Things are different for law firms, especially those with international clients. We need to continuously flash our “COME IN, WE ARE OPEN” neon sign. But we must also patiently explain to our foreign clients that “regrettably” (most-used adverb of the season) closing a deal in August is not going to happen because the notary is away from the office. We must apologize for taking two weeks off to people whose idea of a vacation is a long weekend. We need to point out that Italian courts have a summer recess period from July 15 to August 31.

So here we are. It’s AUGUST at last! What do we do now?

I read a joke on Instagram on the dilemma of this decision: (i) if you make plans, you will be exhausted, (ii) if you do not make plans, you will be bored; (iii) if you stay flexible, you will be ridden with anxiety hoping for a fun opportunity that may never materialize.

And the question is: ARE LAWYERS CAPABLE OF RESTING?

From the dictionary, to rest is “to stop being active for a period of time in order to relax and get back your strength.”

Let’s start with a confession: I suck at resting. Nobody in my family or in any firm I have worked at taught me how. I am an “overplanner,” a condition that is akin to bulimia of experiences. I tend to squeeze activities into every little vacuum of free time. I have gotten much better in the past years, but I still have a hard time doing nothing. I rest when my body shouts at me that I have to stop and lie down.

The “Carpe Diem” principle is a good old measure to live by, but it can drive you crazy if you push it too hard. “Carpe minutes” is a principle that lawyers who bill their time in sixminute increments understand well.

As lawyers, we have a strong work ethic, but do we have a rest ethic? Can we stay still without panicking?

Inactivity or less activity often evokes horror scenarios like a dry pipeline of deals or all of our clients ditching you. What if the phone never rings again, no more instructions come and nobody will need me any longer?

We all know that some client, old or new, will seek us eventually – it happened so many times in the past, as a lawyer’s activity has peaks and valleys. I find that we are great at facing stress, but much less at facing inactivity. We have internalized the equation that busy = good, not busy = very bad.

Similar forces underpin the reluctance to retire that many of us face – what if I no longer have sufficient stimulation to keep me from being bored? Will I be impoverished, or will I lose my status, or even my identity?

Perhaps resting is an act of confidence, in yourself, in the law practice you have built and in your team. “BELIEVE” as Ted Lasso of the TV series would summarize it.

In conclusion, I wish all of you some well-deserved rest this summer, and I hope you can find some anxiety-free time to do absolutely nothing.

Paola Sangiovanni
2025 – 2027 President