For many, the legal profession is already known for long hours, steep learning curves, and relentless expectations – but for those starting their legal careers later in life, the hurdles often go well beyond simply mastering the law.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, Melissa Rowlands, a family law paralegal completing her juris doctor, provided an in-depth look at the unique challenges faced by those entering the legal profession later in life.
Pulling back the curtain on the realities of entering law as a mature student, Rowlands explained that the greatest challenge is juggling the competing demands of study, work, and motherhood simultaneously.
“Balancing my study, full-time work, and motherhood is probably the biggest challenge. It’s just finding the capacity at this time of life, when you’ve got so many plates to juggle to make it all work,” she said.
Like many drawn to the legal profession, Rowlands admitted that her perfectionist tendencies have made it a harsh reality to accept that she cannot give every part of her life 100 per cent.
“It’s brutal and also imperfect. Like most people drawn to the legal profession, I am a perfectionist with high standards for myself,” she said.
“But I have learned that it’s impossible to give all of those parts of my life 100 per cent of my effort and attention all of the time. As much as I hate to admit it, my time and energy are [limited], and I’ve had to learn to accept that.”
Rowlands described the early days of juggling study, work, and family as “all-consuming”, admitting she was constantly plagued by guilt – whether for not spending enough time with her family, worrying she wasn’t fully committed to work, or feeling she could be doing more for her studies.
“When I first started studying, it was all-consuming, and I constantly had this feeling like, oh, I should be studying. When I’m not studying, there’s always something else that I should be doing,” she said.
“When I was studying, I was feeling bad that I wasn’t with my family, or I wasn’t giving enough time to work. It really took me going, I’m going to burn out here if I don’t set some really clear parameters.”
To navigate this delicate balancing act and remain fully present in all areas of her life, Rowlands emphasised the importance of creating a structured system of planning and organisation, allowing her to focus completely on whatever task or role she is engaged in at the moment.
“It’s about being super organised, having a clear schedule and a plan so that I can be present with whatever it is I’m doing in that particular moment,” she said.
“So if I’m having quality time with my family and I have a huge research assignment looming, I could try to be present with my family and know that I have got time set aside for the study.”
Rowlands highlighted the importance of setting realistic expectations, cautioning against placing undue pressure on yourself to achieve the impossible.
“The biggest bang for buck for me, I also have to be realistic because there’s no way that I can study full-time while I work full-time,” she said.
