Junior Lawyers Division
Working from home: What is the impact for junior lawyers? Cobi working from home on her repurposed dining table.
T
he concept of remote or hybrid working presents new challenges and opportunities for junior lawyers across all sectors including adjusting to remote supervision; considering how best to raise one’s profile in-person and via online platforms; maintaining a healthy-work life balance and understanding how these changes may affect our career progression. I look at some of the key issues junior lawyers should be considering.
building relationships with other legal professionals remains. Junior lawyers now find themselves in a position to cast our (networking) nets beyond the geographical area in which we are located in a way that has never been seen before.
Mental health and well being Hybrid working not only introduces a method of dual working but also brings a new way of “dual living”. For example, what was once my dining table is now my office desk fully equipped Remote supervision with a computer screen, keypad and printer (with my table Mentorship and supervision are key in providing a solid mats seeming to have made their way into permanent storage). foundation in any newly entered legal practice area. Although What used to be a clear distinction between work life and home employers set out strategies for how its organisation will life has for many junior lawyers seemingly blurred to varying implement supervision policies, it is important for junior lawyers degrees depending on one’s personal circumstances. However, to stop and consider “what is the best way for me to learn and no matter what arrangements each of us have in place or what how do I communicate this to our individual circumstances the appropriate person”. As are, it is still recommended we look ahead, engagement to carry out regular mental “what is the best way for me to learn from junior lawyers is essential health and well-being checks in establishing best practice on ourselves to ensure that and how do I communicate this to the for remote supervision. It the new way that we work still appropriate person” is currently in its infancy or allows for a healthy work/life experimental stage, however balance. now is the time for junior lawyers to be proactive in communicating their short and long The new normal for junior lawyers term needs around work supervision. Organisations can only There will always be a difference in opinion between those implement strategies or provide solutions to problems that who have a preference towards the old versus the new way of they are aware of, so it is crucial that those subject to remote working but it looks very likely that hybrid working may be the supervision take the initiative in starting a dialogue with their new normal for junior lawyers. Keeping informed and taking employers, discussing their experiences thus far and what the initiative with any changes in how we work is key to any changes they would like to see. You might raise concerns with successful career progression. line managers at ‘121’s, initiate a wider discussion with other junior lawyers within your team, engage with local law societies or seek advice from The Law Society’s Junior Lawyer Division or Cobi Bonani Council Members representing junior lawyers 0-6 years PQE*. Associate at specialist planning law firm Communication equals change and so it is vital that junior Town Legal LLP lawyers speak out to ensure their opinions are an integral part of the discussions at management level on remote supervision. *You can contact the JLD Council Members and Chairs of Junior Raising your profile Lawyers Division through LinkedIn. A benefit of the changes in how we work is the opportunities afforded by virtual networking which has encouraged junior Council Members Junior Lawyers Division lawyers to consider alternative methods of raising their profile and networking with peers. Although many people enjoy the Cobi Bonani Suzanna Eames traditional in-person networking, virtual networking provides Lizzy Lim (Chair of JLD) a new way for junior lawyers to broaden their network beyond Baljinder Singh Atwal their locality to a national or even international level by simply Jonathan Andrews Darja Cernobrivec clicking “join meeting”. The reduction of in-person events (Vice Chair of JLD) over the last two years may have changed the way in which we make personal connections, but our ability to continue LegalWomen | 33
