Criminal Barrister Background
I have 19 years experience as a Criminal Barrister practising in Yorkshire, working from Broadway House Chambers, Bradford/ Leeds. From the outset, I had no hesitation in developing my practice in an unconventional way, with a Scholarship to New Zealand and undertaking pro bono work in Jamaica supporting Death Row Attorneys in their defence of Capital Murder cases. Such inspiring work!
Finding Personal Congruency through Corporate & Executive Coaching
On my return to the UK, having become the most junior Grade 4 Prosecutor in Chambers, and unusually early on in my career, a Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Prosecution Panelists, the daily diet of Sex trials created within me a conflict as to the worth/ value of my UK practice.
It was at this point that I first experienced Coaching, understood the benefits of going “From Good to Great” through the process, and began working with more purpose, vigour and personal congruency.
The Benefits of Lawyer Coaching
In my experience, only by allowing yourself a safe space with quiet time in coaching sessions to plan and strategise can you truly recognise the things that make you tick.
Colleagues too voiced disquiet about the job, due to the subject matter of cases, the unpredictability of the lifestyle, the weight of responsibility etc. So many would ask “…But what else could I do?”
I often felt this defeatist question omitted an important, unspoken aspect to the conundrum: “What else could I do that pays this well…” If the material aspects of life are important to you, then this would be a hugely significant reason to continue a career in law, and do so with motivation and enthusiasm. It’s only by being totally honest with yourself about your drivers and influences that you can really dig deep and find your true purpose.
I made the financial incentives work for me for a while. However, over time, it became apparent that within me there still remained personal incongruence; things were just not in sync with my values and beliefs.
I had a strong desire to help people, in an authentic and positive environment, which was not being met in law.
Qualifications/ Experience/ Focus
And so it was that between 2010 and 2012, whilst still working full time, I trained to become a Corporate and Executive Coach with the highly acclaimed Coaching Academy, and an NLP Practitioner with the NLP Academy, the launch pad to Nikki Alderson Coaching.
My Coaching services are focused on professionals, and in particular female lawyers, empowering them to achieve career ambition whilst creating congruent lives.
All values and beliefs being met there!
Authenticity in Self Belief
What has been interesting about the journey to becoming a successful business woman is that in the background, I always kept a foothold in Chambers, just in case things “didn’t work out”; a security blanket or fast track to an income stream if all else failed.
It was only really in the last fortnight, when I made time to reflect, that I realised this of itself was disingenuous and actually holding me back. The fact that I kept open my place in Chambers was really a signal to my unconscious that my business might not work out; clients could rightly call me out on my own lack of authenticity or personal congruency.
On 10th February 2018, I resigned from Chambers after a career that began in September 1996. The strangest sensation? No histrionics, no drama, just an overwhelming sense of internal calm, and the realisation that without hesitation that was totally the right thing to do. I am back in sync.
Coaching Services to Achieve “Synchronicity”
I specialise in 1-1 Coaching (and workshop delivery) in 3 areas:
- Career Progression – for/ at the point of promotion, new positions/ projects, career- break returners
- Life Balance – wellness/ resilience in the workplace, productivity/ time management
- Confidence & Communication, including presentation skills
I have learnt much from my successful career as a barrister, having gained great insights into the responsibilities, pressures and “expected” career paths, particularly of women working in law, and from personal experience can recommend coaching as a means by which to achieve synchronicity/ personal congruency, within law – for nearly 20 years!- and beyond.
Don’t just rely on my own experiences. What my clients have said about my Coaching Services can be seen on the Testimonials page.
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