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Practicing in Brandon since 1998, Wyman achieved
partnership in her firm in 2006. She values the
independence of being her own boss and can’t
imagine working anywhere else. She credits Brandon’s
smaller size for making it easier for her “to get my
name out there much faster than I could in a bigger
centre and to develop the exact practice that I want.”
Quality of life is paramount for Wyman. ” I work
reasonable hours during the week with weekends off,
and I take six weeks of holidays each year.”
“It’s far easier to make professional and
social connections in a smaller centre.
There is a genuine camaraderie between
lawyers in the rural areas. Knowing your
colleagues and the local judges well
lessens the stress of practice.”
Wyman’s advice to law students and recent grads?
“Don’t underestimate the value of a good work/life
balance. That’s something that a rural practice can
really deliver.”
Robert Pellizzaro has practiced law in Thompson for
19 years and has achieved partnership in the firm of
Mayer, Dearman and Pellizzaro. “I do family law, while
another partner handles criminal and civil cases,
and another lawyer does real estate. Thompson is
something of a hidden gem in terms of practicing law
because it’s very busy with lower competition in terms
of number of lawyers per person.”
Besides the healthy numbers ratio, Pellizzaro thinks
that, from a professional perspective, it’s better to
practice law in Thompson than in Winnipeg. “It’s busy,
but less frantic than what it’s like there. For example I
typically go out for lunch. We are able to strike a better
balance between personal and professional life. Also,
living in a small community makes it easier to get
to work. Compare a five minute commute to half an
hour in Winnipeg.”
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, FACULTY OF LAW robsonhall.ca 54