The Lawyers Weekly - May 11, 2012

THE LAWYERS WEEKLY
May 11, 2012 | 21

BUSINESS
CAREERS

Need to change practice areas? With so many things influencing the legal industry today, it’s no surprise a growing number of associates and partners are considering changes to their practice area for a variety of reasons.

Perhaps it’s the economy, or changing markets. Your firm is making strategic decisions in a direction that affects you, or you find yourself no longer enjoying the work you do in a diminishing practice area. It could be a personal choice based upon being unhappy with where you are in your career.

GARY
MITCHELL

Whatever the motivation, you can take steps to change direction without starting over. You don’t have to start from scratch.

Over the years I have worked with a number of lawyers who have had to change direction for various reasons and at different stages of their careers. You can turn things around, take back your career and redirect your practice.

The first step in changing direction is to examine who you are, what you enjoy doing, and ask the question: Who do you want to serve? In other words, what makes you tick? What do you want to create? What type of work do you enjoy doing? What types of people do you like working with most? Are there industries or markets that are more aligned with your values? What do you want your legacy to be? What impact do you want to create? What truly motivates you? Five years from now, where do you want to be in your career?

How about 10 years? What defines success for you?

Your list of definitions may include monetary, career advancement and recognition, or anything else that truly defines success for you. Don’t concern yourself with what other people consider to be success—this is about you.

What do you bring to the table?

What are some of the trans-
ferrable skills you could leverage
in a new practice area? What
has your experience taught you?
Is there a way to leverage your
current profile in a new prac-
tice area? What about your
external contacts and relation-
ships? Is there a way to leverage
them for introductions?

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BS-LawyersWeekly-Ad.indd 1

Date: Sep Ad#: 249

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WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT JONATHAN HALE IS THE NEWEST PARTNER OF THE FIRM.

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Jonathan has been an associate with the firm since its inception in 2008 and brings to the partnership a wealth of knowledge in the area of insurance defence litigation. He is an active member of a number of professional associations including the Ontario Bar Association and the Advocates Society.

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Jonathan and his wife Nadine live in Toronto with their two cats and a puppy. In his spare time, Jonathan listens to a wide variety of music and enjoys going to concerts.