interested in developing strategies to find greater
satisfaction in their careers within the law or
in exploring career alternatives for lawyers.
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D. established Lawyerslifecoach.com
to coach busy lawyers who might benefit from the
insights gained from 20 years as a psychologist
combined with her experience and familiarity with
the legal profession.
Ellen holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
from the University of Rochester and is a managing
member of Metropolitan Behavioral Health Care, LLC.,
a multispecialty, multidisciplinary psychotherapy
practice in Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland.
She is a member of the International Coach Federation
and a graduate of the Mentor Coach Program ™.
**********************************************************
NOTE: BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR ™ is intended
for informational and educational purposes only.
It is not a substitute for a personal consultation
with a mental health professional and should not
be construed as a form of, or substitute for,
counseling, psychotherapy, or other psychological
service.
**********************************************************
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
For a FREE subscription to BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR ™
sign up at:
http://LawyersLifeCoach.com
or send an email to:
billablehour-request@LawyersLifeCoach.com
with the word subscribe in the body of the letter.
***********************************************************
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D.
LawyersLifeCoach.com
Phone: (301) 578-8686
email: Ellen@LawyersLifeCoach.com
Web: http://LawyersLifeCoach.com
**********************************************************
(c)Copyright 2000 Ellen Ostrow. All rights reserved.
Distribution Rights: The above material is copyrighted
but you may retransmit or distribute it to whomever you
wish as long as not a single word is changed, added
or deleted, including the contact information.
However, you may not copy it to a web site.
Reprint permission will be freely granted upon request.
Advance written permission must be obtained for any
reprinting of this material in modified or altered form.
**********************************************************
Please forward this issue to your friends, colleagues
and family if you think they might be interested in it.
They can get their own FREE subscription by signing up at:
http://LawyersLifeCoach.com
Sidereal Designs