LAW
Why a positive work-life balance helps you to be a better solicitor
New faces - Tilly Bailey & Irvine ’ s Lucy Walther , Daniel Peacock and Stephen McCaffery .
GET THE BALANCE RIGHT
PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH WORDS : SARAH DALE
Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP has taken on three new solicitors based at its Wynyard Park branch . The new starters discuss settling into their new roles and how career success comes from striking a work-life balance .
Having a positive work-life balance makes you “ focus better ” and be a “ better lawyer ”, says Lucy Walther , one of three new starters at Tilly Bailey & Irvine .
“ As a private family solicitor , I am involved in the most emotional aspects of people ’ s lives – divorce , cohabitation , separation disputes , financial matters arising from divorce , domestic abuse , disputes over children and pre- and postnuptial agreements .
“ I enjoy being that person that they turn to and help them through the hardest times of their lives .
“ I am coming up three years PQE ( post-qualified experience ) and have worked in the private family sector for six years , initially as a legal assistant and as a matrimonial clerk .”
Lucy , from Great Ayton , joined the law firm in March along with corporate solicitor Stephen McCaffery . Daniel Peacock completes the trio of new starters having taken the role of commercial litigation solicitor six months ago .
Lucy , 25 , had been working in Leeds and Harrogate for a large family law specialist firm but wanted to return to live and work in the area she grew up .
It is TBI ’ s respected reputation and wealth of experienced solicitors that attracted all three to join the firm , which also has offices in Stockton , Hartlepool and Barnard Castle .
“ I feel privileged to be working with people that have been in the industry for a lot longer than me ,” says Lucy , who had always wanted a career in law and studied at Leeds Beckett University and Northumbria University .
Daniel , who has worked in Durham and Newcastle , loves settling a dispute and always knew litigation was the route he wanted to take .
“ I love resolving disputes and reaching a positive outcome for clients ,” says the 31-year-old from Bishop Auckland who is coming up three years PQE .
“ I joined TBI because the team is highly respected across the North-East and has a great reputation . I wanted to be exposed to a range of commercial matters and this role fit the bill . Our team deals with a range of matters such as contractual disputes , contested probate disputes , shareholder disputes and construction disputes , to name a few .”
Daniel , who is also the chair of Junior Lawyers Division and The Law Society ’ s Junior Solicitors Network , studied law at Sunderland University , where he met Stephen .
“ Dan told me a lot of good things about the place ,” says Stephen , 32 , from Houghton le Spring .
“ Prior to this , I had worked as an in-house legal counsel . There was a corporate opening here and I joined . I deal with anything and everything a company would deal with – company restructures , help get rid of assets , help start-ups , and also helping charitable organisations too .
“ Originally , it was a toss-up between law and psychology but once I picked law , I got a real taste for corporate law during my training .”
In his spare time , he is busy planning his wedding and says it is important to strike that balance between work and life .
“ Covid was a freak situation and put the focus back on family and friends and taking the time to enjoy the fruits of your labour ,” says Stephen , who is three-and-a-half-years PQE .
“ I have a healthy attitude to work and have no problem switching off once I ’ m home . Having a good work-life balance is something that really attracted me to the firm .”
All three have experienced expected long working hours in the past and the struggle to find that balance between working hard and taking some downtime to play golf , which they all enjoy , and spend time with their loved ones .
Daniel says : “ Most people work 9-5 here and it ’ s encouraged to leave at a reasonable hour . That ’ s quite refreshing .”
Lucy adds : “ I come from a city centre firm and would work long hours at times . Now if I work late that is the exception , not the rule . Having a positive work-balance makes you focus better ; it makes you a better lawyer .”
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