Forging your own path: Traditional legal pathways can often feel like the safest bet – climb the ranks, secure a partnership, and follow the well-worn road. But as these two award-winning lawyers show, true success often lies in the courage to forge your own path.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Lawyers Weekly Show, Jane Bowes, managing partner at Bowes Legal, and Danielle Keyes, general counsel at NOVA Entertainment Group, reflected on their decisions to step away from the traditional legal career path and shared the lessons they’ve learnt in forging their own unique journeys.
For Keyes, walking away from a high-profile and secure role at DLA Piper to step into the uncertainty of a general counsel position was not just a career move but a bold leap that redefined her professional growth and her vision of success.
“I think leaving the [DLA Piper and starting to practise as a general counsel] demonstrated that to trust my instincts, to back myself, to go, ‘you know what, I don‘t want to do this anymore.’ But it doesn‘t mean I don‘t want hard work. I just don‘t want what this looks like, you know,” Keyes said.
When it comes to forging your own path and stepping away from the traditional legal career trajectory, Keyes stressed that it’s not about going it alone.
Instead, she shared it’s about drawing on the experiences of others – learning from both their successes and their missteps – while charting a course that stays true to your own values.
“So I think in terms of forging your own path, I think as long as you‘ve got integrity, you‘re being true to yourself. You‘re not afraid of hard work, and you‘re prepared to lean on. Stand on the shoulders of giants,” Keyes said.
“Lean on the people around you and be guided by them, following their paths. Or often what I used to do is go, actually, [if I] don‘t like what this person did, or I don‘t like that particular trait in that senior member or whatever, and choose not to be like that as well.”
However, Bowes noted that when it comes to carving out their own version of success, many lawyers shy away from risk and instead “follow the pack”, choosing what feels “safe” and predictable rather than daring to pursue something greater.
While Bowes recognised that following the conventional path works for some, she stressed that her own idea of success has been forged through bold risks, finding reward not in comfort or security, but in stepping boldly beyond them.
“That‘s OK if that‘s what you want to do, but for me, safe is not the option. I want to get the most out of my life and career. And that wasn‘t playing it safe. That was taking a massive risk and leaving, you know, a really well-paid job, comfort, security, path to partnership, all the things,” Bowes said.
“There are so many lessons every single day of the week in doing that. But if you don‘t live your life genuinely and how you want, what is your life?”
However, Bowes explained that some lawyers struggle to take the risky path, often held back by fear or self-doubt.
She noted that lawyers are inherently judgemental – not just of others, but of themselves – which can create extra pressure and roadblocks when trying to forge a unique career path.
“When I did a leadership course, [lawyers] are the most judgemental people. We are, but we are so judgemental, probably on ourselves more than anyone else,” Bowes said.
“So we‘re already worrying about what people are going to say. You went out on your own or you failed, but you‘re already thinking that yourself, but just go for it, and who knows what will happen?”
