So, I moved across into family law, not only for that human element in the law, but also because I'm particularly interested in the rights of the child. Working in family law gives you a chance to look at the rights of the child, and focus your advice around what's best for children, rather just what's best for the parents, or what's best for your client. There is an overarching obligation, in family law, to look at the rights of the child in all the advice you give in parenting matters, so I found that was something I was particularly interested, and wanted to work in, a bit more.
No Days Are The Same
No two days are alike. I do a lot of different things throughout my day. There's a lot of variety. I'm binding financial agreements, settlement conferences, we do a lot of attempting to settle matters in family law, so we do a lot of mediations, round table negotiations. I also do a lot of appearances in court so, it's ranges from anything to attending a conciliation conference, to writing an interim or final hearing, with counsel by my side, so there's a big variety and no two days are the same. It's really client-driven, and it depends what comes my way on that particular day.
Family law is all about feelings. My clients are often at one of the worst stages of their life. They've literally just broken up with their partner, or their lives are falling apart, and they all of a sudden need to deal with their finances, and what's going to happen with their kids, so it's an emotionally heightened area of law to work in. The clients are upset. They're often crying, or screaming, and it's very difficult to deal with that as a lawyer. You're not only dealing with companies and their assets, you're dealing with real people and their lives.
Variety
So, there's a lot of variety in what you do on a daily basis, and a lot of contact with clients who are obviously very upset, and really needing your help. The advice I would give for students wanting to work in family law is probably to attempt to do a placement in the area of family law. You really need to be able to separate your feelings from the client's so you can remain objective, in times of emotional turmoil for your client. So, it's a really good idea to try and do some work experience in the area, go along to court, watch what happens in court, get an idea of what really goes on, and what the reality is like in family law.
Most people wouldn't know that being a family lawyer requires you not only be lawyer, but also, in a way, to have a high level of emotional intelligence, and almost step into the role of a counselor. So, most people probably don't know the level of reliance a client will place on their family lawyer. And it is quite difficult to remain objective, and ensure that you're really assisting in the capacity only as a lawyer, not as a social worker, or a counselor, and to really separate your emotions from those of the client's. Because in family law, that's the way you best assist your client, is by being able to remain objective.
No Days Are The Same
No two days are alike. I do a lot of different things throughout my day. There's a lot of variety. I'm binding financial agreements, settlement conferences, we do a lot of attempting to settle matters in family law, so we do a lot of mediations, round table negotiations. I also do a lot of appearances in court so, it's ranges from anything to attending a conciliation conference, to writing an interim or final hearing, with counsel by my side, so there's a big variety and no two days are the same. It's really client-driven, and it depends what comes my way on that particular day.
Family law is all about feelings. My clients are often at one of the worst stages of their life. They've literally just broken up with their partner, or their lives are falling apart, and they all of a sudden need to deal with their finances, and what's going to happen with their kids, so it's an emotionally heightened area of law to work in. The clients are upset. They're often crying, or screaming, and it's very difficult to deal with that as a lawyer. You're not only dealing with companies and their assets, you're dealing with real people and their lives.
Variety
So, there's a lot of variety in what you do on a daily basis, and a lot of contact with clients who are obviously very upset, and really needing your help. The advice I would give for students wanting to work in family law is probably to attempt to do a placement in the area of family law. You really need to be able to separate your feelings from the client's so you can remain objective, in times of emotional turmoil for your client. So, it's a really good idea to try and do some work experience in the area, go along to court, watch what happens in court, get an idea of what really goes on, and what the reality is like in family law.
Most people wouldn't know that being a family lawyer requires you not only be lawyer, but also, in a way, to have a high level of emotional intelligence, and almost step into the role of a counselor. So, most people probably don't know the level of reliance a client will place on their family lawyer. And it is quite difficult to remain objective, and ensure that you're really assisting in the capacity only as a lawyer, not as a social worker, or a counselor, and to really separate your emotions from those of the client's. Because in family law, that's the way you best assist your client, is by being able to remain objective.
