From There to Here

I launched my Transitions in Life and Law mandate last year with full confidence that the OBA Community would come through with the formative insights and candour to fuel an array of novel Association offerings to help lawyers navigate their most meaningful changes.

I knew this from firsthand experience – the people I met, and the support I accessed, through involvement in the OBA have been instrumental in my growth from law school to practice, and from associate to partner. In becoming a parent, in developing as a leader in law, I've found answers and understanding here.

Even knowing this going in, I will say that leading this mission has been eye-opening – in the best way. That we cultivated new networks, new series, new videos, programs, and tools – to embolden and inform members through career turns and personal trajectories – is not surprising. But the ways in which the community came together were nonetheless remarkable. I'd like to share a few indelible observations from a mandate that unfurled with its own delightful twists.

The premise of this work is that change that is personal to us – no matter how big or small – looms the largest. It is significant regardless of scope – which is why we offered tips on mini-transitions, such as a first-day at a new job,  in addition to major life and career turns. The experience-sharing that transpired on our Transitions program panels and platforms – the stories, lessons learned, advice for others – ended up being not only about lawyers helping their peers adapt, but their profession.

Our lively February OLC featured programs on the Transition from Student to Lawyer, and the Transition to Parenthood. I participated in the latter and it was rife with "things we wish we had known", what worked well, and what we would have liked to have seen in terms of support through monumental change. It was a conversation that, hopefully, helps fellow lawyers navigate this process and go on to shape the culture and policies in their own workplaces.

This is just one example of the amplification that unfolded across the dozens of programs, resources and videos we created to channel voices of experience from our membership and broader sector.

• Our Peer Support Networks have continued to grow. Not only supportive community members, participants in these networks have contributed to OBA initiatives to ease transitions for others.
• The OBA's Retired and Transitioning Lawyers Network has now launched regular, virtual support meetings where they have been sounding boards for each other and a source of ideas for how the association can better support members exiting practice
• And other community initiatives – like our Author Series event focused on the 'Messy Middle' – have been similarly effective in providing vital transition insight in the moment and then building momentum that carries forward into new offerings: like a Peer Network dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of midlife, that's taking root right now.

I have been incredibly impressed by this community's willingness to lay bare their experience with various transitions for the benefit of others.

Whether the topic was Starting Your Own Firm, or pivoting from Private Practice to Inhouse, or shifting your mindset in moving from Associate to Partner, our contributors were honest about the good, the bad, and the 'my-kingdom-for-a-time-machine' of it all.

For evidence of this, you need look no further than the thoughtful, engaging and useful Real to Reel videos which are gaining lots of attention on social, where lawyers offer Top Tips on transitions they've maneuvered so others making similar strides will have an easier journey.

I also witnessed the eagerness with which our members will enter new spheres of influence when that door opens before them.

The OBA debuted a series on Serving on a Board this year that was hugely successful, both in substance and turnout, with well over 100 attendees registered for each of the five sessions.

We've got a Practitioner to Leader program coming up in September that I expect will be equally attractive to our members who are looking to deepen their impact in this profession and beyond, making bold moves and big transitions.

It's been heartening to see and I'm endlessly appreciative of all of you who contributed to, and championed, this mandate that meant a lot to me, and I hope, to others.