Looking beyond the traditional lawyer profile will result in happier and more productive staff, and will help attract the next generation of lawyers

There is a saying, 'happy lawyers make happy clients'. Well, if there isn't, there should be – because contented people, who play to their strengths and can be themselves, produce quality work and creative ideas. Clients trust these happy people; they enjoy working with them and find they deliver results. So why is there a tendency to squeeze the personality out of the legal profession?

I am not talking here about corporate values, well-being programmes or recognition schemes. My point centres around something more fundamental: the way we interact with each other and make the most of the diverse personalities around us.

Here's the nub of the matter. Law firms often require their lawyers to behave in a similar, specific way. There tends to be little room for diverse personalities, so many lawyers are left feeling unable to be honest about who they are, what they enjoy and what's important to them.

One way to ensure greater diversity is for law firms and in-house legal teams to embrace more varied ways of working and alternatives outside of the norm.  This would not only retain those people in the profession for whom the traditional partnership model doesn't work, but it could also persuade the next generation of lawyers ('Gen Y' and beyond) – who are looking for greater control and flexibility over their careers – that law is a viable long-term option for them.

To do this, the profession must look beyond the typical lawyer profile. Technical excellence applies regardless, but what about making room for those who are, for example, highly creative, communicative or supportive? How do we value these attributes and find a place where these individuals can thrive?  

There's a genuine commercial reason for looking at a broader range of skills: clients like it. When selecting temporary resource, clients want the lawyer's approach to 'fit right in' to their organisational culture. So, matching personalities to organisations is important. The benefits are clear – when the 'fit' is right, everyone can be themselves and focus on getting the work done. 

Does this sound too good to be true? Some people think so and perhaps therein lies the challenge. In the legal profession, we have a belief that it has to hurt to be good.  Too many think that working has to be challenging (as in uncomfortable) as well as challenging (as in stretching) to be worthwhile. To be a professional means to behave in a certain way and to behave differently will reduce credibility.
 
There are some businesses where to display an ounce of individuality or self-reflection in our professional life – or admit to others that there are things we love in life as much as the law – is akin to career suicide. 

This belief, which cannot be healthy, is pernicious and has created more than one generation of disillusioned lawyers who can't find a place to thrive. There has to be a reason why the City Mental Health Alliance emphasises the vulnerability of lawyers to issues such as depression, stress and anxiety.

This isn't about knocking private practice. It's simply a reflection that there are now more ways to have a successful, high-status legal career than within the traditional partnership environment.

So can we find space in our profession for all types and acknowledge that different is different, rather than worse? Perhaps with a focus on fit, a little more honesty and a lot more diversity, we would all be happier and more productive.

Katherine Thomas is director of members and operations at flexible lawyer recruitment service Vario from Pinsent Masons.