I was admitted as a lawyer in September 2001 so have been practising for quite a while now – on this page I am putting links to information I have written about being a lawyer or starting a career and working which I wish that someone had told me when I was starting my career…
The context for this advice is that I studied from 1995-2001 at University of Canterbury (with one year in Japan in 1999) and graduated with first class honours in Law and a BA in history and political science. I started work at Russell McVeagh in Wellington where I worked 3 years, then 2004-2008 at Norton Rose Fulbright in London, 2008-2011 in Tokyo, 2012-2015 in Sydney then in Christchurch from 2016 to present at Parry Field Lawyers where we have 80 people across 4 offices and I lead the “Impact team” focussing on for purpose organisations.
Here are some people I think you should listen to, articles I have written and other resources such as interviews on seeds podcast with lawyers, that I think may help if you are wondering about a career as a lawyer:
10 lessons I wish I had known when starting out… – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Ikigai: Reflections on career and purpose for new grads and students… – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
On being efficient … – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Braided River Reflection – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
What I wish I had known … – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Say NO to say YES . . . – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Creativity & Vulnerability: Give it all … give it now. – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
What is your Cathedral? – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Lawyers who have been on seeds podcast:
Ursula Cheer who has had a varied career in the law: Seeds: Ursula Cheer on a varied career in Law (libsyn.com)
Chat with Steven Moe on his career Seeds: Steven Moe in conversation with Andy Dickson (libsyn.com)
Netta Egoz an impact focused lawyer: Netta Egoz on Pechakucha and Social Enterprises – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
John Berry who started his career as a lawyer: Seeds: John Berry on Ethical Investing (libsyn.com)
Neil Edmond who studied Law at Otago: Seeds: Neil Edmond on MoneyTime and gamifying financial literacy for children (libsyn.com)
Showing examples of writing that intersect law and the future – as a lawyer you can instigate change!
Moving, seconding … but why? | IoD NZ
Remembering Captain Planet, 30 years on | The Spinoff
The Christchurch Startup Ecosystem Grows Up – Seeds (theseeds.nz)
Board Matters Podcast | IoD NZ
IMHO: The future of corporate governance: what if the trees had a say? | IoD NZ
A recent post with some advice:
This week I shared with a room full of University of Canterbury Law Students about a few things that I thought they should know at the start of their careers.
🦉 What advice would you have for someone starting out? Let me know with a comment!
While it went for an hour there were #four#key#points:
🌳 Always ask how can I “#add#value” to any task you are given. Be looking to make things better than you found them. Do more than the person who asked you to help would expect. Asked to write a memo? Write the cover email as well. Suggest it becomes an article too, and write it.
🍀 Be OK with #potential#failure – it means that you are pushing yourself and your boundaries – in fact if you are not doing something that might fail, it probably shows that you are now too settled where you are. For me, that is publishing The Apple Tree in the coming months, a picture book with heart.
🌱 Realise that ‘failure’ is just a word and there is no such thing, because everything is compost for the seed of the next new idea or initiative (I learned that from Michael m Mayell when he shared that lesson on Seeds Podcast years ago). A ‘failure’ may lead to an opportunity you would not have spotted otherwise.
🌻 You are a leader. Everyone is – even if you are only leading one person … yourself. If you want to achieve something then carve out time to do it. Focus on becoming the type of person that you would like to meet. Are you impressed when you meet someone who speaks three languages? Start learning one yourself.
