Career lessons from a part-time partner - Women's Agenda

Career lessons from a part-time partner

The legal profession’s problem with women is well known which makes Shana Schreier-Joffe’s career and advice particularly prescient. She has spent more than two decades working as an employment lawyer and has held roles including managing partner and chief executive of Harmers Workplace Lawyers.

What makes Schreier-Joffe’s success interesting is the fact she’s worked part-time for almost her entire career. “It is difficult to be a very successful partner and have a family and to do both of those things successfully,” Schreier-Joffe acknowledges.

Several factors have made it possible for her. Having a willing and supportive employer was critical, as was the fact she was senior enough to dictate the way she wanted to work. Since her first child arrived in 1997 Schreier-Joffe has only worked three days a week.

“I made a conscious choice to work three consecutive days. That way everyone at work saw me on those three work days and my kids got me at home two days,” she says. “You educate the people you work with around your availability. That is easier when you’re more senior to be clear about when, what and how you’ll do your job.”

She remains a consultant to Harmers but Schreier-Joffe’s most recent career move sees her join Keypoint Law, an alternative model for legal services from the UK, which has just opened in Australia. “I was casting my eye around for something different and I didn’t want to simply swap law firms,” she explains. After hearing Keypoint was opening in Australia she followed up and is now a consulting principal for the group which allows senior lawyer to set their own fee structure with clients and work the way they want.

“Keypoint lawyers enjoy a level of freedom, flexibility and autonomy similar to sole practice – but with all the infrastructure, practice areas and reach of a national firm,” Keypoint’s CEO in Australia Warren Kalinko explains.

That autonomy and freedom is what Schreier-Joffe was drawn to, particularly at this point in her family life. “My kids need me more in a sense now that they’re older,” she says. “Some aspects are actually harder now.”

Whilst smaller children can be cared for more easily by others Schreier-Joffe says there are certain aspects of parenting teenagers that can’t be outsourced.

Throughout her working life Schreier-Joffe has fielded questions from younger women about juggling her legal career with a family. These are her top tips.

If you’re forced to choose between your career and a family, choose your family.

“You shouldn’t have to make this choice but it happens. You will never be too old to pursue your career so don’t succumb to pressure to do everything work-wise first. You can do both, I’m proof of it, but you have to be realistic.”

Don’t excuse your choices

“Own the choices you make. If you work part-time be upfront about that – to clients and to your employer. In my experience being upfront about your situation right from the start makes life easier.”

Tell people what you expect

“Don’t expect the people around you to do something you want them to. You have to tell them! Talk to the people around you.”

Run your own race
“Young women put pressure on themselves to be very successful and get on the career fast-track. If you choose a family and it changes your career trajectory, be realistic. Is it the end of the world if another person takes over from you for the time being? If you’ve made different choices, it’s a different choice. There are plenty of ways to skin a cat.”

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