When an issue arises that has great personal importance to us, we are usually quick to jump into a supportive role, perhaps participate in a march, join a grassroots organization or donate our time or funds. As attorneys, this is part of our professional makeup - we rally in support of those issues that affect the interests of our clients. It's time now to do the same for ourselves, and ensure that we can fully support a balanced life.
Last month's WSBA Bar News article, "The Search for Balance in a Lawyer's Life" by Ellen Conedera Dial, caught my attention as this issue has great personal importance to me.
Fourteen years ago, after graduating from law school, I most energetically launched myself into what has been a thoroughly rewarding way of earning my living - the practice of law. Coming out of law school, there were discussions amongst my friends and colleagues about whether an attorney could have a balanced life. The question was even more pertinent for the women in my graduating class who felt that being able to attain and sustain that goal would be an even greater achievement, due to there being a common misconception that women attorneys could not have a balanced life and support a successful law practice at the same time.
In addition to this misconception, there were two other common fallacies. First, there was a notion that if graduates entered the world of law as associates in large firms, they would have to give up all other life activities they aspired to maintain. This would be due to grueling billable hour requirements and the need to go extra miles and offer up additional hours to prove one's worth to partners, thus ensuring success both socially and economically. Second, there was a mistaken belief that if one chose to be in solo practice, one could avoid the demands of a firm and actually have a chance at maintaining a balance in life. Here, however, there was a caveat: as a sole practitioner, one had to be willing to sacrifice social and economic success.
Given that I had started my adult life prior to entering law school and was already enjoying a newborn baby at the time of my graduation, being a woman attorney and having a successful law practice was, most obviously, an affirmation deserving my complete dedication. I was resolved not to succumb to the first of these misconceptions or to further perpetuate this fallacy. Moreover, I was convinced to attempt solo practice, and was not willing to accept the caveat.
I have always affirmed a balanced life. And I have also had a natural desire to be socially and economically successful. I have never thought of the two aspirations as being mutually exclusive. I also realized almost immediately after hanging out my shingle that, being in my own practice, I would most certainly be spending equal time on the business of a law practice as on the practice itself. Consequently, I needed a plan from the start in order to ensure my long term happiness and success, both personally and professionally.
My plan was and continues to be about paying attention to what has heart and meaning in my life. Which, of course, is not just one thing - but many things. And making time and welcoming the support of my friends and family in order to integrate these interests into my life - thus creating balance - ensures success on a deep, personal level.
At first, given that I had started a family at the same time I entered practice, it meant that I took time to be a mom in addition to being an attorney. Once again, I did not consider the two roles as being mutually exclusive. I found both to be equally rewarding and mutually supportive. My children provided me with a perspective on life that enabled me to keep a positive attitude and apply humor and humility in my professional life. As my kids have grown, I have been able to add a little time for myself here and there. What do I focus on now to continue to support balance in my professional and personal life? Family, community service and baseball! Baseball, as in hardball.
I started playing hardball when I was nine years old - the first girl in the local Little League. I picked up softball in college (there was no women's baseball), then played recreational softball during law school - a perfect stress-relieving activity. Three years ago, I joined the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League (PSSBL), a predominantly male organization that still drafts women, and played hardball with the guys.
A year later, I joined the Washington Women's Baseball Association (WWBA), where I now play on the Washington Stars - our state's premier women's baseball team. The Washington Stars' mission is to provide Washington with a competitive, elite women's baseball team that will vie in various competitions around the world and give women the opportunity to play baseball at all levels in future years. This mission has great personal importance to me.
The WWBA began in 2003 with one team, the Washington Stars. With nobody to play against locally, the Stars had to travel to tournaments in other states for competition over their first two seasons. Last November, we traveled to Florida for our first National Championship tournament and finished fifth. For more information on the team, visit us at www.wwbabaseball.com. And for any of you women attorneys who would love to play baseball, come join us!
How does the balance work for me in my practice? I offer a physically and mentally fit attorney for my clients. I stay happy and healthy. And, quite frankly, I do better business and have more in common with my clients - all of whom strive for balance in their lives in one way or another, and even some of whom love baseball!
My practice has always been about relationships. By incorporating what I believe into my practical life, I have gained a significant amount of respect from those with whom I have the pleasure of working. And this has made all the difference.
