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Leveraging a law degree for more than just a legal career
As lawyers collect new experiences and interests, the benefits of a law degree could continue to expand to include more non-traditional and sometimes completely new career paths. Hive Legal’s Melissa Lyon is proof that pivoting from the conventional options into work that she is most motivated by is worth the change.
Naomi Neilson
Reflecting on her role as executive director and experience designer at Hive Legal – a non-practising, owner position – Melissa Lyon said it took her a long time to “get to a very fulfilling career” and she hopes that as the profession adapts to a new mindset of accepting unconventional career options and inventing new roles, the next generation of young lawyers can get to their dream jobs a lot sooner than she did.
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Ideally, this change of attitude would mean that law graduates can take the paths that they are most interested in by crafting their own careers outside of the typical “ladder” trajectory into senior roles. This change would also mean firms and in-house workplaces place emphasis and equal value on non-traditional career options.
Standing in the way of this change is the “limited and outdated” mindset that lawyers who transition outside of the typical legal practitioner role “couldn’t hack it”. Ms Lyon said that this attitude is still active within legal workplaces, “but I think what we’re seeing now is a number of individuals and firms who are really valuing those alternative career paths and seeing the many benefits of having them”.
“What I see as an opportunity now is that we’re seeing more of a focus on the multidisciplinary teams, and multidisciplinary teams aren’t just the lawyers. They are other people within firms or organisations that can bring different skillsets, and they are just as valued as the lawyers in those same teams,” Ms Lyon said on The Protégé Podcast.
“I think what we’re seeing is that increased trend, which really does make for a better experience for clients because you’re bringing together the skills that are needed to solve their problems, but also for the people working in those teams as well because now you have diversity of thought [and] a more collaborative approach.”
Although it took Ms Lyon 20 years to create the role that works best for her, she said that with these changes it is her wish that young lawyers are taking advantage of the flexibility to get started designing their own pathways. She said this starts by determining which part of the business of law – if any at all – appeals to them most.
“I think my tips are to work out what you really like. If practising the law really motivates you, go for it. If you see the business of law or elements of the business of law motivates you, speak to whoever you possibly can about their paths, their experiences, how they have seen it and look for mentor groups if you can. See what’s out there and think more broadly before you settle on one path,” she said.
It is also important that lawyers are not approaching these changes by letting fear of being blocked from returning to traditional roles stop them. Ms Lyon said that nothing will stop them from returning to the law, but this time they are returning to practice with a whole new skill set that might only advantage them further.
“I love the idea now that we’re seeing people who are collecting things along the way – collecting different skillsets, training up in different things. I’m seeing more people doing design thinking and there’s project management. There are many different things that people are collecting in their career box, if I can put it that way, to draw on as they go. You can draw on those things, do them for a while, bring them back in,” she said.
“The world can be your oyster in terms of seeing where the opportunities are to almost choose your own journey and develop your own skills on the way.”
Ms Lyon added that to do that, young lawyers must start thinking about where things are moving, what others are doing and to also specifically consider what they want to get out of each individual organisation: “Think about what’s important to you, what your values are, what your approach to work is, how you want to work, what’s there and test that organisation to see if they are a fit for you.”
Are you an emerging legal professional and/or law student wanting to learn more ways to utilise a law degree and advance in your chosen career path? Lawyers Weekly’s Career Expo and Emerging Leaders’ Summit will connect you with Australia’s top companies and leading educators to help secure the perfect role.
The free-to-attend live-stream event is designed to arm you with the tools and strategies to succeed in the current market and is being held across three action-packed days over 8, 9 and 10 June. As well as being treated to a wealth of practical tips, the event is offering a prize to a lucky attendee – return flights to New Zealand!
Click here to find out what you will gain from attending and head to the official site to register now!
