The Essence of Career is "Carer"

Good friends from Stanford Law School are in the process of “retiring” now. Their transitions have prompted me to consider the very nature of work-life and contribution.

Both friends live thousands of miles apart and have pursued very different work paths. George Greer is a gregarious, securities litigator with a large firm in Seattle. His skills as a negotiator and trial attorney have garnered accolades, such as Seattle’s “Securities Lawyer of the Year” for several years. I know him to be dedicated to his clients and to seek solutions that are efficient and fair—-end results that may not always be identical to those of large firm fueled by billable hours and extended representation. As he exits his big firm, he will be devoting more time to teaching law students, volunteering with at-risk children and enjoying his amazing family.

Susan Willis McFadden is another friend who is in the midst of packing up her lovely London office. She began her professional life in a big Arizona firm. When her children were small, she learned immigration law when she went to work for a non-profit law office in Tucson. There she helped many deserving clients, mainly from El Salvador. The immigration law work combined her language skills and attention to detail. When she moved to London, she continued as an immigration lawyer, eventually partnering in a boutique international practice. In this setting, Ms. McFadden was able to utilize her knowledge of international cultures and language. These skills complemented the technical doggedness required to help people move from the United Kingdom to the United States. As of result of her efforts, Ms. McFadden provided life-changing assistance to individuals as they sought to achieve professional and person goals. As she exits her practice, she has opened up more time to help and nurture her own family. For Susan McFadden, “family” is a a category of individuals (in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States), from 6 months of age to over ninety years of age, who may or may not be related by blood. All within this category are beneficiaries of her emotional support and consideration.

When I contemplate my friends’ professional lives, I am convinced the essence of a worthwhile career focuses on five letters in that word: carer. Perhaps the extra “e” is for education? Experience? Empathy? Endurance? Whatever the extra “e” provides, their “career” is as a “carer.” My friends cared about their clients. They cared about making a workplace that was supportive and seasoned with laughter. They cared about maintaining impeccably high work standards. They cared about making sure their clients would have help in the future, if needed. They continue to care, using their skills and generosity in new and just as important ways. I am privileged to be their friend and colleague.