As a corporate lawyer mother, you know all too well the intricate dance of balancing your professional aspirations with the heartfelt desire to be there for your children and family.
What’s swept under the rug?
It’s a path laden with both pride and guilt, achievement and sacrifice. When you’re entrenched in the demands of a high-stakes legal career, the tug of familial responsibilities often feels like a constant undercurrent.
When you are at work, navigating complex legal landscapes, your thoughts frequently drift towards home.
It’s in those quiet moments between drafting documents or preparing for a meeting, that you wonder about your children’s day at school, whether they had a good lunch, or if they need help with their homework.
The feelings of being torn between two worlds can be overwhelming.
A pinch of frustration
One of the hardest aspects to manage is the unpredictability of emergencies.
A sudden call from school about a sick child or an urgent family matter can bring a wave of anxiety.
The frustration of being unable to drop everything and attend to your child’s needs is a common sentiment.
You may feel a pang of guilt, questioning whether your career demands are compromising your role as a mother.
An ace up your sleeve?
As a specialised coach I help corporate lawyer mother acknowledging their strengths and exhibiting them daily.
Your unique set of abilities is the key to juggle these responsibilities and is also the testament to your dedication and love. Both in profession and in private life!
The legal profession is demanding, and the skills you bring to your work—critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management—are equally valuable at home.
Harsh truth
Recognising that you cannot control every aspect of life is crucial.
I know how it feels.
It took me ages to realise I needed an ally who could fully understand the ebbs and flows I was experiencing.
However, no one could truly grasp it because of the nature of the job itself: the corporate department has an internal culture and rules that are incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with them.
Having someone who truly understands
It’s about finding the right integration for you and accepting that while you strive to be present, there will be moments when either work or family takes precedence over the other.
And that’s okay if you know exactly where you are, this is for example a frequent outcome for my clients.
It’s about quality over quantity—ensuring that when you are with your family, you are fully present, making those moments count.
Sharing experiences and strategies alleviates some of the pressure. Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a strength.
So, if you want to reframe your role as a corporate lawyer mother as a powerful example to your children, let’s talk!
You are navigating a complex and rewarding path, and that in itself is a remarkable achievement.
Giusy Falco, PCC ICF
My mission is to help top-tiers corporate lawyer mothers, freshly separated, juggling with a high-demanding career and day-to-day responsibilities without forcing them to choose what to give up. I want to improve the legal environment one butterfly effect at a time.