In our digital age where information of all kinds, including legal information, can be at our fingertips in seconds, it’s vital for lawyers to be able to grow and add value in broader ways, say business law experts Johanne Hague and Medina Torabally from Prism Chambers in association with CMS.
Johanne and Medina believe the leading factor that will help lawyers of all levels thrive in our fast-changing world, is having a great attitude. “Whatever level of seniority, you must be willing to commit yourself, and must evolve professionally,” emphasised Johanne, a former vice-president in the corporate tax group at JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, and founder of Prism Chambers, a boutique firm in Mauritius which recently partnered with global legal organisation CMS.
“Be willing to learn and to invest your precious time in your own professional growth,” she added. “Technical and legal skills can be acquired, but if you have the right attitude and remain humble regardless of your professional level, then I truly believe you can thrive in any environment.”
Medina, a senior associate at Prism and Rising Star in this year’s ITR World Tax rankings, was mentored by Johanne at Prism. She agrees that having the right mindset and values will matter more than the best academic results or on-paper attributes over the course of a career.
“There's always scope for growth,” Medina commented. “There's always room for improvement and for learning. I think those attributes can make you evolve from a good to a great lawyer.”
Other helpful things lawyers can work on to thrive in our fast-paced modern world include building an entrepreneurial spirit, resilience and a problem solving approach, surrounding themselves with good people, and not being afraid to fail, say Johanne and Medina.
“Lawyers tend to be naturally risk averse and conservative, we feel at ease in our comfort zone, but now more than ever we need to innovate and add value over and above what a machine can produce,” Johanne emphasised. “That means taking risks in a calculated way. Collaborate rather than compete, avoid mediocrity or complacency, don’t be afraid to try a new area of law or uncharted waters, and be ready to fall down and get up again. This is a key trait and skill, and it’s something we need to learn because we’ve been conditioned to fear and avoid failure.”
Prism has evolved a great deal since Johanne founded the boutique firm in 2019, ultimately leading to its new partnership with CMS. The partnership has brought a number of benefits, including enabling Medina and other staff to work on “soft skills” like collaboration, personal branding and leadership at the CMS Africa Academy.
“You feel a renewed sense of purpose and motivation, and realise you’re no longer playing at a local level but an international level, and interacting with like-minded peers and more importantly, people who share the same values and vision as you,” ” said Medina. “I found the Academy insightful and practical. There were ideas shared which can be integrated into daily life.”
Johanne has attended two CMS partner conferences, gaining insights into life as a senior partner at a global organisation, sharing in the passion and vision, and continuing to improve herself. As she looks towards an exciting future for Prism and for legal practice in general, she believes the opportunities are literally limitless – for those with the right mindset.