Sooner or later in life, everyone is met with the pesky predicament of deciding on and establishing their career. Establishing your career requires excellence. You need to study hard, devour entire libraries full of precious wisdom, sit under the tutelage of experts in your field, and eventually make your mark. After all, there may be millions of workers in your field, and you are just one of them! You must strive hard to make yourself a lucrative income and a reputable brand name.
Shutterstock | You have to put in the long hours to reap results
Paul de la Pena’s field of choice
Paul reveals that he chose his field of specialization based on the market demand in the 1960s. the field of insolvency and restructuring was largely unsaturated back then. Thus, Paul was attracted by the prospect of large employment opportunities and less competition.
In retrospect, Paul is satisfied that though driven by material attractions, his field of choice complemented his characteristic traits. He had a varied skillset and had the ability to ponder, contemplate, and advise on cases' transactional and litigious nature.
Shutterstock | Some cases can be a real head-scratcher
Paul's career development
Paul is currently a tutor at ULaw Moorgate. He has had a history of a successful career passage where he started out as an insolvency and restructuring specialist. He invested 15 years of his professional life as a partner at Eversheds Sutherland. From there, he experienced a boost to becoming the national head of restructuring.
Presently, he teaches Business Law & Practice and Mergers & Acquisitions.
The ups and downs of Paul’s career lifeline
Paul reflected on the different phases of his career. The insolvency of British car manufacturers MG Rovers and the restructuring of Southern Cross healthcare were the pinnacles and highlights of his glorious career. The economic depression and bank crisis of 2008 though spelled bad for lawyers all over the world.
Paul’s advice to future law students
From the table of an accomplished tutor, Paul advised his students to look at their career as a long-term commitment. Your career choice will not stick with you only for two to five years but requires your lifetime commitment. That also means that you should not get disheartened if your initial payout is not grand because it will gradually grow, as does your list of completed cases and clients.
Shutterstock | Paul promises that a career in law is worth the hard work
Paul also revealed his greatest career regret as his inability to travel abroad for his work and get exposure to different jurisdictions in different countries. He did, however, work aplenty for clients based in different countries, but he was never officially based in any other country. Paul believes that aspiring lawyers should grab any chance to practice abroad because it would widen their career prospective.