Dear Rookie Advocate,
Happy New Year! Yes, we’re fashionably late but consider this our motion for an extension of time -duly granted.
I hope that by now your vision boards are complete, journals purchased, and your goals for the year are taking shape. If they’re not, good! Keep reading.
Get Clear on What You Actually Want
Growth starts with knowing what you want and building a clear path to get there. If you want a new role, state succinctly what you’re looking for. This sharpens your search and guides what you apply for. If you know your destination, not every road will lead you there. But go deeper than that. Interrogate your desire for a new position or qualification the way you’d cross-examine a witness- thoroughly and without sentiment.
Your why will determine your how, when, and where. Get the why right, and you won’t find yourself chasing roles that leave you wanting to move again six months later.
Here’s what I mean: Jane, a junior associate, has always dreamt of practising at Shoelace & Co. When asked why, she realised what she actually wanted was the chance to learn from the firm’s Senior Partner. That changed everything. Would she still want to join the firm if she could access that partner another way? What if that partner had moved on?
So before you make any big decisions this year, conduct a due diligence on your own desires. What’s actually on your list? How do you achieve it? What resources do you need, and how do you acquire them?
Your Network Is Closer Than You Think
This brings me to networks. Could Jane have reached that Senior Partner through a coffee chat, instead of moving firms entirely?
Try this exercise: think through the people already around you- a mentor, a former classmate, a colleague from that bar association event you almost skipped, and ask which of your goals could be met, even halfway, by a single conversation. You’d be surprised.
Recently, a friend and I decided we are one phone call away from the Republican President. I think I should actually test this out to see how strong my network is.
You Are More Than Your Practice
When I was serving as a Learner Legal Practitioner, a supervising partner told me something I’ve never forgotten. I’d asked to come in later the next day so I could take my driver’s test. His response? He didn’t just want me to succeed in my career, he wanted me to thrive in every area of my life.
That stuck with me because one thing that plagues professionals, and perhaps lawyers especially, is allowing a qualification to consume our entire identity. But law practice is one chapter of your life, not the whole book. Develop other areas just as deliberately as you develop your career. Set goals around health, relationships, rest; whatever work-life balance looks like for you.
(And no, billable hours do not count as “life” goals.)
What's Coming from Dear Rookie Advocate?
This year we’re growing, and we want you to grow with us. Look out for the launch of our podcast and masterclasses: in-person, practice-relevant sessions, fireside chats with practitioners who’ve been where you are, and video conversations tackling the topics that affect your career but rarely get the platform they deserve.
We’re building something worth clearing your calendar for. In the meantime, have you seen our new look website?
And we have a masterclass already on the way. Sign up here and join us for a great time of learning.
Here’s to getting clear on our goals and making the journey a little less daunting. After all, the best case you’ll ever argue is the one for your own growth.
Cheers to an amazing 2026.
Edwina
