Criminal Law Mums: The Journey And The Future

‘I love criminal law mums because it’s achieved so many things on so many levels. It’s multi-faceted now.’ – Lauren Cassamatis, founder, Criminal Law Mums.

It’s easy to feel detached from your profession and career when you become a mum.

Even during pregnancy, women can suddenly miss out on promotional opportunities or be left out of tasks in case of ‘baby brain.’ And once you become a mum, your commitment to your job is questioned.

While we’ve been told (time and time again!) that we can’t have it all, at Gallant Law we simply do not subscribe to that thinking. We are firm believers that you can have a great marriage, amazing kids and a stellar career all in one. You just have to find the right balance.

And that’s where Criminal Law Mums comes in! Our founder Lauren started CLM in 2018 after giving birth to her second child. Lauren was feeling as though she was missing a big part of my identity – her professional identity as a criminal lawyer and as an ambitious woman. CLM came about after she spoke with a number of women who felt a similar way and were also looking for professional support, ways to enhance their network and look after their wellbeing so they could pursue their career goals.

So why not create a group where we can do exactly that, and also be great mums?!

CLM is all about knowing that while you’re not working at your job from 9–5 (be it because you’re part time, on maternity leave or some other circumstance) you’re still being thought of, connected to your profession and that your career can continue to flourish. We’ve spent so many years of hard work building our careers; they shouldn’t be interrupted simply because we’re on maternity leave.

Since starting CLM, the support has been incredible. We’ve created a space where women can speak openly about the challenges of motherhood and work, vent and laugh some of it off. In 2019, CLM evolved from 30 members in Melbourne to 550 members Australia-wide. Criminal lawyers, mums, law students, legal professionals of any kind, men – our organisation is welcome to anyone interested in encouraging an inclusive and collaborative environment within the legal profession. One of the most exciting things about CLM is the sense of community and sisterhood we’re building among the legal profession. Members are networking, being referred to by one another for jobs and even recognising one another in court!

When CLM began, we were doing events in Melbourne focused on well-being. Now, we’re taking our events Australia-wide, covering all sorts of topics from resilience in the legal profession to juggling parenting and working as a criminal lawyer. We hear from judges, lawyers and even neuropsychologists on panels at our events. Our events provide career and life advice and are always entertaining and informative. You can get involved in our CPD, charity and networking events by checking out our socials linked below.

CLM has super exciting plans for 2020. We’re planning profession-focused events, tackling topics such as how to start a career as a barrister or how to open your own law firm, and we even have a relaxing retreat in the works so members can really get to know one another and enhance those networks and friendships.

We would love to hear from you if you’re balancing motherhood and the lawyer life, or if you simply found yourself nodding along to the sentiments in this blog post! We’re proud to have a supportive online community through our website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram pages. CLM couldn’t do the work we do without our incredible sponsors – so a big thank you to Foley’s List, James Dowsley & Associates, Clarence Professional Group, David Ross Chambers, Victorian Women and the College of Law.

Access our online communities here:

CLM website: https://www.criminallawmums.com

CLM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/criminallawmums/

CLM instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criminallawmums/

CLM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10418699/