To practise or to peace-keep – a lawyer’s dilemma (Employee)

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Flexible working arrangements mean different things to different people. For Nick Jones, his employer’s flexibility led to the adventure of a lifetime, serving with the Territorials’ peacekeeping force in the Solomon Islands.

Torn between his burgeoning law career and a four-month deployment to the Solomons as an officer in the Territorial Army, Nick Jones initially opted to stick to his suit and tie but his employer, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, had other ideas.

“I was initially reluctant to take the time off as I was concerned that I would fall behind in my legal career,” says Nick. “But when I told the HR department about my decision they had a quiet word with me about the opportunity I was turning down. They said that in later years my grandchildren would be much more interested in my army career than any commercial case.

“They really showed some vision in seeing beyond a focus on budgets to what would be best for me in the long run.

They were also realistic about the effect on my career, saying I’d probably come back and find that I might have slipped behind in terms of technical knowledge. They said not to worry too much as I would soon make this up with some hard work.”

Nick has been with the Territorials for eight years; three years training as an officer cadet and five serving as an officer. During the first three years he was still studying for his law and arts degree. The Territorials paid his study fees and living expenses during that period.

He worked for Minter Ellison Rudd Watts during the last two years of his degree and joined the firm as a solicitor after graduation. “My involvement in the Territorials was one of the topics we discussed at my first interview,” says Nick. “They didn’t know a lot about the Territorials but they were certainly interested and enthusiastic about what I was doing.”

Nick usually fulfils his commitment to the Territorials in his own time but serving with the peacekeeping force was obviously going to impact on his work. He has no regrets.

“Deployment was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” says Nick. “As Platoon Commander, I was in charge of 32 soldiers so I had a lot of responsibility. It was a school of hard knocks environment in terms of developing leadership and management skills.”

“Of course it’s amazing to go to another country and learn about a completely different culture. I felt that our efforts made Solomon Islanders feel more secure in their own country so it was very satisfying and fulfilling.”

After serving in the Solomons from April until July 2007, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts gave Nick another month off to attend a friend’s wedding in Europe. “When I came back to work they gave me a ‘budget holiday’ which gave me time to get up to speed, so although I was still earning money I was not judged against a target.”

In addition, Nick’s time away will be counted as continuous employment so he will be entitled, along with his peers, to the substantial bonus solicitors receive after four years with the firm.

“I’m really grateful for this and everything else. I think Minters had real vision in encouraging me to take the deployment because they saw it as part of my development as a lawyer and a person. The firm really does practice what it preaches in terms of valuing the person behind the lawyer.”

Nick says he is already noticing his experience during the deployment paying off at work. “The army and the law complement each other greatly. I developed my ability to make considered, clear decisions and a lot of our clients are very interested in my experience. As leaders in their own right, they can relate to the leadership challenges I faced and the skills I developed.”

Managing Partner Mark Weenink agrees with this assessment, saying the firm has benefited enormously from Nick’s experience with the Territorials. “He is a highly motivated young man who has actively taken leadership roles both within his team and across the firm in a way which distinguishes him from this peer group.”

Thanks to the firm’s support of Nick, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts was awarded the Territorial Forces Employer of the Year Award in May this year.