Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Elizabeth M. Edwards to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire.
Do you ever feel like being a lawyer and an involved mother is nearly impossible? Do you ever feel that when you put more energy into being a lawyer, your family life suffers? We’ve all heard of mom guilt, and it is definitely real. I know I used to have a lot of mom guilt before transitioning to working from home.
Before working from home, my schedule reminded me of the song “Manic Monday” by the Bangles: “Six o’clock already, I was just in the middle of a dream.” Every morning, I would spend a few moments encouraging myself to get out of bed and start getting ready for work. I took a shower, put on my makeup, got dressed, and made a smoothie for the road. I would greet a family member at the door who graciously came to my home every morning to take care of my toddler and bring him to school. If I was lucky, my son was awake before I left for work. I gave him a big hug and kiss and told him that I hoped he had a great day. I left my house to a stressful hour-long commute battling South Florida’s expressways during rush hour. I worked a full day at the office, got home around six, made dinner, gave my son a bath, and put him to sleep. Some nights, when mediations ran past seven o’clock, I wouldn’t make it home in time to say goodnight to my son. I then collapsed on the couch around 9 p.m. knowing that the rest of my week would follow the same routine. Does this routine sound familiar to you? This used to be what my work weeks looked like.
When the coronavirus hit the United States in March 2020, all nonessential employees were told to start working from home. As lawyers, we had no idea how long working from home would last. Two weeks? A month? Certainly, it would not last through the summer. Over a year later, many lawyers are still working from home, and attorneys and firms have learned to adjust, thrive, and even enjoy their new routines.
My routine these days looks much different. Now, I naturally wake up around seven, when the sun starts seeping in through my window. While still in bed, I turn on my daily meditation and meditate for 10 minutes. I get ready (which these days consists of putting on yoga pants and a T-shirt), take the dog for a walk, and respond to a few work emails that came in overnight. Then, my favorite part of the day starts. I go into my son’s room to greet him good morning, eat breakfast with him, and drive him to school. This isn’t my favorite part of the day because its easy. Anyone with a toddler knows that trying to get your child to eat, brush his teeth, get dressed, and timely get out of the door in the morning is like herding cats. It’s my favorite part of the day because it’s something I was never able to do when I was commuting to work every day, and it’s something I will not let myself take for granted. After I drop my son off at school, I’m home around 9 a.m., make myself a cup of coffee, go into my home office and start working for the day. My son comes home from school at 3 p.m., and if I’m not in mediation or a meeting, he runs into my home office and gives me the biggest hug. I spend a few moments with him and ask him about his day. Whenever work is done for the day, I no longer have an hour-long commute. Now, I just go into the other room and spend quality time with my family. When a mediation runs late, I am able to squeeze in hugs during my breaks and go into my son’s room and say goodnight before he goes to bed. Working from home has not only personally benefited my family, but it has also benefited my clients and my firm. My productivity levels have increased, and I work earlier in the mornings and later in the evenings because I no longer have a commute.
Before the coronavirus forced me to start working from home, I never truly felt like a mom. Due to the limited amount of time I was able to spend with my son, I felt like family members and teachers were raising him. Time is so precious, and our children grow up so quickly. I am so thankful to have been able to spend so much quality time with my son over the past year. Being able to work from home and take a more active role in my son’s life has truly made me feel like mom for the first time. Being a lawyer and a mom certainly isn’t easy, but working from home, I now feel like I can truly be a lawyer, mediator, and mom.
Why Some Firms Are Leading The Market With Generative AI
A culture of innovation with strategic AI like Lexis+ AI is revolutionizing law firms by boosting efficiency and deepening client relationships.
Elizabeth M. Edwards, Esq. is a family law attorney and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil, County, and Family Mediator who practices in Broward and Palm Beach County, Florida. Elizabeth focuses her practice on family law and alternative dispute resolution of civil and family law matters, and prides herself in her ability to settle complex cases without the need for prolonged litigation. Elizabeth has been listed as a Rising Star in family law by Florida Super Lawyers, and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell for the highest level of professional excellence. Elizabeth and her husband are parents to an active young boy and their family dog. To learn more about Elizabeth’s practice, please visit ElizabethEdwardsEsq.com and BFinkelpa.com.