I like to do things a little different.
I generally work part time, i.e. not on Fridays and not in the evenings. In case of urgency I can work in the weekends. I keep my costs low so I don’t need a standard for billable hours. I am convinced that this inspires legal creativity and increases efficiency. Smart solutions are born when you go for that walk, not from sitting at your laptop at night forcing yourself to draft that last e-mail. A modern, healthy way of working serves both my own interests and (therefore) those of my clients.
The lawyer of the future
How does she or he looks like? A question I have asked myself many times over the past years. If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us one thing it is that we don’t need expensive offices to work from. Working remotely became the standard in a matter of days. Will the legal industry switch back en masse to the “old ways” when the storm has settled? I will not.
Sustainability
I am passionate to contribute to more sustainable ways of working. For example by minimizing commuting to work or travelling to meetings. Why travelling half way around the world for a hand shake if we can meet online? YELH aims to reduce its CO2 emission by minimizing its CO2 footprint. I can work from my home office and still be at your disposal just one mouse click away.
Flexibility
The lawyer of the future is flexible. Not only in terms of location, but also in terms hours. If you urgently need an advice on Monday, you can schedule me to work on Sunday. I won’t work in the evenings, because I like to keep things efficient.
Quality over quantity
This means that hours are spend wise and efficient. People can only work efficient for so many hours per day. Research in fact shows that if you are working an 8 hour day, the average worker is only most efficient for 3 hours. Another study from Stanford shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when a person works more than 50 hours a week. Such results are anathema to the traditional business models built on selling time. I believe that I can get more done in less hours, by applying certain simple rules. For example, working less hours forces me to prioritize effectively and to say “no” if my calendar is full.
Honest expectation management
I believe in honest expectation management. Yes is yes and no is no. I won’t sell yes if my calendar is full. If you hire me, you know that your job will get my full and undivided attention.