SPILL: Hard Turns – and What Helped

As part of President Katy Commisso’s Transitions in Life and Law mandate, the OBA launched a series of Real to Reel videos in which lawyers offer their top tips for navigating meaningful change. We’ve culled below some of the best bits of advice that our video participants brought to peers who are making similar moves, big and small, in personal and professional spheres.

Through Parental Leave

“Come back with confidence, realize that you're capable of doing things that are difficult. Realize that you have a new set of strengths, and those are valuable in this profession.” - OBA President Katy Commisso

“But being really thoughtful about how you're using your time as you're coming back, planning that out while you have the time at home, is something I thought was really helpful to me, because it gave me time to think about my clients that I wanted to speak more with, with the colleagues I wanted to spend more time with, and organizations that I wanted to continue to volunteer with while still prioritizing life at home.” - Samantha Green

From Student to Articling

“So, the way that I was able to balance completing my articling while also studying for the bar is that I really had a strict schedule that I would follow. So, for me, that meant waking up early in the morning, going to the gym, and I would usually be in the office by 8 o'clock. And so, I'd study from 8 to 9. Sometimes, during my lunchtime I would also study. And usually what I would do is once I finish work at 5, then I would have 5 pm to 6 pm to study. So that way, once I close my laptop at 6 o’clock, I could head home.” - Hanaa Ameer-Uddin

From Practicing Law in Another Country to Articling in Canada

“Advocate for yourself in all things you're doing. Nobody else is gonna advocate for you, so advocate for yourself, talk about your experience, introduce yourself to people, tell people you're willing to take on more responsibilities. And what usually happens, as it happened for me, is you get people that advocate for you. They're willing to give you more work to do to let you handle more responsibilities.” - Tomiwa Ogundipe

From Articling to Associate

“It's one thing for someone to theoretically tell you how to drive a car and for you to read about it, but, all of a sudden, when they say, okay, it's your turn to drive the car and you're at the steering wheel, all of these decisions matter. So being able to trust your gut and learn how to accept criticism without fear was one of the biggest challenges. But it's the most rewarding.” - Airianna Mapp

From Associate to Partner

“I had to really try to prioritize things like reaching out to connections, making time for things like events, making time to participate in organizations and going out for lunch and coffee with people in a way that I hadn't as much when I was an associate. Because now the priorities of my job are changing. And that was something that's definitely required some adjustments.” - Alexander Evangelista

From One Practice Area to Another

“I think the things that have worked for me are always stay curious, right? There's a balance between kind of having to hold your horses and really have some patience and really learn and develop the skill that you're working at. And then there's also a time to move, transition, and grow. If you always stay curious, you will always keep learning and saying yes to opportunities.” - Charlene Theodore

From Employee to Your Own Practice

“Remember, in this profession, it is small and it's interconnected. If you're in a firm or leaving your position, perhaps as an associate lawyer, leave on good terms. I think that's the biggest mistake that a lot of lawyers make, because your former colleagues and your former principal, your so-called bosses, they might just end up being your strongest referrals or may also be your biggest detriment as well. So please leave on a really good note.” - Kavita V. Bhagat

“I had so many referrals from the law firms that I had worked for previously, and because I maintained those relationships, I stayed in touch, I was helpful when I could be helpful. I wasn't shy to ask for referrals and they had confidence in me. So, maintaining relationships and really working that, working your network while you're an employee, anticipating what you're gonna need when you go out on your own.” - Brenda Hollingsworth

From Private Law to Public Life

“I think the advice is: take the help. People know things, people have been through things before. Pick up the phone, ask questions. Don't try and figure everything out on your own. That is the symptom of being a small business person or running a small firm. You're used to doing everything yourself, so opening up to take the expertise of other people.” - Attorney General Doug Downey