In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl chronicled his years in a concentration camp, observing who survived and why.

“Those who expected it to be over by a certain date didn’t; those who found meaning and purpose in their circumstances because they believed they could learn and grow from their experiences survived,” mused Nest Legal principal Laura Vickers (pictured).

“For me, I’m trying to focus on how I’m developing as a leader, what I’m learning about the wonderful people in my team, how we are improving our processes, how I am improving my health and how I am making our firm stronger in the long run.”

Whilst the current global pandemic is, of course, incomparable to the experience of those who lived and died in concentration camps, the lesson from Frankl’s memoir is that finding silver linings in difficult situations such as COVID-19, Ms Vickers submitted, is “key for survival” and for our wellbeing.

For leaders of legal practices, it is crucial to identify the opportunities presented by the pandemic, Ms Vickers said, as it will help paint a compelling picture of the future “that encourages others to persevere”.

“It also keeps focus on the long view. Even if we don’t know when the shutdown will end, we know where we want to be once it does end,” she said.

“This is equally important on the domestic front – verbalise how nice it is to be able to stop and have lunch together in the sunshine, and tell your kids how proud their teachers will be of how much they have learnt whilst at home.”

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“They say you really get to know your partner when you have a kid. Well, you really get to know your team when you experience a pandemic and full societal shutdown with them! Some will be battling their own demons, but many will roll up their sleeves and show grit and innovation and empathy in ways you had never imagined,” Ms Vickers recounted.

“There has been no shortage of challenges in the last few weeks that have required my team to respond quickly to this ever-changing situation, whether it is Googling on a Sunday to figure out which cable will make our VOIP phones work from a different IP address, developing processes for vulnerable clients to execute wills, or inventing arguments to get jobless clients out of contracts (or convincing them to breathe and stay in them).”

It has been hugely pleasing, Ms Vickers noted, to see the junior lawyers in her firm come up with some of the “best examples” of how best the firm can creatively manage the pandemic.

“As a firm, we are taking the opportunity to share daily on what we are learning from this crisis, what challenges we are each identifying, and what help we each need from our teammates that day. These shared reflections and stories make us stronger as a team,” she said.

“Surely this time next year we will look back and laugh at the time we first awkwardly executed a will with a slippery sanitised pen whilst keeping a 1.5-metre distance from the testator, or the ‘panic buying’ week when we had to plead with normally sensible clients to seek advice before signing unconditional off-the-plan contracts.”

The need to self-isolate presents a great opportunity for firms to create and test their processes with electronic signing, verification of identity, remote supervision of work, videoconferencing protocols and paperless office practices, Ms Vickers highlighted.

Moreover, there are chances for those balancing familial duties and their own businesses to share the burden.

“For those who are juggling homeschooling and running a practice, take the opportunity to see which of your daily tasks can be delegated (by training up others in the firm) and which actually need to be done by you,” she advised.

“Before the phone stops ringing, make a list of all those ‘someday’ projects that will make your firm stronger in the long run, be it tweaking your website, refining or automating precedents, smashing out all your CPD points early in the year, or upskilling in Google Analytics, cash flow forecasting, value pricing, collaborative practice or wherever else your skills aren’t up to scratch. Then when the work slows down, treat it as an opportunity to get started on that list.

“And, then, have a crack at being the lawyer you always said you would be if you had more time – the one who gives patient considered feedback and mentoring to junior staff members, the one who writes articles for LinkedIn, the one who eats lunch away from her keyboard and exercises each morning, or the one who advocates for law reform.”

Looking ahead

When asked what advice she would offer to lawyers who want to find silver linings, Ms Vickers suggested: “Keep a journal of what you are learning, record successes and brainstorm solutions to problems you are facing.”

“Control your cash flow as much as you can – it is hard to be a calm and collected leader when you don’t know where the next payroll will come from,” she continued.

“Don’t take it personally – this is a once in a lifetime event and there is nothing you could have done to anticipate or plan better for it.  And if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you and your firm stronger.”

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