Tips for Creating an Ideal Work-life Balance as a Corporate Lawyer

Gabriel (Gabe) Pennington, an associate in our Manchester office, shares his tips for creating an ideal work-life balance, thanks to his experience as a corporate lawyer and captain of the England mixed team at the Touch World Cup last summer.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to find that ideal work-life balance?

Being as organized as possible is really important, as well as diarizing time during the week to allow you to get that training session in – or whatever hobby you’re passionate about. Openly communicating with your team helps, too.

How do your skills as captain in the England mixed team help you in your work as a lawyer?

The most important skill I think I’ve picked up relates to being in a leadership role. I’ve been lucky enough to play alongside some outstanding and inspiring leaders and where I can, I try to apply some of the lessons I’ve learned from them into my role at work.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in law while pursuing other passions, like sport, outside of work?

Embrace every opportunity you have, in both fields. The challenging experiences (and, more importantly, the mistakes you make) in both environments will only serve to make you a better lawyer and a better athlete.

In what ways has the firm supported and encouraged both of your careers?

Since I was a trainee, I’ve always been encouraged by my team to take advantage of opportunities across the firm, which included stints working over in our Brussels and Paris offices, which also enabled me to join and train with their local Touch clubs alongside my work. An amazing experience all round!

Why do you believe it’s important to have a healthy balance between your personal interests and your legal career?

I’ve played Touch for going on 13 years now and during that time, I’ve met some brilliant people from so many backgrounds from around the world. Without that balance against my career, put simply, I would be missing out on so many opportunities! It’s great to have an employer that recognizes the value it adds to who I am at work and at home.