SYDNEY v MELBOURNE AS A JUNIOR LAWYER - Which city should you choose?

As a junior lawyer, it is likely you will end up working in one of Australia’s two largest cities, as this is where the bulk of Australia’s legal jobs can be found. Having worked in both Sydney and Melbourne, this blog post shares some of the major along with the more trivial differences between the two cities.

Getting to work

Melbourne wins this category by a long way. Most people in Melbourne get to work via train or tram. The train and tram networks are comprehensive. I don’t know anyone who catches the bus to work, though there are buses around if you somehow needed to catch one. Some people in Melbourne even drive to work (unheard of in Sydney unless you are one of the leading Partners at your law firm), as although there is traffic, it is nothing on the scale of Sydney peak-hour. If you walk or take public transport to work in Melbourne you are much more likely to arrive at work alive. There are plenty of designated and separated bike lanes in Melbourne and car drivers are much more bike and pedestrian aware. The pollution and smog in Melbourne is much lower than Sydney. One thing that can be annoying in Melbourne is that people walk very slowly and often do not stick to their side (the left hand side) of the footpath. In Sydney most locals know to stay to the left and it is only tourists who are unaware (or choose to ignore) the system.

Contrast this to my experience getting to work in Sydney where trains are packed and often unairconditioned so that you need to bring a change of clothes for when you eventually arrive at work. That is if you are lucky enough to live on a train line. Most Sydney-siders have to slum it on a bus to get to work. Sydney bus drivers are notorious for their sudden stop/start driving. Cycle to work at your own risk, as many Sydney drivers have an “out to get cyclists” attitude and there are very few safe bike lanes available. Walking is not at all relaxing due to having to push through so many people and due to inhaling so much peak hour pollution/smog. Getting to work is only superior in Sydney if you catch a ferry. You can’t beat a relaxing ferry ride to start your day.

FYI while the cost of public transport in Sydney and Melbourne is similar, if you commute to work every day, it is much cheaper in Sydney, as under the Opal Card loyalty system, once you have travelled to and from work Monday to Thursday, the rest of the week is free. There is no such loyalty system on the Melbourne Myki.

At work

Hours of work do not vary between Melbourne and Sydney. The legal profession has a culture of long hours for law graduates and junior lawyers across Australia. You need to look at firm culture and industry you intend to work in when considering how many hours you are willing to work.

My experience has been that colleagues and lawyers I have met in Melbourne tend to be more relaxed and friendly than in Sydney. Being a relatively unrelaxed person, I have had to really focus on being less of a stress-head in Melbourne. Strangers even talk to each other in the lift, which can take a bit of getting used to, as in Sydney protocol is to politely avert eye contact and read the advertising on the little screen above the lift numbers until you exit. I would also say manners are highly valued in Melbourne. If someone accidentally touches your arm on a crowded train they tend to apologise profusely. Melbourne etiquette reminds me of London. 

Lawyers in Melbourne tend to dress much more conservatively than in Sydney. In Winter, dress code is literally all black for females. You rarely see men wearing crazy shirt/tie/sock combinations either. Black beanie and black gloves can be worn if necessary on the commute to work. Stockings are also worn with skirts and dresses. I hate stockings, so this took a bit of getting used to, as in Sydney, most law firms see stockings as optional. For Melbourne Winter go for the thermal variety. In Melbourne I have noticed a lot more female lawyers wear flat shoes rather than heels, including quite masculine styles such as brogues, loafers and oxfords. 

Getting to court

If you are a law graduate, chances are you will need to attend court urgently to file a court document or attend a return of subpoena matter at some point. In Sydney, if your client cannot be billed for a taxi, you would have to walk to court. In Melbourne, if that happens to you, you can take advantage of the “Free Tram Zone” (such a saviour). You can ride a tram for free within the CBD. There is no comparable system in Sydney, though if you have time up your sleeve you could slum it with the tourists on the free city loop bus, which is meant to come every 15 minutes, but rarely does.

The weekend

You cannot beat a picturesque Sydney weekend beach hopping along the inner harbour and northern beaches. Sydney is a beautiful city, but it is this same geography that makes getting around hell during the week. Traffic jams not only exist during the week but also on the weekend, especially during Saturday morning school sport. Driving up the coast on a Friday night for a relaxing weekend can start with hours stuck in traffic, especially for long weekends. Weekends in Melbourne are fantastic. Melbourne is close to several national parks, as well as the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island, French Island and Tasmania. Melbourne is much more centralised than Sydney, so on the weekends, the CBD is always pumping, even in cold weather.

Lunchtime

Most of my colleagues buy their lunch because although the cost of lunch in Melbourne and Sydney is similar, the quality of the food in Melbourne is astronomically better. You could pay $15 for a soggy sandwich with a tiny piece of dry chicken breast in Sydney. In Melbourne, people would refuse to buy that. There are so many good places at both the Paris End and Spencer St end of Melbourne. While there are a few nice parks on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD, in Sydney I used to go for power walks in the Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park if I had time, which I really miss.

Status of the profession

In Sydney, although there are lawyers in Chatswood, Parramatta and elsewhere, there is a real concentration of lawyers in the Circular Quay and Martin Place precinct. Lawyers rule this area and have a visible presence. Law firms are more spread out in Melbourne, with the retail precinct separating the Spencer St lawyers from the Paris End lawyers. Being a lawyer is not seen as a big deal in Melbourne, where professionals mix with creatives and everyone else seems to have a more interesting career than a lawyer. Friday night drinks at the bar below your building involves an interesting mix of lawyers, architects, artists and window cleaners all winding down in the same bar. This is quite different from Sydney where being a lawyer is seen as prestigious and garners respect because of this.

Getting to the airport

Sydney wins here. Getting to the airport is a quick 15 minutes on the train. You can also catch the bus or get a taxi. The major advantage of the train is that it is not dependent on the traffic. In Melbourne, regardless of which mode of transport you use to get to the airport (Skybus, personal car, taxi) you can be stuck in traffic and miss your flight, especially as the airport is 24km from the city centre. The Taxi from Melbourne airport to the city is around $60 which is a real expense if you can’t claim it from work. The Skybus is $18, which is comparable to the Sydney train access fee

For newbies to Melbourne note there are two airports – Tullamarine and Avalon. If you want to go to Melbourne make sure you booked Tullamarine. Avalon is situated between Geelong and Melbourne but is much closer to Geelong. While the Melbourne airport is not “close” to the CBD, this has the advantage of making the CBD air noise free. You can’t beat the serenity of living in Melbourne. If you live in inner Sydney, particularly the inner west, air traffic is a part of your life and can affect everything from your sleep quality to your hearing.  

Cost of living

The cost of living in Melbourne is meant to be dramatically lower than in Sydney. This is not my experience. Although rent may be slightly cheaper, rent in inner city Melbourne is on par with Sydney. The cost of food is the same. The cost of transport is more expensive in Melbourne. Gym memberships are slightly cheaper in Melbourne. Buying a house in Melbourne is much more affordable than Sydney, but rental costs in the inner city are comparable.  Electricity bills are much higher in Melbourne where heating is a necessity rather than a nice thing to have. Discretionary spending such as fine dining is cheaper in Melbourne than Sydney, so if you are a big spender in Sydney and move to Melbourne, you might save money. However, if you are living on a shoestring in Sydney and not being frivolous, do not expect the cost of living to be significantly cheaper in Melbourne.

Love of food

While there are people in Sydney who love food, Melbourne is next-level. Talking about coffee is a normal past time, and where you ate brunch on the weekend is a favourite topic of conversation on Mondays.

Fitspo

Fitspo does not exist in Melbourne the way it does in Sydney. On the weekend people wear normal clothes when they are not playing sport. There is not a whole crew of Lorna Jane clad women putting on their sports gear to go to a cafe. You can eat a piece of chocolate at work without people raising eye brows. Sure, people own Lululemon and 2XU, but they wear this clothing to and at the gym.

When I go to gym before work, there is barely a soul in sight. There are two reasons for this. First, it is much too cold in winter to go to the gym before work unless you are super dedicated and second, people spend less time in the gym and more time exercising outdoors in Melbourne. Sports like rock climbing, cycling and long distance running are very popular in Melbourne, more so than in Sydney where people seem to be more gym oriented in their exercise choices.

The weather

When people say it is cold in Melbourne in winter, they are not joking. I brushed off the comments before I moved here, and did not really think about it. Big mistake. I found my first winter in Melbourne really, really hard. It is bone-shatteringly cold. Icy Antarctic winds blow through the city as though it is the apocalypse. Once you have invested in a down coat, thick beanie, gloves and thermal stockings, you will be fine. But do this asap after moving, preferably beforehand so you are ready at the airport. After living in Sydney for six years, it was a big shock. While winter is terrible, Melbourne summer is hot, dry and delightful.

Sydney weather is warm all year round. Although people say it is “cold” in winter, I always felt hot wearing a coat, which shows how “cold” it really is. If you are a beach-lover, the weather in Sydney is ideal for you. Despite Melbourne having a reputation for being a rainy place, Sydney actually has a higher rainfall than Melbourne. Melbourne tends to drizzle, while Sydney has huge dumps of rain interspersed with sunny days. 

Job availability

While NSW claims to have stronger economic growth and job creation rates than Victoria, this is not necessarily reflected in job availability for junior lawyers. In recent job hunting in March/April 2015, I found that there were a significantly higher amount of jobs advertised for graduates and junior lawyers in Melbourne than Sydney. This is just my experience. The bottom line is if you are mobile (don’t have kids, caring obligations or a long term partner), apply for jobs that interest you all over Australia.  

If I have missed some key difference between Sydney and Melbourne please comment below.

Surviving imposter syndrome as a junior lawyer

You have spent 5 years at law school, another year at College of Law and 2 years on your probational practising certificate. You are a competent and successful junior lawyer and often receive praise for your work. Yet, you can’t quite shake that feeling that you are faking it, you got there by luck, and soon someone will find out that are not as capable/talented/smart as they think. This pattern of thinking is known as “imposter syndrome”. 

I am not a psychologist and I am not providing medical advice in this blog post. The purpose of this blog post is to share my experiences to help other junior lawyers identify and overcome imposter syndrome thoughts. 

What is Imposter syndrome?

In a nutshell, a person with Imposter syndrome feels inadequate despite significant evidence to the contrary. Others might see you as a successful, competent and smart law student, but you think you are inadequate and are just posing as a successful, competent and smart law student.

Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes were the first to describe the imposter phenomenon in the 1970s. Imposter syndrome is not a diagnosis on the DSM, but has been identified as a very specific form of self-doubt that can be accompanied by other feelings such as anxiety and depression. Imposter syndrome is not an “all or nothing” condition, and junior lawyers can suffer from imposter syndrome in some aspects of their thinking or behaviour and not others.

Examples of thoughts and behaviour common to imposter syndrome:

1.       Feeling like a fake

You might feel like you got your graduate job because you managed to fool your interviewer into selecting you, despite the fact that you got the job because you performed well in two rounds of interviews and a written exam. You might also fear that you will be “found out” and kicked out or believe that you give the impression you are more competent than you are. You might question whether you are prepared for your graduate job and worry about the work you might be given.

2.       Attributing success to luck or external factors

You might believe it was luck that got you into law school. When you get a D or HD in an exam, you say you “got lucky” or point to something external like the assistance your friend in 5^th year gave you. People who find themselves with these thoughts might have significant fear they will not be able to succeed next time they have to complete a similar task.

3.       Discounting success

This category includes discounting achievement. For example, if you won a subject prize for Contracts and you say “it wasn’t that important” or “my tutor was an easy marker”.

What causes Imposter syndrome?

The research is mixed on the causes of Imposter syndrome. Clance and Imnes original research identified family dynamics as the main cause. To me, this seems quite Freudian, but I will very briefly outline the Clance and Imnes causes regardless:

1.       Family labels

For example, where children within a family are labelled differently, i.e. as “intelligent”, or “sensitive”. The child labelled “sensitive” can be lead to doubt her intelligence, even in the light of evidence to the contrary.

2.       Family messages of superiority

For example, where a child is over supported and is led to believe she is superior. Challenges arise which the child may find difficult, leading her to feel deceived by her family and leading to the development of the belief she is average or below average.

3.       Focus on achievement

Imes’ original research stated that a focus on achievement can confuse love, approval and self-worth, with self-worth becoming contingent on achievement. A familial focus on achievement can see mixed messages of over-praise and criticism, leading to imposter thoughts developing.

Additionally, being female can increase your chances of imposter syndrome thoughts. Originally in the 1970s, imposter syndrome was considered a female only phenomenon. Subsequent research has shown men also experience imposter syndrome, though “gifted” females are the group most likely to experience imposter syndrome. Other research has shown people from minority groups are also more likely to suffer from imposter syndrome.

Why junior lawyers are particularly susceptible to imposter syndrome

There are several reasons why junior lawyers commonly experience imposter syndrome:

1.       Imposter syndrome is commonly associated with high achievers

Undergraduate law courses at top universities tend to attract high achievers.

2.       Junior lawyers are embarking on new endeavours

Imes research showed that graduates are particularly susceptible to imposter syndrome as they are often asked to undertake tasks they may believe they are not ready to handle. Practising law is very different from studying law at University, and the challenging nature of the transition can cause imposter thoughts to develop.

3.       Imposter syndrome is commonly associated with perfectionist personalities

Perfectionist personalities are abound at law school and in the legal profession. The impostor phenomenon and perfectionism often go hand in hand, leading to the person either procrastinating, as they believe they will never be able to complete the task to high standards or over preparing and spending much more time on the task than is necessary.

4.       Female young professionals tend to attribute success to external factors

Attributing success to external factors can be a sign of imposter syndrome. Female professionals are more likely to attribute success to external factors than male colleagues. In Lean In, Women, Work and the Will to Lead (a book everyone should read), Sheryl Sandberg describes how women consistently underestimate themselves and how this pattern has serious long-term consequences. The following quotes were taken from the chapter “Sit at the Table”:

“For women, feeling like a fraud is a symptom of a greater problem. We consistently underestimate ourselves. Multiple studies in multiple industries show that women often judge their own performance as worse than it actually is, while men judge their own performance as better than it actually is.”

“Ask a man to explain his success and he will typically credit his own innate qualities and skills. Ask a woman the same question and she will attribute her success to external factors, insisting she did well because she “worked really hard” or “got lucky” or “had help from others”.

“In situations where a man and a woman each receive negative feedback, the woman’s self confidence and self-esteem drop to a much greater degree. The internalisation of failure and the insecurity it breeds hurt future performance, so this pattern has serious long-term consequences”

How to survive

There are several steps you can take to try and alleviate imposter syndrome thoughts:

1.       Identify feelings and automatic thoughts

A first steps is to identify thoughts that are tainted by imposter syndrome. Many of these thoughts are automatic and occur instantly without much thinking. For example, when your boss compliments you on a piece of work, in your head you might be thinking “phew, that was lucky”. This is an automatic thought. If a boss identifies a small error in your work, you might automatically think “I am not smart enough”. Identifying these automatic thoughts can help you gradually change thought patterns.

2.       Do your own reality check

Identify whether your thought accords with the objective facts. If you can, try and balance your thoughts. This may not be as easy as you think due to tendency of 20-something brains to retain negative memories more easily than positive memories.

In her thesis “30 is not the new 20: Why your 20s Matter”, Dr Meg Jay describes how the 20-something mind retains negative memories and experiences more strongly than positive experiences. This can be good for learning, as the 20-something mind remembers the negative experience and rarely makes the same mistake twice. However, it can be bad for self-confidence, as if your brain is focusing on the mistakes you have made at work, rather than the numerous times your boss told you they were very happy with your work, you can quickly come to doubt yourself and your ability. This is compounded by the fact junior lawyers make mistakes all the time, so your 20-something brain focuses on these negative experiences.

Acknowledge that you will remember negative feedback from your boss more vividly than positive feedback and then understand the difference between your feelings and reality. While this may sound ridiculous, it can help to keep a list of compliments and positive feedback on your work. When you get a negative piece of feedback you can then look at the objective evidence on your list and see that you are not doing so badly after all. Acknowledge that just because you think you are not smart, does not mean this is the reality.

3.       Talk about it

Do not be fooled, that law graduate in the team next door to you who seems to be oozing confidence might suffer from imposter syndrome thoughts too. Often people suffering from imposter syndrome do not talk about it, as they fear being found out. You don’t have to talk to that graduate, but finding someone who has similar thoughts or who has gone through the same process before to talk to may assist. For people experiencing strong imposter feelings of being found out or who are also experiencing anxiety may wish to talk to a psychologist. Being a neutral third party, the person with imposter feelings does not have to fear being found out when talking to a psychologist.

4.       Identify your expertise

Identifying your strengths can really help. Even if you are the most junior lawyer at work, you will still have strengths compared to other lawyers. For example, most junior lawyers are the best in their team at legal research and the most up to date in certain areas of law due to the fact they are fresh from law school. If there are more junior staff members, taking on an unofficial mentoring role could also help you, as you can see how far you have come from when you first started in the workforce.

5.       Manage your perfectionism

For those with perfectionist traits, acknowledging that perfect is not the goal but “well enough” will do most of the time can help.

Onwards

Life as a junior lawyer is hard enough without imposter syndrome thoughts. On a day to day basis you will be dealing with new law, new problems and new colleagues. With a bit of effort you can come to enjoy your accomplishments. Enjoying your achievements is important as a junior lawyer, where you will be making mistakes on a daily basis. You need to enjoy whatever small successes you achieve along the way.  Feeling fearful and anxious all the time does not have to be normal. For those with mild imposter syndrome, large changes can be seen merely by identifying thoughts and conducting a reality check. You are capable, smart and intelligent. Start believing it.

Protein ball recipe of the month - lemon and coconut; chocolate and cranberry

Protein ball recipe of the month (March 2015) – lemon and coconut; chocolate and cranberry

Lawyers need snacks, and I am all for healthy snack options. Including homemade protein balls. This week’s protein ball recipes are from my friend Mieka. Mieka is an engineer. But we won’t hold that against her. Especially when she has protein ball recipes to die for. These recipes are all vegan, gluten free, relatively paleo, but are high energy, so I recommend one ball per snack. Guaranteed to ease strong chocolate cravings.

Recipe 1: Lemon and coconut balls

Ingredients:

500g cashews

Lemon zest from 2 lemons

Lemon juice from 1 lemon

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 cup desiccated coconut

Small amount sweeteners (if required) – rice malt syrup (for vegans), honey, or maple syrup

Method:

Blend all ingredients on high speed until desired texture is created. The mixture should be soft enough to form a ball. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls with your hand. Put in a container and store in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe 2: Chocolate cranberry crunch

Ingredients:

500g almonds

Cranberries (about the same volume as almonds, but could use less or more to control sweetness)

¾ cup dates (dried dates, could also use fresh dates)

¼ cup coconut oil

Natural vanilla

1/3 cup raw cocoa (can use normal unsweetened cocoa too)

Method:

Blend all ingredients on high speed until desired texture is created. The mixture should be soft enough to form a ball. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls with your hand. Put in a container and store in the fridge or freezer.

Helpful notes:

1.       Quantities: these quantities are all estimates. If the mixture does not form a ball add more wet ingredients such as coconut butter or a few drops of water. If the mixture is too wet or sticky to form balls, add more dry ingredients such as nuts or dried coconut.

2.       Storage: Store your protein balls in the fridge or freezer. The lemon and coconut balls are particularly good straight from the freezer. There is usually plenty of space in work freezers so perfect storage location.

3.       Texture: Smooth v rough.  Both protein balls can be made very smooth (see picture of lemon and coconut balls) or rough (see picture of chocolate and cranberry balls). You can make your protein balls smooth by blending for longer. I personally find protein balls involving cashew nuts are better smooth, but the chocolate and cranberry recipe is delicious left chunky.  

4.       Personalisation: If you love lemon, add more lemon zest. Make the recipes your own. Use dried blueberries instead of cranberries; use lime instead of lemon; use macadamias instead of cashews. Live a little.