Like me, you may have noticed the recent increase in people including personal pronouns in their work signature lines or social media bios, which made me think about why this language matters, particularly in workplaces. As I went down this path of discovery, I found “A Guide to Using Pronouns and Other Gender-Inclusive Language in the Office,” by Stav Ziv, to be very helpful. She argues that language is an integral part of helping employees thrive by creating a space where every individual feels they can bring their full selves to work. At the most basic level, correct pronoun use is about recognizing part of someone’s identity. It may seem simple, but it can be very meaningful. As Stav says in her article, small tweaks can lead to better communication for everyone, whether you are transgender or gender non-conforming, or…

“If we can walk one person off the ledge and keep one woman in the profession that would otherwise leave, regardless of what the reasons are and what others might be doing out there to help this problem, then this service has been a success,” Back in March, Life in Law co-founders Kim Jakeman and Una Radoja were interviewed by Canadian Lawyer Magazine in regards to their newly-launched resource available for female lawyers across Canada. If you missed it, you can read the article here.  

“My one piece of advice to up and coming women lawyers is know that things will get easier if you keep at it. Every single successful female lawyer has had incredible challenges and moments of doubt. You are not alone. Every difficult situation you go through in your practice makes you that much more resilient and effective. So just stay. I volunteered as an Advisor because I do not want to look around the partnership table or any law event in 20 years and see a sea of the same version of men I have been seeing since I was called to the bar. I want to look around the proverbial table and see lots and lots of women – women like me and women very different from me. I believe we will all collectively benefit from this.” -Una Radoja,…

Life in Law was recently asked by a young professional, “am I supposed to look at work emails while on vacation?”  This question is valid and likely considered by many at some point during their careers. The COVID-19 pandemic and months of social distancing have left many feeling the need for some respite from work – time to relax, recharge and reenergize. Regardless of your profession, title, or seniority, a vacation, however, often brings uncertainty about how to navigate your many commitments while away from the office. One issue that often arises is what to do about work emails while on vacation. Are you supposed to read them and respond to them? Is it okay to ignore them entirely?

Dear Nearing the Five Year Mark: Thank you for your excellent question but first, congratulations on making it to the almost five year mark of your legal career. Those first five years are the toughest you will face in your career. Not only are you continuing the never ending journey of learning the law, but you are also having to learn how to apply the law to real life situations, how to interact with clients, how to navigate the practice of law and what the privileges and responsibilities of being a lawyer really mean. Please know that you have come through the toughest part of your career and that the years ahead of you will be easier.