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Flex's founder, Erin Cowling, was a guest on Catherine Shearer's Happy Lawyer podcast. On the episode, Erin and Catherine talk about: · Erin's journey from big law to unemployment to becoming a freelance lawyer and creating Flex Legal · Lawyer struggles with mental health · The importance of finding your values · Identifying what isn’t working in your career · The importance of creating a network · How to make networking less daunting & more fun You can listen to the episode HERE. 
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 Last year we published a similar blog post with a list of mental health resources for lawyers. This year, we feel the need is even greater as many of us will be celebrating the holidays a little differently, some of us alone, and some of us without members of our extended families. Lawyers may also be stressed with a year end surge of work or stressed due to a downturn in work this year. The struggle is real after an already hard year.
We all know it is important that lawyers focus on our mental health. Often we let work take priority over our physical and mental health. Let's try to stop that. There are several resources available to lawyers who wish to make their mental health a priority: 1. The Law Society of Ontario’s Member Assistance Program (MAP) The MAP is a confidential service funded by (but fully independent of) the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) and LawPro. The MAP is provided by Homewood Health and provides secure telephone access to counselling, coaching, online resources and peer volunteers. Members can get professional help with issues related to addictions, mental or physical health, work-life balance, career, family and more. This program is open to lawyers, paralegals, law students or paralegal students. Similar lawyer assistance programs can be found in each province. 2. Your Employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) If you are employed by a law firm or you are in-house or work for the government, your employer likely has an EAP that you can access as well. An EAP is similar to the MAP discussed above but is provided by your firm/company. 3. The Canadian Bar Association’s Wellness Subcommittee This committee exists to help legal professionals manage personal, emotional, health and wellness challenges. Their website provides several resources including a free online course: “Mental Health and Wellness in the Legal Profession”. 4. The LSO’s Coach and Advisor Network (CAN) While the CAN does not provide counselling or therapy, it provides an opportunity to reach out to Coaches or Advisors who are practicing lawyers and paralegals. Sometimes stress can be alleviated by simply talking through a legal issue with another lawyer. An “Advisor” provides a one-off 30-minute phone call to deal with substantive law or procedure in the context of a particular client file. Being paired with a “Coach” is a longer commitment (approx. three months) that deals with assistance with practice management systems or skills development. This program is free. See our blog post on this service here. 5. PracticePro by LawPro PracticePro is an online source that provides risk management, claims prevention and law practice management information to Ontario Lawyers. They have a section on Wellness and Balance that provides some helpful information. 6. The Ontario Bar Association’s Mindful Lawyer CPD Series The OBA has archived videos that are complimentary for OBA members focusing on mental wellness. There are over 20 different videos with helpful topics ranging from: "Adjusting to a New Normal: How to Manage Stress and Anxiety" and “Re-Setting Your Priorities: How Can You Be a Happier Lawyer?” to “Support Networks for Lawyers Who Work Alone” and “Avoid Burnout: Train for Resilience”. 7. Lawyers with Depression – Blog This is a blog by an American attorney, Dan Lukasik (and guest authors) to help law students, lawyers, and judges cope with and heal from depression. 8. Federation of Law Associations - Mental Health Resources FOLA has a resource page with resources for lawyers from across the country. 9. Flex Legal Network Yes, we can be a resource as well for lawyers struggling this season. If you are a lawyer who is overwhelmed with work, consider outsourcing some of your tasks to our qualified freelance lawyers. Most of our work is litigation based (although we do assist with some corporate work as well). In particular we can assist with drafting, legal research, court appearances, etc. For more information see How We Help, our Services page and our FAQs. We also prepared a blog miniseries addressing mental wellness called “Balancing the Bar” that features three mini-mental-workouts: Mindful Breathing; Managing Stress by Expanding Your Vision; and Transform Tension. We hope this blog post helps and if you know of any other resources we should add, please reach out: info@flexlegalnetwork.com  As the current global pandemic continues to restrict physical boundaries, thousands of lawyers worldwide have transitioned from their office to home, facing a prominent struggle to find their work-life balance in the midst of personal and professional challenges. Here are 5 effective tips to ensure a healthy balance in your life, while maximizing productivity.
What is work life balance? Life is not all about work, although it can feel at times like it is. It is important to try to create a balance between the physical and emotional demand of a job and a healthy control on your life. Maintaining a balanced schedule helps reduce stress and promotes productivity. Work life balance is personal and varies per individual, integrating various aspects of a healthy lifestyle such as exercise, relationships, passions, etc. 1. Create a solid routine + stick to it When you wake up in the morning and you don't have a structured schedule for your day, it can feel impossible to get anything done, let alone balance your work, your health and happiness. Creating the right schedule can help decrease levels of stress and in turn produce a major increase in productivity, but how can we make an effective schedule that will work? Establish a routine or schedule that helps you regain momentum and control on your life, yet is flexible enough to take into account your life outside of the office. Whether that be your daily run or time with the kids, or just time for yourself; don’t let yourself burn out from work, make sure you have time for yourself. 2. Daily schedules make us more efficient and save time, our most valuable resource. Time is a simple daily aspect of our lives, but it is deeply invaluable. Every second that passes, we can’t get back, therefore it is incredibly important to use this resource wisely. Being able to create an effective schedule, makes our lives more efficient and enjoyable. It enables us to make clear and quick decisions on daily tasks, prioritizing what is most important to us. When one task is completed, we have a clear path allocated for us afterwards. It allows us to spend less time planning our daily tasks and rather allocate that time in more productive, efficient and less-overwhelming activities. Once a schedule, what we plan to do in our day, becomes routine, a plan we do everyday, these habits can take less energy and determination and can become another part of our lives. 3. Plan ahead When we set goals, we often focus on the destination . However, in the long run, this is not a sustainable system. If you plan ahead, you would have more ability to process and respond to challenges that come along the way. Effective planning also gives you time to change your schedule and add minor changes to your life. Without planning, you don’t have physical deadlines to hold yourself accountable, therefore there is a lack of a sense of responsibility and stability. 4. Self care Self care encompasses a variety of things, almost anything, an individual does to be good to themselves. It is a broad term, but in simple terms, self care is the deliberate manner in which we take care of ourselves, to maintain or improve our well being. Self care is universally important, yet unique to each person. It revolves around finding activities YOU enjoy and help you create positive energy around you. It can be hard to track down your interests and self care favourites, but it all comes down to what you value in your life, what you love and how much time you are willing to spend. Having the ability to detach from work and practicing your interests, can help reduce stress, and balance your life between work and other activities. 5. Let out your emotions on paper Journaling often involves exploring our thoughts and feelings in response to life events through a diary or a journal. There are various forms of journaling, all dependent on personal preference. People journal for a variety of reasons, whether it be a stress management mechanism, or a self exploration tool. Journaling allows people to organize and clarify their thoughts, often helping them either come to a conclusion on their emotions or just let it out in general. Journaling, when done consistently, can help decrease stress and organize your life. It also improves our cognitive thinking, in addition to our self awareness. Takeaway The one takeaway to get from this post is that prioritizing your health- both physical and mental - is the most important thing right now. This year has been far from smooth and easy. It is ok if you don’t feel OK, but be kind to yourself. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and look after yourself. Find what balance works for you, to maximize your happiness, productivity, and health. Here at Flex Legal, we establish strong connections between freelance lawyers and law firms, helping stressed and overworked lawyers find their balance and success, while saving money. Our mission is to help you bring flexibility into your life during overwhelming times such as now. ----------- This was a guest post by Flex Legal's current apprentice Parnian Ashrafi. Parnian is a wise-beyond-her years high school student who was matched with Flex Legal's founder, Erin Cowling, through FLIK - a community that connects and womxn apprentices with female founders.  As a lawyer who is brand new to running a freelance business from home, I notice a comforting solidarity with our whole profession. Responding to COVID-19, we are all in a place where we have been forced to change, adapt, and embrace new ways of working and living. To varying degrees, we are all in the throes of transition.
Rigidity is a common lawyer characteristic. It is easy to rely on checklists, guidelines, policies, and tried-and-true advice. We expect that these formulas will achieve the intended result because we followed a ‘plan.’ Sometimes, however, we realize that there is no pre-charted course forward from where we are. This is true for most of us right now. We have to figure things out as we go. How do we do that? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Acknowledge the Negatives It is difficult to embrace change when we are focussed on all the negatives that change has caused, but we do have to process our losses. There are likely real downsides to COVID-induced changes. Perhaps you have experienced loss of income, extra work, loneliness, health anxieties, a steep learning curve with new processes, and difficulties while working from home. Grant yourself permission to grieve your losses. It is helpful to largely focus on the positives, but we know it is counter-productive to repress our negative emotions. This is an unprecedented time. It is understandable to struggle. Only when we have acknowledged our struggles can we move forward. If you feel like you are drowning, stop to calmly reflect on why you are feeling down. If this reflection is easier while accompanied by a pint of ice cream, a glass of wine, a run, or a bubble bath, indulge (responsibly, of course). Consider this a break-up with life as you know it. You have certainly waded through adversity before, and you will triumph again! 2.Focus on the Positives So, you have allowed yourself a brief pity party. It is time to move on. There are things to be grateful for, and I am sure some of them might be COVID-related too. For me, I have enjoyed more time with my husband. With less running around in the evenings and weekends, we have had time to learn to bake bread, read books, garden, enjoy our neighbourhood, and obsessively watch a few law enforcement TV dramas. I have reconnected on a heart-level with things I took for granted, like long visits with friends and going to church. I have also felt confirmed in my vocation of at-home remote work. Starting a home-based business seems more acceptable now. What positive changes have you noticed in your own life and work lately? If it helps, physically make a list of good things. If you cannot easily think of big things, acknowledge the little things, like a good cup of morning coffee. Make brainstorming the positives a regular and intentional focus to lift you out of your blues. 3.Translate Reflections to Future Plans Values It can be hard to make plans in times of uncertainty. When I cannot predict the future to a degree that allows me to make concrete plans, I find it helpful to translate my reflections on positives and negatives to values that I can focus on going forward. For example, we had to cancel a trip to Scotland that was scheduled for this month. While this was a loss to grieve, my disappointment highlighted a value I did not know I held: celebrating our family heritage. While we cannot plan a rescheduled trip in the immediate future, we can plan to let that value steer us towards cultural celebration. On the day when we were supposed to leave, we donned the family tartan, ate Scottish trifle, and had a wee dram of the good stuff. I have talked to countless lawyers who are used to working in big offices and have had to work from home temporarily. Most of them enjoy it. Some of them might use this newly discovered self-knowledge to consider how they can advocate for more flexible working arrangements when things go back to ‘normal.’ While we cannot always plan ahead concretely, we can lean into our values and focus on how we can implement them in the future. This future-focus can greatly assist us in challenging times. 4.Maintain Empathy and Help Others This is the simplest and most important suggestion for times of change, so it will be this post’s concluding word. As I have heard others say, we are all in the same storm, but we are not in the same boat. Quite simply, remember to be kind, and remember that everyone is doing the best they can. Comparison will not help you or others. You always have something to offer, and it is also okay to ask for help. If you need a hand with legal research assistance, please reach out to Flex Legal Network! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kathleen is a freelance lawyer with Flex Legal. She assists lawyers with legal research and all their drafting needs. You can read more about Kathleen's experience here.  The holiday season is right around the corner, and while it may be a time of joy and laughter for some lawyers, for others it is a time of increased stress, anxiety and depression. Lawyers may be overwhelmed trying to balance family obligations and holiday preparations with all of the work they must finish before the year end. Others may find that the season reminds them that they are estranged from their families or are alone over the holidays. These feelings are often mixed with higher alcohol consumption due to the multiple festive parties hosted by law firms and legal associations.
It is important that lawyers put their mental health first during this time of the year. There are several resources available to lawyers who may be struggling over the next few weeks: 1. The Law Society of Ontario’s Member Assistance Program (MAP) The MAP is a confidential service funded by (but fully independent of) the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) and LawPro. The MAP is provided by Homewood Health and provides secure telephone access to counselling, coaching, online resources and peer volunteers. Members can get professional help with issues related to addictions, mental or physical health, work-life balance, career, family and more. This program is open to lawyers, paralegals, law students or paralegal students. Similar lawyer assistance programs can be found in each province. 2. Your Employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) If you are employed by a law firm or you are in-house or work for the government, your employer likely has an EAP that you can access as well. An EAP is similar to the MAP discussed above but is provided by your firm/company. 3. The Canadian Bar Association’s Wellness Subcommittee This committee exists to help legal professionals manage personal, emotional, health and wellness challenges. Their website provides several resources including a free online course: “Mental Health and Wellness in the Legal Profession”. 4. The LSO’s Coach and Advisor Network (CAN) While the CAN does not provide counselling or therapy, it provides an opportunity to reach out to Coaches or Advisors who are practicing lawyers and paralegals. Sometimes stress can be alleviated by simply talking through a legal issue with another lawyer. An “Advisor” provides a one-off 30-minute phone call to deal with substantive law or procedure in the context of a particular client file. Being paired with a “Coach” is a longer commitment (approx. three months) that deals with assistance with practice management systems or skills development. This program is free. See our blog post on this service here. 5. PracticePro by LawPro PracticePro is an online source that provides risk management, claims prevention and law practice management information to Ontario Lawyers. They have a section on Wellness and Balance that provides some helpful information. 6. The Ontario Bar Association’s Mindful Lawyer CPD Series The OBA has archived videos that are complimentary for OBA members focusing on mental wellness. There are 19 different videos with helpful topics ranging from: “Re-Setting Your Priorities: How Can You Be a Happier Lawyer?” to “Support Networks for Lawyers Who Work Alone” and “Avoid Burnout: Train for Resilience”. 7. Lawyers with Depression – Blog This is a blog by an American attorney, Dan Lukasik (and guest authors) to help law students, lawyers, and judges cope with and heal from depression. 8. Flex Legal Network Yes, we can be a resource as well for lawyers struggling this season. If you are a lawyer who is overwhelmed with work, consider outsourcing some of your tasks to our qualified freelance lawyers. Most of our work is litigation based (although we do assist with some corporate work as well). In particular we can assist with drafting, legal research, court appearances, etc. For more information see our Services page and our FAQs. We also prepared a blog miniseries addressing mental wellness called “Balancing the Bar” that features three mini-mental-workouts: Mindful Breathing; Managing Stress by Expanding Your Vision; and Transform Tension. We hope this blog post helps and if you know of any other resources we should add, please reach out: info@flexlegalnetwork.com TRANSFORM TENSION Happy New Year! We hope you took some time over the holidays to connect with family and friends, but also with yourself. We are back at it over here at Flex and very much looking forward to making 2017 fantastic. We are continuing with our Wellbeing Workout series and hope that these bite sized daily practices help support you in your success. We know that when we "be well", we "do well". Today, we are going back to building the connection between mind & body. This meditation helps develop an awareness of how stress and tension may be manifesting in our bodies and provides a way to release it. This is a fantastic practice to remember on those particularly challenging days. DAILY DOSE: Breathe In CALM; Breathe Out TENSION Find a comfortable seated position. Tighten your fists; and release them (x3) Hike up your shoulders; and drop them down (x3) Scrunch up your face; and release the muscles (x3) Now, become aware of your entire body as you breathe in; As you breathe out, visualize the release of tension in your body. Allow your body to relax into this breathwork. On the INHALE, say silently: I breathe in calm. On the EXHALE, say silently: I breathe out tension. Repeat the practice with your eyes closed so you can be fully present. Repeat this breath-cycle of "I breathe in calm; I breathe out tension" 5 times. AuthorAshleigh Frankel, a former lawyer with Flex Legal Network, is also an applied mindfulness specialist & transformational leadership coach. During articling, Ashleigh began to develop her mindfulness practice to survive and thrive within the profession. The tools have been so transformational, that she went back to University of Toronto to complete intensive study in mindfulness & mindfulness meditation, with the vision to bring these resources to others to support their success. We hope you enjoy this mini-series. MANAGING STRESS BY EXPANDING YOUR VISION Welcome to our second Wellbeing Workout in our Personal Management & Wellbeing Mini-Series. Did you know that the physiological response to stress gives you a single point of focus, or what we often refer to as "tunnel vision"? Tunnel vision gets in our way of making sound decisions because it prevents us from really taking in all that is around us and at play in a given moment or situation. Playing with your peripheral vision actually helps your mind expand, so it can think of other possibilities. This is a great mindfulness practice to pull out during points in your day where you are trying to create or solve problems in a stressful or busy environment. DAILY DOSE: UN-TUNNEL YOUR VISION Take a standing position. Start by doing 3 cycles of the 5-second breathing (which we covered in our first Wellbeing Workout): breath in for 5 seconds hold in for 5 seconds breath out for 5 seconds hold out for 5 seconds After 3 cycles of breathing is complete: On the next inhale, extend your arms to your side in a T-formation. Wiggle your fingers. On the exhale, slowly bring your arms forward until the fingers are in sight. On the next inhale, extend your fingers out to the side again. Repeat this 10 times. Close your eyes, take 3 slow, deep breaths and enter back into your day with your open mind. If you have any go to mindfulness practices that you would like to share, or any questions about the Wellbeing Workouts, we would love to hear from you. Have a beautiful day, Ashleigh. AuthorAshleigh Frankel, a former lawyer with Flex Legal Network, is also an applied mindfulness specialist & life coach. During articling, Ashleigh began to develop her mindfulness practice to survive and thrive within the profession. The tools have been so transformational, that she went back to University of Toronto to complete intensive study in mindfulness & mindfulness meditation, with the vision to bring these resources to others to support their success. We hope you enjoy this mini-series.  Here at Flex, we believe that a thriving practice requires not only strong practice management, but also strong personal management. That is why we are excited to launch a blog mini-series: Balancing The Bar. This series will provide mindfulness exercises to help you relieve stress, increase productivity, and improve communication and relationships. We refer to these as ‘wellbeing workouts’, and the best part is, they can be completed in 3-5 minutes! We hope this series provides you with some new tools to support your success. WELLBEING WORKOUT 01 - MINDFUL BREATHING Mindful Breathing is one of the best tools for improving your wellbeing; it is also one of the simplest, which is why we are kicking off your first Wellbeing Workout with a deep breathing exercise. You can use mindful breathing techniques any time you are feeling stressed, to invite peace, clarity and calm. This particular exercise is one of my favorites; I must do it 20 times a day to help me maintain a focused and calm mind. DAILY DOSE: 5-SECOND BREATH CYCLES You don't need anything but yourself to complete this first exercise. You can do it anytime, anywhere - so why not right now? breath in for 5 seconds hold in for 5 seconds breath out for 5 seconds hold out for 5 seconds {continue for 3 minutes, paying attention to the breath} WHY THIS WORKS: When you breathe deeply and slowly, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reverses the stress response in your body and can work to lower cortisol levels in the body. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ashleigh Frankel, a former lawyer with Flex Legal Network, is also an applied mindfulness specialist & life coach. During articling, Ashleigh began to develop her mindfulness practice to survive and thrive within the profession. The tools have been so transformational, that she went back to University of Toronto to complete intensive study in mindfulness & mindfulness meditation, with the vision to bring these resources to others to support their success. We hope you enjoy this mini-series.
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Flex Legal Network Inc. ("Flex Legal") is not a law firm and does not perform legal services. Flex Legal is a company that matches freelance lawyers/law clerk members of our network with law firm/lawyers in need of freelance lawyer/clerk services. Flex Legal's network of freelance lawyers practice independently and not in an association or other relationship for the joint practice of law. When a law firm/lawyer engages the services of a Flex Legal freelance lawyer the contractual relationship is solely between the freelance lawyer and law firm/lawyer. Flex Legal does not review the legal work provided by the freelance lawyers/clerks with the network. Each lawyer is solely responsible for her or his own work product and general business activities to the exclusion of any other lawyer and Flex Legal. The information provided in this website should not be construed as legal advice. Transmission of information from this website is not intended to create, and its receipt does not constitute a solicitor-client relationship with Flex Legal or any of its individual network lawyers or personnel. Use of Flex Legal services does not establish a solicitor-client relationship. Flex Legal will protect the confidentiality of information, but information you provide to Flex Legal may not be afforded legal protection as solicitor-client communications. Flex Legal expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this website. See also our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
OUR COMMITMENT TO ANTI-RACISM
We are committed to anti-racism and know we are not doing enough. Right now our activism is donation-based and we are listening and learning, and amplifying BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) voices. We know we must take sustained, intentional action to combat racism. One step we are taking is assessing our annual budget and developing a plan to support BIPOC owned businesses, vendors, and contractors. Acknowledging the lack of BIPOC representation on our team, we are committed to improving this lack of diversity. We want to continually and sustainably do the work to build an anti-racist business and community where everyone feels safe and valued. If you would like to contact us about our anti-racism commitment or how we can improve our allyship, please reach out: info@flexlegalnetwork.com . For law firms looking for ways to support the BIPOC community see this article by Lulu Tinarwu for the CBA National Magazine.
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