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How to better advocate for yourself as an emerging lawyer
To assist those navigating the challenges associated with starting their legal career, Jessica Karevski provides guidance and advice to young lawyers on the importance of self-advocacy and effective ways to achieve it.
Grace Robbie
In a recent conversation with Lawyers Weekly, Jessica Karevski, a lawyer from L N Christie & Co, discussed the significance of self-advocacy for all members of the legal profession, not just young lawyers. She also provided practical strategies to enhance this vital skill, which many in the profession find challenging to implement effectively.
Karevski emphasised that advocating for oneself should be conducted by all; however, she recognises that for young lawyers embarking on their careers, this endeavour can present significant challenges and may be accompanied by concerns regarding compliance with the expectations of their superiors.
“You really need to advocate for yourself, and you deserve that seat at the table. This can be very stressful for some professionals, especially as they’re starting out.
“They [are] wanting to please their subordinates; they [are] wanting to make sure that they are doing the right job and are doing everything that they can to really show and demonstrate their own skill set,” she said.
She shared the importance of establishing a robust support network that understands the challenges associated with the profession to assist those who find it difficult to advocate for themselves.
“What’s really important is having a support network. You really need to find your allies within your career as well as life in general,” she said.
“Having that mentoring is really important, and it also creates the opportunity to soundboard ideas … by somebody [you] trust.”
Although she recognises the significant value of having a mentor, she also emphasises that mentorship alone is not enough to overcome these professional challenges.
Karevski pointed out that many lawyers grapple with feelings of “impostor syndrome”, a pervasive issue that is difficult to overcome.
“We’re all very susceptible to having impostor syndrome. We always think that we’re never going to be good enough for the job or the role, and it’s always very daunting, and the first time that you do anything is always going to be very scary,” she said.
However, she reiterated, “You have to back yourself. You do need to have a lot of self-determination, grit, and resilience.”
“You need to put in the hard yards if you really want to be successful. You know that it might entail staying up late because you need to do extra reading or perhaps putting your hand up and advocating and saying I want to be part of this, or even joining various groups that are available,” she said.
“It’s really about just having a go at it and recognising that once you do have a go at it, things get very, it gets easier, and it’s actually a really exciting time.”
