Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50901
Quite apart from the demands on your personal life, you're going to fi nd clients, colleagues, and bosses pulling you in several diff erent directions at once. "This requires careful time management, fl exibility, and the need to regularly assess and reassess what is truly important and time-sensitive," says Rita Andreone, a partner at Lawson Lundell LLP in Vancouver. "You need to prioritize and build in time to plan, research, and think and fi ght the temptation to react prematurely." Without good organizational skills, you run the risk of "becoming overburdened with work and prejudicing 7 Hardbound • 424 pp. 2009 • $115 P/C 0291010000 ISBN 978-0-88804-484-6 Prices subject to change without notice, to applicable taxes and shipping & handling. CANADA LAW BOOK® CL0311 26 SPRING 2 0 1 1 C ANADIAN Lawy er 4STUDENTS Money isn't everything As tempting as Bay Street salaries may seem with a heap of student loans and bank debts on your shoulders, it's foolish to make cold, hard cash the only factor in your career choice. "A career in law can and should be fun. You should like what you do; it will make you a better lawyer," says Davis, who has switched in and out of private practice in her career. She says it's best to keep an open mind when choosing the right career combination. "I love many aspects of my present practice that I never dreamed I would like. Give each opportunity adequate time and a fair chance before you assess whether it is for you." "Specialize in an area that you have a passion for," says Gary Gottlieb, a sole practitioner from Toronto. Gottlieb, who is also a bencher with the Law Society of Upper Canada, urges students to use the articling process to get experience in areas that fi re them up. Leung says it's important to be honest with yourself about what type of lifestyle will make you happy, as well as your professional goals. "Always consider how your career will fi t into your personal situation, such as where you live and whether you have, or plan to raise, a family," he says. Get organized clients," says Ron Minken of employment law fi rm Minken & Associates Professional Corp. "A lawyer needs to stay organized and manage their time with the client's best interest in mind. This can become diffi cult when a lawyer is required to meet numerous deadlines on diff erent matters, communicate with clients, both new and existing, as well as with opposing counsel, and ensure that everything that needs to be addressed is handled," he says. 8 CROSS-BORDER LITIGATION INTERJURISDICTIONAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Kenneth C. MacDonald GUIDANCE ON ALL ASPECTS OF CROSS-BORDER LITIGATION FOR INTER-PROVINCIAL, INTERNATIONAL AND MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS Cross-Border Litigation: Interjurisdictional Practice and Procedure offers practical guidance on all aspects of cross-border and inter-provincial litigation, covering everything from deciding where to commence litigation to enforcement of a judgment. It is an excellent handbook to help you understand the legal considerations involved and map out the right course of action, such as: • where is the best place to sue • strategies for challenging the plaintiff's choice of venue • how to ensure proper service outside your jurisdiction • how to determine which jurisdiction's laws apply • obtaining evidence from other jurisdictions • responding to requests for evidence from other jurisdictions ... and more! Visit canadalawbook.ca or call 1.800.565.6967 for a 30-day no-risk evaluation