Being a Partner at a law firm comes with unique pressures and challenges
You have reached the top of your career but it can still feel like there is a long way to go. The enormity of the role, responsibility and the accompanying psychological and relationship shifts that a Partner at law firm experiences is often underestimated and misunderstood.
During my 25-year career, I have coached successful professionals through the challenges specific to high pressure careers, with over 10 of those years spent specialising in coaching and therapy for lawyers.
Drawing upon the science of success, I coach Partners at law firms to help them elevate their game, avoid burnout and thrive at work and at home.
Accreditations
Law firms in the City of London are environments where professionalism, exceptional standards and confidentiality are service qualifiers. You have high expectations of your fellow professionals and should expect the same from your psychologist and coach.
I am accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), a member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and an Associate Fellow (AFBPsS) of British Psychological Society (BPS). I am a BPS Chartered Coaching Psychologist. I am a Leader Factor accredited Psychological Safety Coach.
Mastering a profession and establishing your personal brand as one of the high performing elite in your field requires investment in staying not just abreast of, but ahead of the trend. To inform my practice, I am actively involved in research, peer reviews, writing and interviews with the general media.
Just as your profession requires you to keep up with new developments, the same is required of me. To maintain my knowledge and thought leadership, I have been involved in research for 20 years making significant contributions to psychological research and publishing numerous scientific, peer-reviewed research articles.
As well as presenting work at international conferences, I have written books, papers and articles, including a best-selling book on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). I have conducted a survey on the experience of socially mobile lawyers in London. I serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Health Psychology, peer reviewing the latest research of my academic and professional contemporaries.
Acknowledging that you need to keep growing and elevating from
where you are now, is important in your next level as a Partner.
For some time in your life, the goal might have been becoming a Partner and when you reached that goal, you may have felt a bit lost as the next part of the journey seemed very unclear.
As I am sure you are aware now, becoming a Partner is not an end point, it is the beginning of a whole new journey. A journey that requires constant upskilling to become a master of the ride. Mindset and productive behaviours matter when you need to develop a sense of mastery.
When you are fully connected with your sense of mastery and know how to nurture it, you develop an inner confidence, a vision and purpose that fills you with the right fuel for the roller-coaster journey of a Partner at a law firm.
To continue to be successful at this stage of your career...
...you need a true deep connection with your worthiness because this is what will inform a successful business strategy that will grow and create the impact you want. When you create a business strategy that is aligned to your worthiness and values, this will create a drive that will propel you and your team to the next level.
I will coach you to develop your aligned business, attract the right clients, develop the talent in your team, get you comfortable in becoming more visible in your field and fine-tune your communication skills.
Ecosystems of Sustainable Growth & Innovation
Law firms are complex organisational systems that can be difficult to navigate. This can lead to behaviours that can impact well-being and business. We are all influenced by our physical, social and political environment.
It is possible to interrupt out-dated models of organistional life that confuses busyness with productivity, pits health against performance and stifles creativity and innovation.
However, it is not easy. Starting with your own eco-systems is often the only way forward. It will require some bravery and vision to break-free from toxic forces and create your own eco-system that will prepare you and your team for the future and the all the problems of our time.
This will require fit-for-purpose modern leadership skills. You may not have access to the right role models with these leadership skills. Seeking independent coaching is one way to enhance your leadership skills so that you accelerate and grow your business in a way that taps into your team’s collective intelligence so that you can all lean into the complexities that you face with psychological safety and develop innovative pathways forward.
When we work together to enhance your leadership skills you can expect mindset and behavioural shifts that will improve productivity, communication, creativity and innovation.
It doesn't need to be like this!
Burnout and personal and professional relationship problems are very common amongst lawyers.
This may be something you are facing personally or trying to manage in your team. From my extensive research and years of practice in burnout, I have seen that the principles of peak performance are often misunderstood and over time this misunderstanding leads to burnout and relationship issues. The latest scientific insights into the cognitive and neurochemical factors that drive peak performance, inform us that it doesn't have to be like this!
I coach my clients in deep recharge methods post-burnout and equip them with the appropriate cognitive functions and relationship intelligence to recover from burnout and go on to gain a deeper connection with themselves and others and sustain their peak performance.
If you need help to change a burnout culture and develop a team that will challenge old ways of thinking about performance and learn new ways to enhance productivity, then I can provide you with the know-how to do so and the support to lead such changes.
Sustaining peak performance requires a healthy mind, brain and body which is not always easy with a busy career, especially during life transitions such as becoming a parent, supporting a parent, menopause, illness and ageing.
I’m afraid there are no quick fixes when it comes to mind, brain and body health. Like most worthwhile tasks, it requires effort. Our own psychology, however, can interfere with that effort and increase the effort needed.
Research and real-world results have consistently shown that ongoing coaching can lead to significant and sustainable improvements in achieving lifestyle goals. I provide my clients with personalised plans to improve their sleep, brain health, diet, exercise regime, stress levels and relationships.
Your success, health and happiness are my business!
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Client Review
I picked Catherine due to her experience of working with lawyers. I never expected her in-depth understanding on my intersectionality as a woman of colour from working class roots. I have never felt so heard and understood. It’s been truly transformational.
Client Review
As a senior lawyer I contacted Dr Catherine Sykes to review my professional pathway from scholarship girl to senior lawyer to transition to a more senior mentoring role. I found Dr Sykes an excellent professional, and extremely wise.
Client Review
Dr Catherine Sykes is absolutely excellent. Her experience and quality of care and professionalism is first class. I would highly recommend her services.
Client Review
Catherine is very professional and approachable. Sessions with her are very effective as she can quickly assess the root of the issues and design an action plan that works in maintaining mental health in a high pressure work environment.
Client Review
I found Catherine really helped me to understand some of the things that have been holding me back for a very long time. With her support and tools I have been able to make some transformational changes as a leader.
