For many lawyers, the law can be all-encompassing, stretching beyond the courtroom or office and often spilling over into everyday personal life. However, as Jordan Rothman, a partner of The Rothman Law Firm and founder of Student Debt Diaries, affirms in a recent article on Above the Law, he is not one of these individuals.
Rothman describes how he consciously keeps his personal life separate from his professional responsibilities, deliberately not indulging in legal media or engaging in lawyerly conversation unless unavoidable. There are exceptions to every rule, and for Rothman, Above the Law’s podcast ‘Thinking Like a Lawyer’ proves entertaining enough to cross the strict boundary between work and leisure.
His aversion to legal saturation extends to visual media too. Rothman admits to being picky with legal shows and movies, preferring only those that display a reasonable level of accuracy about the profession. Unsurprisingly, overly sensational series such as ‘Suits’ and ‘Goliath’ do not make his watch list. Instead, he opts for a mix of legal dramas like ‘Rake’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ that go beyond just legal themes.
Friendships aren’t immune to this selective distancing either. Rothman maintains a distinct separation between his work relationships and personal friendships to ensure the law doesn’t infiltrate every corner of his life. Beyond the occasional reunion or social outing, he prefers to keep any lawyer friends outside of his immediate working environment.
The legal world is often demanding, leaving little room for relaxation or disconnect for many working in the profession. However, as Rothman outlines in his article, the key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance may lie in deliberate separation of the two spheres.