Washington Lawyer - January/February 2025 - 19

FEATURE
To manage her workload, Geller meticulously keeps a running list of things
to do and advises lawyers to have their own system of prioritizing and
tracking tasks. Geller also recommends delegating tasks to others, if possible,
and learning to say no.
It's also important to check in with yourself, says Geller. What are your
needs? Your stressors? Are you being supported by your firm? Attorneys
should take time to reflect on what works and what needs to be addressed,
says Geller, and they should find mentors and work environments
that align with their values.
It's also important to have fun, says Geller, who surfs, takes trapeze lessons,
and attends performances with her kids. The diversions provide very necessary
breaks from the practice. " Life's too short just to spend the time
working, " says Geller.
FRANKLIN TURNER
As a young lawyer
at a large law
firm, Franklin
Turner worked
3,100 billable
hours the year
his son was
born. " I thought
to myself, 'this is
crazy,' because
you've got to be
able to be with
your family, " says
Turner, adding
that he often
worked holidays
and was in a
" pressure cooker "
as he gained
experience.
Those memories
inform his approach
to his
role as cochair of
the government
contracts and global trade practice group at McCarter & English, LLP.
" When you're in charge of a practice and you have many people working
for you, you can delegate things more easily, but I remember what it was
like to be that young lawyer and to have to go through the paces for
hours on end, through nights and weekends, " says Turner. " I make sure
that our team prioritizes their health as well. "
Turner strives to be as present as he can with his two children. He is strategic
about blocking out the time on his calendar to pick them up from
school, attend events, and have dinner with his family.
With the help of a supportive team, Turner also works to keep a steady
hand on the practice, triaging hundreds of emails a day as well as numerous
client issues and requests. Life as a lawyer demands being flexible, so
he pays a lot of attention to time management and ensuring that nothing
falls through the cracks.
Finding that balance is a challenge, and Turner recommends being upfront
with clients. " Clients appreciate knowing that you're a normal human
as well, " he says.
For Turner, fitness helps him strike that balance between career and
home. He's an avid runner, a hobby he says is " absolutely essential " for his
mental and physical health.
" If you don't have your health, you don't have anything, " says Turner, who
also spends time socializing with friends, going on adventures with his
family, and watching the news.
Thinking back on his career as a younger attorney, Turner says that junior
lawyers are at a deficit since they often feel that they are not empowered
to ask for time off, but he urges them to not be afraid to make those requests
and to seek out work environments that respect them.
" Boundaries are so critical, " says Turner.
NICOLE EDMONDS
Reflecting on how she maintains balance between career and family,
Nicole Edmonds, a partner at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP,
says that prioritizing is an important skill to master.
" I am probably a 'Do-It-All Lawyer' but I don't do it all, all the time, " says Edmonds,
who specializes in federal securities law and corporate governance.
Edmonds chairs her firm's diversity, equity, and inclusion committee
and is also mom to two middle schoolers. Her weekdays can be busy, as
she and her husband juggle bringing the kids to school, helping them
with homework and extracurriculars, and getting their own work done.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 * WASHINGTON LAWYER 19
prioritize health
Find your groove
Washington Lawyer - January/February 2025

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