Evolving expectations

Forget work-life balance. New lawyers are increasingly going for work-life harmony – an approach that still shoulders intense stress and high standards, but with crucial support.

“If I connect with you, I’m going to give you 150 per cent,” says Meaza Damte, an associate with McCarthy Tétrault’s litigation group in Toronto.

That dedication, however, comes with a precondition that marks a generational shift. It includes having trusted professional relationships and a sense of belonging.

“I need to feel safe,” says Damte, who was valedictorian for the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law class in 2023 and called to the Ontario bar in 2024.

“I need to feel heard.”

She took part in a recent fireside chat, co-hosted by Sukhi Dhillon Alberga, chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Legal Futures subcommittee.

The panel discussed how expectations in the legal sector are changing and what role AI might play.

Alberga, founder of Bridging Legal Solutions and Counselurdocs, asked if the new generation of lawyers is really that much different.

Damte said long hours and heavy caseloads are still the norm, but they’re much more sustainable when lawyers are valued as part of a larger group.

“You don’t feel so drained when you’re working on a team where you feel appreciated and you feel seen.”

However, new lawyers are much more willing to say “the quiet part out loud.”

“I think maybe before, practitioners weren’t as open about sharing the challenges that come with a very demanding and busy practice,” she said.

Rather than struggle alone, Damte said there’s a move to collectively share tips and tricks “to keep ourselves healthy, sane, ready to go at the top of our game” and provide excellent client service.

Family lawyer Leena Yousefi, CEO of Vancouver-based YLaw Group, founded the firm in 2013, just two years after being called to the bar. The mother of a young daughter and twins has won awards for promoting women and people of colour in the profession, including four-day workweeks and remote work options.

“I’ve learned through trial and error that the concept of work-life balance, when you’re a litigator, doesn’t really exist because half of your time is … controlled by the other side,” she told the panel.

Yousefi believes a more helpful goal is “being in harmony with your workspace, with the people you work with, (and) your clients. That is mental health – not forcing reduced hours.”

Letting associates know they’re appreciated, she said, transcends generational changes and pretty much every other perk.

“They will stay motivated, they will feel safe to make mistakes. But the trick is obviously making them feel that way.”

A major shift in the profession is the lack of tolerance for sexual harassment and other bad behaviour that was glossed over when she was new to the bar. While it was never acceptable, Yousefi said dealing with it forced her to grow a thick skin that has served her well as a litigator.

Many of the new lawyers she encounters will need “healthier ways of increasing their resilience.”

“There are definitely exceptions, but for the majority, I feel like if they’re pushed past a certain point, the probability of crashing and giving up is higher.”

Organizational psychologist and consultant Ehsan Etezad helps employers create office cultures that support even the most driven professionals.

“I think there’s a lot of conversation about how we manage our time, and not enough about how we are managing our energy throughout the day,”  he told the panel.

Very successful people understand they must recharge just like a device, usually by doing something that’s the opposite of their job.

Etezad advises people to “rest on the way” rather than telling themselves they’ll regroup after the next milestone.

“Life doesn’t get easier, so you have to find that harmony at whatever stage you are.”

He stressed that associates don’t process workplace decisions or conflict with the same confidence as senior partners with established track records. So, if young, smart staff are unhappy, they’ll find a better fit with little or no warning.

As for the effects of AI on the profession, the panel agreed it’s a double-edged sword. It offers opportunities but also threatens entry-level jobs and skills development, while posing “hallucination” risks.

Damte said AI cuts the research learning curve, potentially freeing up time for deeper analysis and problem-solving. It’s also a chance for the youngest members of the bar to be subject-matter experts.

For example, integrating AI with eDiscovery tools to ease document review “is highly technical and specialized,” she said.

“It is something that junior lawyers can get in on at the ground (level), and has the massive potential for you to make yourself indispensable.”