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Lawyers spend their careers answering complex legal questions, but according to a former big four auditor and recruiter, the questions that ultimately shape their careers are the ones they rarely stop to ask themselves.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, Sean Spence, the director of Sean Spence & Associates, encouraged lawyers to pause and ask themselves deeper questions about identity, purpose, and fulfilment, arguing that self-reflection is essential to navigating career transitions and building longevity in the profession.
In the same episode, he challenged the perception that senior lawyers simply lose motivation later in their careers, arguing instead that the profession often fails to recognise the evolving value that experienced practitioners bring.
For lawyers entering the later stages of their careers, Spence argued that lasting professional fulfilment is shaped not only by legal expertise, but also by a willingness to confront deeper questions about identity, purpose, and what life beyond the traditional measures of legal success looks like.
“Well, it gets philosophical, and I know a lot of lawyers are deeply pragmatic and like to have a question that’s got an answer. But some of the questions that are really important to address at the later stage of your career are really around identity and meaning,” he said.
Rather than becoming solely focused on the next promotion, partnership milestone, or professional achievement, Spence encouraged lawyers to create space to reflect on the deeper questions that shape what continues to give their work and lives meaning.
“What is it beyond the law that I’m actually passionate about? Who is it I have been caring for in the past, and who is it I want to care for through my work or my non-work undertakings in the future?” he said.
“What am I going to do about my own physical and psychological health? What do I actually enjoy? Because that could well have shifted.”
Beyond personal reflection, Spence also urged lawyers to broaden their sense of identity beyond the profession, encouraging them to invest in meaningful projects and relationships that provide fulfilment outside their legal careers.
“So beginning to figure out some worthwhile projects to engage in, identifying who your expanded community beyond the profession can be, people you actually delight in being with, and who you’re actually here to engage with,” he said.
“It might be sailors or footballers or musicians or artists, but find them, find your natural community.”
Turning to practical steps lawyers can take to sustain their careers, Spence encouraged them to create space for reflection and exploration, whether through a brief period away from work or a more extended sabbatical to gain perspective and rethink what comes next.
“There’s a spectrum from simply taking even a couple of weeks out with a pad of paper, totally on your own to reflect and to ask some questions, as I say, that don’t necessarily have straight answers,” he said.
“But that can emerge over time, or even take a full-on sabbatical and go and explore something that you think might be interesting.”
However, Spence acknowledged that stepping back and reflecting on a legal career can also bring more difficult emotions and experiences to the surface, particularly for those who have spent years prioritising professional expectations over personal needs.
“But the other end of the spectrum is actually to do the serious deep work if it’s really hard to do on your own,” he said.
“Because this can be a time when lifetime traumas come to the surface, when things that you kind of gradually gave up over time in order to be a good little lawyer start to bite.”
He added: “It becomes clear that there are some things that you’ve given up that you might not ever be able to reclaim, and that’s when simply finding a decent therapist or counsellor to have those conversations with just makes sense. Psychology is nearly as old a profession as law, and it’s pretty effective.”
