The Duncan Cotterill partner loves helping "great people run great businesses"
Commercial law wasn’t something Juliet Short immediately knew she wanted to do, but on falling in love with the field, she hasn’t looked back.
She became the 16th female partner at Duncan Cotterill last year, and continues to find joy in “helping great people run great businesses”, as she puts it. In this August 2024 interview, Short talks the importance of “switching off” at the end of the day and tuning out the “shoulds”.
What made you choose a career in law?
I chose my university courses based on what I was good at: working with people and solving problems — and I think a law degree played to those strengths. I had no idea what area of law I wanted to practice in until I graduated and got a job in commercial law which I loved and didn't look back.
What's your favourite part of the job?
My favourite part of the job is helping great people run great businesses and realise their business and personal aspirations. I also like finding solutions to sticky problems. More often than not, problem-solving in my area of law is as much about facilitating human relationships as it is about technical aspects of the law. I also really enjoy seeing our junior lawyers coming through and supporting them to grow their careers.
You were special counsel before transitioning to being a partner. What's been the most interesting thing about that transition?
More than anything, it’s a big shift in mindset, because you go from working in a business, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, to being a business owner with many hats! Our internal training program does a good job of preparing us for the transition and I’m lucky to be part of a large and supportive partnership with great role models and management to lean on.
What tools or networks have you used to help you manage that transition from employee to business owner?
Over the course of my career I've always had great mentors and colleagues and I’ve looked to them for guidance in managing the transition. One of the best pieces of advice I received was that there will never be enough time, and as well as deciding what opportunities to take, deciding what to say no to is an important skill. I also have a group of business owners and professionals outside law I catch up with regularly which has been excellent for sharing knowledge and insights.
What's been the biggest lesson you've learned in the past year, and what advice would you give to someone, perhaps a mentee, about it?
A lesson that I constantly remind myself of is how important it is to take care of yourself in order to do your best work. When we take care of our own physical and mental health we’re more present, more connected and well-positioned to provide excellent service to our clients. In a busy week, this could just mean swapping a sit-down coffee meeting for a walking coffee meeting, or reading a good book to switch off at the end of the day – it’s about trying to ignore the endless stream of advice about what we “should” do and making time for something that works for you (in my case spending time with family and friends, getting outdoors, and good books).