I was a barrister for just under 15 years and have been coaching people for 10 years since I left the bar. So I have learned a fair bit about the unique challenges faced by legal professionals in the courtroom and beyond.
I know coaching feels like a bit of an alien world to some people but one of its joys is that it helps individuals find their own solutions rather than imposing solutions on them.
However, over the years, I have seen some common features in both the challenges and the solutions that could be of assistance to many more people, and I will share a selection of those below.
A theme that transcends all of the topics below is that barristers can often feel isolated. The culture at the Bar means that many people are more inclined to share successes than they are to speak about any difficulties they may be facing.
So even if the solutions I share below might not seem right for you, I hope it is some comfort to know that I do work with both established and new barristers on topics which might surprise you. The chances are you are not really alone.
In a bid to address this theme of isolation, I will be starting a new group programme in October which will give you access to peer support, group-coaching and some training all for a small monthly fee. Initially this will be aimed at pupils and those under 5 years’ call.
Please do email me if you would like more details on that: cathbrown@skilfulconversation.com or register your interest here
But in the meantime, please do read on for some ideas you can action immediately.
1. Managing Stress and Anxiety
Barristers deal with tight deadlines, complex cases, and high expectations from clients, peers and themselves. This pressure can lead to significant stress and anxiety, impacting their performance and personal well-being.
Solutions my coachees have found:
Often, during a coaching package, coachees realise that they are bringing much of the stress on themselves, either by comparing themselves to others, or failing to protect their boundaries. This often manifests as a total failure to say “No”. Once the coachee has identified the cause, they can start to tailor a solution, some examples being:
- Dropping commitments (and indeed committees!) that no longer serve you;
- Pausing before that next “Yes” – buy yourself some time;
- Creating your own definition of success so that you are not ruled by someone else’s (or the definition which once was yours but which has not been reviewed for many years;
- Developing a habit of reflection so that you can be sure you are doing satisfying work which suits you.
2. Enhancing Courtroom Performance
Courtroom performance is, of course, critical for barristers in most fields. They must present arguments convincingly, think on their feet, and maintain composure under pressure. Even experienced barristers can struggle with these demands, especially when taking a step-up in difficulty or appearing in a high-profile case.
Solutions my coachees have found:
In coaching, we would dig deep to identify the problem with precision. Sometimes people have just fallen out of love with advocacy or feel as if their nerve has gone after a period out of the courtroom but we need to work out what the problem really is before working on a solution.
So bear that in mind in considering the following solutions that worked for my coachees:
- Asking for feedback from people whose opinions you trust;
- Keeping a log of successes, achievements and “good days” in court – make sure your reflections are not exclusively negative;
- Addressing specific issues such as case analysis or witness-handling with focused strategies such as increased preparation, viewing the problem from a different perspective, trying new techniques.
3. Improving Communication Skills
Effective communication is essential for barristers, both in court and when interacting with clients, clerks, colleagues, and judges. Miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings, weakened arguments, and damaged relationships.
Solutions my coachees have found:
Coaching in communication skills covers various aspects, including active listening, persuasive speaking, and clear writing. Often what we work on in coaching is deploying the strategies you use for your own clients so that they can also benefit you. Many barristers I work with have no issue in speaking up or being persuasive on behalf of others, but put their own needs to one side. For example:
- Being very specific about the purpose of any piece of communication;
- Expecting to work hard on preparation in order to be able to communicate effectively (not expecting it to happen by accident);
- Developing a strategy rather than leaving the outcome to chance;
- Anticipating objections and obstacles (but not leading with them).
4. Maintaining Work-Life Balance
The demanding nature of a barrister's work often leads to long hours and a blurring of professional and personal boundaries. This imbalance can result in burnout, reduced job satisfaction, and unwanted impacts on personal life. Some naturally manage this (and even thrive on being constantly “on” – for a time at least), whilst others need to make conscious changes to avoid burnout.
Solutions my coachees have found:
Work-life balance coaching involves setting priorities, time management, and boundary-setting strategies. Often we will explore the coachee’s priorities, recognising that we are all different. The solutions do depend on the situation but you could consider the following:
- Developing a habit of booking out time in your diary – this could be for you, for family commitments or to work on your practice (dealing with business development, networking or accounting matters). My clients have found that being open with clerks about other commitments has paid dividends. Indeed, we often devote quite a lot of time to exploring and improving that relationship with the clerks.
- If you can be flexible with those bookings then you can still accept work or other commitments, with the huge caveat that you then need to book out more time for you. Again, I write in the reminder, so my Diary entries will say “Safeguard for Self – Replace if Booked Over”.
- Book in things that you love to do also – whether that’s a hair appointment, the gym or catching up with friends. The work at the Bar will expand if you give it the space to do so, in this way you limit that space.
5. Navigating Career Transitions
Career transitions, such as applying for silk or the bench, or shifting practice areas, can be daunting for barristers. In comparison with other professions, ours lacks a clear structure and colleagues can be secretive about their plans. Add in that, as a practicing barrister, you probably haven’t done an interview for many years and you have the perfect storm. If you are contemplating leaving the bar, there is even less information and many highly skilled barristers have said to be, very earnestly, that they don’t have any transferrable skills.
Solutions my coachees have found:
For clients contemplating career transition, I often switch between coaching and mentoring styles so that I can share my own experiences and those of others I have worked with. I often find myself helping with practicalities such as CVs, application forms and interviews but, before getting to that stage, we will focus on decision-making using the following strategies:
- Identifying strengths and values – you can emulate this by writing down what you think you’re good at, what others tell you you’re good at and what matters to you.
- Asking yourself what you love about your current situation and what you definitely want to leave behind? Again write down the answers, and consider also trying to map out your perfect week, month or quarter– where would you be? What would you be doing?
- Testing any potential decision. In a coaching session we would consider the pros and cons and it also helps to imagine that you have made the decision and live with that feeling for a little while. You could also speak to someone you trust, not so that they can tell you what to do but to provide you with a useful sounding board.
Conclusion
You may have noticed that there is something of an underlying thread here. A lot of the “solutions” are variations on pausing, working out where you are and what you want and then finding your own workable strategy to get to where you want to be.
In the new group programme, Setting the Bar, you will find time, space and support for that approach, so if you’re lucky enough to be a pupil or under 5 years’ call please do register your interest or drop me an email for a chat: cathbrown@skilfulconversation.com
And if you’re over 5 years’ call, look out for a further programme coming soon but, in the meantime, do feel free to contact me to explore 1-1 coaching.
