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Why I decided contracting was for me
Family, friends, fitness, food and fun are the most important things in life for me, writes Alan Blinder.
Alan Blinder
And since working as a freelance lawyer for Vario, the contracting arm of Pinsent Masons in Australia, I’ve been able to find more time to enjoy what I value most.
Having a successful career working in private practice as well as in-house, I took some time away from the pressures of full-time work to enjoy more of my passions outside of it before deciding to explore freelancing as a long-term career option.
After applying through Vario’s website and progressing through the robust application process, I was accepted into Vario’s hub of other leading legal professionals. The professionalism of the Vario team was impressive, and the camaraderie with the wider Pinsent Masons firm came as a very welcome and pleasant surprise.
Going freelance doesn’t mean working alone, it can also give you opportunities to work with a diverse set of people and suits social butterflies. The Vario team have always been very supportive and the positions discussed with me have always been appropriate, interesting and for top-notch clients – they make sure to offer assignments to you that suit your needs, as well as the client.
Working as a freelance lawyer means you can pursue the projects you want to work on, as well as when/where you want to work on them. It suits those who seek a different career path to partnership and want to make the most of their work/life balance. At Vario, freelance lawyers have to be personable, emotionally intelligent and resilient so they can parachute into assignments at clients from day one.
Some of my Vario peers run businesses in addition to their work as a lawyer, or like me, spend time pursuing hobbies and relaxing with friends and family.
Working on a freelance basis, and accepting assignments which fit around my busy, active lifestyle, I’ve found I can now devote more time and efforts to my other passions: Time at the gym has gone from a self-indulgent and luxurious rarity to an essential part of my routine.
Taking part in my kids’ activities is always a top priority and helping out the organisations they engage with have allowed me to spend more quality time with them.
Working as a contract lawyer has also enabled me to continue to enjoy those things I came to treasure about having a career time-out: the ability to travel, volunteer at my kids’ schools, and to engage with my family more than a permanent full-time role would ordinarily allow. Oh, and the luxury of time to be able to cook a top-notch dinner over the course of many rewarding hours of meticulous and complex preparation. I will however admit that some results have been more successful than others!
My most recent assignment through Vario was challenging, rewarding and invigorating. It was great to be working with and contributing to a good and interesting business, doing varied and complex work that suits my level of experience and takes advantage of what I contribute, and being surrounded with people who see the value I can add. The assignment came with a lot of travel and exposure right through all levels of the business which has meant that no two days have been quite alike.
My parting advice for other legal professionals seeking to strike a balance between work and leisure? Freelancing is absolutely worth a go! It has worked very well for me – and I can see it being such a good fit for so many practitioners.
Alan Blinder is a senior corporate lawyer at Vario from Pinsent Masons.
