"Girlfriends of the Court"

Posts Tagged ‘work/life’

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City law aint no picnic.

In Barristers, Career, Solicitors, women on June 10, 2011 at 8:31 am

Can you spot the bitches at the law firm picnic?

Emma McDonald wrote in The Age how life in the Law Firms is still ‘no picnic’ for women here. Work in a law firm is no picnic for anyone, but Amicae Curiae tends to agrees with Ms McDonald’s view. For our take on the issue, see our article on ‘Supergirl’s Plight’ at the page here.  The Australian reports here that women are about to dominate the legal profession, at least numerically. The author, Ainslie Van Onselen notes

…while [the] growth rates aren’t bad, having a small percentage of women at the top of a profession they are coming to dominate is surely evidence of continuing gender problems in the law.

It must be addressed with flexible work arrangements and a shift in cultural and professional attitudes.

…The glass ceiling is cracking, but it is a long way from being shattered completely.

What do you think of work in a commercial law firm? For women does it make a difference being in a big city firm, a boutique operation or a suburban or country practice? We would love to have your comment on The Age or Australian pieces, or our article.

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Too much to do ….

In Balance, women on May 24, 2011 at 10:48 pm

I have had a busy week. Too many deadlines coming all at once. Being deadline adverse, the very existence of deadlines almost paralyses my thoughts.

I suspect something like this the constant dilemma of the modern lawyer. Too much to do and too little time. As some sort of solution, there are lots of interesting time management blogs.

Useful on how to use lists is:

http://www.thecompletelawyer.com/how-to-use-effective-time-management-to-increase-productivity.html

I also like the idea of a ‘not to do’ list:

http://apps.americanbar.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt07061.shtml

But what I also really want is a basic and practical to do list on how to do it. Just simple strategies would do, like emails. Should I answer them first, before doing any thing else; or should they wait a while until I get done that task I really need to do (writing)? What about those big monotonous tasks – a little each day or knock them off so as to clear the way for more interesting endeavours. …

Any ideas?

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3 Top Tips from ‘Girlfriends of the Courts’

In Balance, Career, Employment, higher education, law students, women on May 11, 2011 at 2:13 pm

Should I have asked about the dress code in the interview?

A career in the law: be prepared…

The NSW Young Lawyers have just released a great booklet on how to ‘Survive and Thrive in your First Year of Law’ (the pdf is available from their site click here). It is full of honest advice about starting life as a law student, and then as an early career lawyer. Have a look back at our post on Depression and the Dark Side of the Law.

Amicae Curiae has asked some of our ‘girlfriends of the courts’ on their top tips* for starting out in a law career, and here are the best ones (read on):

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Read the rest of this entry »

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The dark side: depression in the study and practice of law

In Balance, Barristers, law students, Solicitors on April 5, 2011 at 9:51 am

This timed billing sheet is really getting me down.

On 5 April 2011 the Law Report (ABC Radio National) had very honest and frank discussion about alienation and depression among lawyers. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lawreport/stories/2011/3181665.htm.

The recent study by Tani Massimiliano and Prue Vines law students also showed troubling tendencies towards depression in law students. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UNSWLRS/2009/51.html   Continued… Read the rest of this entry »

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