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In this week’s episode of the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast’ I had the pleasure of interviewing my good friend Andrew Evans.  Andrew and I met many, many years ago when I was a first year lawyer having almost no idea what I was doing and he was that senior lawyer that would be forever helping me along!  Fast forward over 16 years and we are still great friends but our lives in law have taken very different paths.  Andrew is an insolvency and commercial lawyer that has had a really interesting career working between some of Australia’s largest law firms and more recently in a number of smaller boutique practices mainly here in Brisbane.  But it is his ‘life story’ that I wanted to capture in this interview.  I always knew Andrew as a single Dad and one of the poster children for flexible work arrangements before that was  even a ‘thing’ so in this chat I wanted to learn more about how that worked for him and let me tell you- this was a really interesting part of our chat.

Andrew was not someone who planned a career in law- he came to it later in life but has enjoyed it ever since.  His honest assessement as this as a ‘difficult job’ was refreshing to hear- I think sometimes we can make it seem like it should be all rainbows and unicorns and we minimise the stress, challenge and pressure that comes with a career in the law.  This interview is overflowing with great advice on law, life and happiness and I was fast reminded why I would seek out Andrew’s counsel so much early in my career.

In this interview Andrew and I also chatted about-

• If Andrew was not a lawyer he would have been a surfing photographer and Andrew loves nature.
• Andrew was born in Sydney but moved to Queensland at an early age.
• Andrew tells us what life was like in primary school in 70s.
• How much the world has changed in the last 50 years in regards to children and how the social perspective on their freedom has changed.
• After finishing high school the law was not on Andrew’s radar and he worked in many areas before he started his studies.
• Tools Andrew has used in his career to help him get through the difficult situations in and outside of the law.
• Andrew became a father at a young(er) age and the crossroads he came to at age 25.
• Andrew believes that if you do not have compassion  for others you will miss out on what life if all about.
• Empathy versus sympathy and how they can be used appropriately in law.
• Andrew was largely a single father and his experience of flexible workplaces.
• The difference between men and women in regards to parenting flexibility in the workplace.
• The definition of success from Andrew.
• Andrew has always enjoyed advocacy and for a time was a Barrister but returned to his role as a solicitor after he was offered the opportunity to be involved with a large financial services litigation.
• The importance of playing to your strengths.
• Putting energy into the choices we make rather than the decision itself.
• Andrew sees himself as lucky, however focusing on the good in life as well as acknowledging your weaknesses is the key.
• Andrews advice for anyone starting out in their legal career.
• Andrew’s Happiness Tip.

Sit back and enjoy this interview with Andrew Evans.

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Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa Rayward at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre-  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Listen to last week’s episode here