By: Ashlin Kenuck

My biggest weakness that I will completely take full responsibility for is my own poor time management skills. Coming into the field of law I knew that this was going to be one of the biggest obstacles I would have to overcome. Time management in the legal field is absolutely crucial to success and longevity in the profession.

After some serious trial and error I have decided that in order to stay on top of everything I must take a very structured approach to my schedule.

Balancing a full time job, full time school, a mortgage, house, boyfriend, family, dogs, friends and baseball, I already want to rip my hair out some days and stay in bed. However, I know this is not an option. Organizing, prioritizing and ensuring I still leave time for myself and my family and friends are going to be the key to my sanity.

Along with proper time management, I know there will be a number of sacrifices that will have to be made in order to ensure my own success. There will not be time to go to the cottage every weekend, or go to the Jays game on a Tuesday night or have a couple drinks with friends on a patio on a warm summer night. The key is going to be finding a balance.

While some people would call legal professionals crazy workaholics, I call it passion and dedication. The question we will all be faced with is how much are we willing to sacrifice for our careers?

Do we choose a big firm that boasts huge clients with endless case work and the ability to grow immensely both professionally within the company and financially? Or do we choose a boutique firm that allow for more flexibility, but may not provide the same opportunities?

It all boils down to what we want out of our professional career and how we can fit that in to maintaining a successful family and personal life. The answers to these questions will come over time through trial and error. We will all find our paths in life with hard work, dedication, perseverance and balance.