International Women’s Day Insights: Amy Paterson, Associate Solicitor
Written by Amy Paterson | Residential Conveyancing Team | 08 March 2024
This International Women's Day, we're highlighting the journeys, challenges, and experiences of our female lawyers. Their stories show the importance of diversity, resilience, and empowerment in shaping an inclusive legal community.
Amy Paterson, Associate Solicitor in our Residential Conveyancing Team, has shared her thoughts about the importance of work-life balance in the blog below.
A little bit about me and how I came to Nash & Co Solicitors
I qualified as a solicitor in 2016 after undertaking a training contract with a local law firm and joined Nash & Co Solicitors just over two years ago. Rhiannon Moore and I head up the Conveyancing team.
We both work part-time (4 days a week), and each have two young boys. Having previously worked on the other side of Rhiannon in conveyancing transactions, I always found her to be friendly, professional and respected her as a solicitor. We liked how each other worked and would refer prospective clients to each other when we were conflicted as we are not able to act for both parties in a transaction.
Rhiannon approached me to cover her maternity leave and, after discovering that we would be off work at the same time, we arranged to meet up and soon realised that we had a lot in common. We are both passionate about our jobs and work incredibly hard and we both love being mums and spending time with our families. Rhiannon sold me the team culture at Nash and a way of working which is quite different to the traditional set up I knew which lends itself well to flexible working.
The team aspect at Nash & Co
Whilst Rhiannon, Alex and I all have our own caseload and files allocated to us, we have a team target and a wonderful team of support staff consisting of trainee legal executives, paralegals, legal assistants and administration assistants. We also have a brilliant locum solicitor who assists on a regular basis and covers our holiday.
We all have access to each other’s emails so that when a member of the team is not in the office, their emails are monitored and actioned. We have a telephone system that will divert to the remainder of the team if not answered within a couple of rings. This ensures that all calls are answered and means I am not coming back into the office after a day off with calls to return unless they are scheduled. I really believe it is a great system that works very well.
Whilst it is important for the solicitor to be the main point of contact with overall conduct of the file, paralegals and assistants are essential to the success of a Conveyancing team and we really promote the team aspect to clients and other professionals we work with.
Achievements I am proud of
I am very proud of my professional journey throughout my career but particularly since joining Nash & Co. My hard work has been recognised and I was promoted to Associate Solicitor last year, I have had the freedom and support to implement changes to the team and systems and I enjoy mentoring and training other members of the team. Rhiannon and I share the role of team leader and the arrangement works well as we are equally as conscientious, meticulous and support each other in this role.
I am also proud of my personal journey in my pursuit of finding a better work-life balance.
I no longer work on my non-working day, and I do not worry about what is happening in the office (most of the time). The team are brilliant at progressing matters in my absence, they will monitor and respond to my emails, take all calls and deal with any exchanges and completions once the files have been signed off.
It can be quite overwhelming coming into the office on a Thursday after my non-working day having not checked my emails the night before. As a perfectionist, I like to be in control and in conveyancing, a lot can happen in a day. I like to catch up on my emails as quickly as possible so that I am fully up to date and know what has happened on my files. However, the volume of emails is mostly from the team copying me in on what they have done and the progress that has been made. It really is wonderful to see the training and changes that have been implemented come to fruition.
10 Tips I would give to other women in my position
Prioritise your health and well-being to avoid burnout. Self-care is so important.
Learn to switch off from work when you can which, in turn, will lead to increased productivity. I would recommend “The Off Switch” by Professor Mark Cropley. Mark says that “people who are able to switch off and unwind at the end of the working day are much happier and healthier and they also tend to get more done at work”.
Don’t feel like you have to overcompensate for having time off. You do not need to work 4 hours for having 1 hour off. This also applies to time with your children. I used to fit in so many activities with the boys on my non-working day that I would be completely exhausted by the end of the day. Children just want your company and would be equally as happy having your time and attention at home.
Part time working should not be working full time hours and being paid a part time salary. I would recommend following Anna Whitehouse who is the founder of Mother Pukka, a successful online blog. Anna advocates flexible working for men and women.
Be a model not a martyr. A friend of mine recommended “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle. As a mother of two girls, it is important to her that her children see their mum live her fullest life by pursuing hobbies for herself which will in turn inspire them to do the same. In the words of Glennon:
“Mothers have martyred themselves in their children’s names since the beginning of time. We have lived as if she who disappears the most, loves the most. We have been conditioned to prove our love by slowly ceasing to exist.
What a terrible burden for children to bear—to know that they are the reason their mother stopped living. What a terrible burden for our daughters to bear—to know that if they choose to become mothers, this will be their fate, too. Because if we show them that being a martyr is the highest form of love, that is what they will become. They will feel obligated to love as well as their mothers loved, after all. They will believe they have permission to live only as fully as their mothers allowed themselves to live.”
The same principle applies to the workplace. Team leaders should be role models and should not encourage or promote working excessive hours. We need to take care of each other and check in on each other. We work as a team and if a member of staff is feeling overwhelmed with their workload, this needs to be addressed and the work needs to be reallocated accordingly. A team system only works if we are all working equally as hard and rowing in the same direction. Otherwise, this will lead to burnout and resentment.
Set boundaries and stick to them. Whilst I do not mind occasionally working in the evenings if I decide to, the boundary I have set is that I do not work weekends. For me, this is family time.
Learn to say “no”. This can be anything from the matter that you do not have the capacity to take on or the social event you do not wish to attend.
Be present. I have imposed a no phone rule for myself when I get home from work so that I can give my children my undivided attention. It’s easy to get caught up with checking emails, social media and messages when you do not have time to do this during the working day. I do this when my children are in bed. Unless it is urgent, other people can wait and I silence notifications during the day. I no longer worry if I can’t respond to everyone immediately.
Take blocks of time off for annual leave rather than random days to switch off, re-energise and re-set.
Find your tribe. Surround yourself with supportive and encouraging women. I am lucky to have a wonderful support network of friends and colleagues.
