Work-life balance (1 Viewer)

[Frigid]

Is being a lawyer more stressful than it used to be?

(April 10, 2007 - Times Online, UK)

This past Easter weekend, senior lawyers took a break from the endless meetings, the constant torrent of e-mails and the never-ending demands from clients in order to spend precious time with their families. But how many managed to resist peeking at their BlackBerry or firing up their laptop while they were doing so?

Much has been said about the importance of a “work-life balance”, but how far has the profession come in actually achieving it? Last month, The Times reported on the establishment of a helpline for stressed judges, who are finding themselves increasingly isolated and struggling to cope. The arduous working hours of associates at leading City firms has been exhaustively reported. But what of senior lawyers, the partners and silks – are they finding working in the law more stressful?

We asked The Times Law Panel for its views and the consensus was yes, life at the top end of the profession is becoming harder. “I suspect that talk of a work-life balance is much exaggerated," says Lee Ranson, a real estate partner at Eversheds. "One only has to look at the expectations on senior lawyers in billing, work winning and people management to see that the stresses are very real."...

- what are your expectations of work-life balance?

- do you think law firms, being commercial institutions should take an active role in ensuring its employees maintain a balance, or is it the responsibility of the individual?

- how can increasingly international law firms reconcile global deals and the needs of local personnel?

- would you rather a smaller, more localised firm or a larger, more international firm and why?

food for thought.

 

[El Misterio]

Well there's more there than can be properly addressed in one post, but I would say that there are limits to what can be done to achieve "work-life balance" in top-flight commercial practice. There's no way around it: if you want to do high-quality, interesting work and make a career out of it, you're going to have to pull some fairly long hours.

The other problem is that "work-life balance" is one of those terms that seems to mean different things to different people. One person's expectations of what consitutes a reasonable "work-life balance" may vary greatly from another's, so it's a difficult issue to address on an institutional basis. I think the most important thing is for firms to be flexible and open to trying different arrangements.

 

[Frigid]

it is often reported in the media that Generation Y has (more or less) different expectations of working life than the previous generations; however, from my own observations, I think these perceptions are fuelled not by our own wants, but rather what firms think we want.

'Tell it how it is'

Many [Generation Y'ers] are convinced, as the head of a student law group told me last week, that most of what is being advertised by law firms, and others, to attract them is just that – marketing aimed at getting them in the door. Anecdotal evidence then suggests that all the work-life balance promises, study leave, gym memberships, etc are swiftly overruled by client demands.

"[These are] incentives the firms offer, but the competitive landscape for the legal profession now doesn’t allow for those [perks] to be used". ...

There's no data on how many are in the work-life balance camp and how many are happy to do whatever it takes for those harbour views, but maybe if more law firms told it how it really is, they’d gain a little more respect from all candidates.

 

[banco55]

If you're charging by the hour you're nearly always going to have long hours for obvious reasons.

 

[El Misterio]

it is often reported in the media that Generation Y has (more or less) different expectations of working life than the previous generations; however, from my own observations, I think these perceptions are fuelled not by our own wants, but rather what firms think we want.

Agreed.

I know some people who are determined to achieve "work-life balance" and are more than prepared to leave the profession / private practice to get it, but also many who fall into the "whatever it takes" camp. I suspect it has always been thus.

 

[Frigid]

personally i would love a successful, challenging career at a top (international) firm, but at the same time i would want time to spend with my family, to cook and read..

but if not law, then what field?

and, speaking of the 'work' side of work-life balance, Clifford Chance has jumped the gun and increased London salaries (again):

CC boosts associate salaries by 15 per cent

Clifford Chance has today announced that it has increased its London lawyers' salaries by around 15 per cent.

Clifford Chance head of HR expertise Mark Spivey told The Lawyer: “We always keep a watch on the market and when we talk to existing lawyers at the firm and future lawyers, salary, bonus and career development within the firm are clearly at the forefront of their minds."

Therefore, with effect from 1 May, a Clifford Chance associate with one year’s PQE [ie 3 yrs work experience] will take home a salary of £66,000 (~$158K AUD), an increase of £6,000 from the current salary. They will have a potential maximum package of £79,200 (~$190K AUD) including bonus.

A Clifford Chance lawyer with three-and-a-half years’ PQE [ie 5.5 years work experience] will see his or her salary increase from £81,000 to £89,000 (~$213K AUD).

i wish we had London rates

 

[thegovernator]

if people stopped dwelling on the work/life balance issue people would have more leisure time to enjoy.