In 2014 , Tara Lucke co-founded a boutique law firm. Today, she graces the virtual floors of DLD with the story of why she quit full-time law at the age of 30 and how she went on to become the founder of The Art of Estate Planning, a part-time Nexus lawyer and a full-time mum.
The Queen of Wills has arrived and she hasn’t worked a full week since 2017. Take that, billable targets.
Time and time again on DLD we come back to the idea that the version of success that we’re conditioned to strive for as legal practitioners is flawed and unhealthy. Tara’s experience of working her way up the corporate ladder only to burn out from sheer exhaustion is all too familiar. A culture of toxic work environments, pressure to over-perform and a lack of work-life balance seems to be so ingrained in our industry that not many people stop to question it before it’s too late.
Tara is here to tell you that there are lots of other ways to be a lawyer and to use your law degree without losing a grip on your health, your freedom and your sanity.
How? By embracing a passive income. Tara went from being a sceptic to a queen of passive income (as well as being The Queen of Wills) and it all started when she took a 6-month hiatus to surf, discover colouring-in meditation books and find inspiration in the people around her.
The Art of Estate Planning started life as an online course that teaches financial planners, accountants and lawyers to grow their business through estate planning. It has since grown into a thriving online community – which I myself contribute to often – that unites professionals from all walks of life. Its collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to business is refreshing and, importantly, affords Tara the freedom to do what she wants with her time while encouraging all of us to do the same.
The final cog in Tara’s beautifully mish-mash approach to success was joining Nexus Law Group, a flexible law firm (See Episode 20 – link in show notes). Tara has come a long way as a person and as a lawyer and, in her own words, “Nexus is perfect because I get to call my own shots but I also have access to an amazing support network.”
Working in law doesn’t have to be all or nothing, the options are endless and it’s really just about figuring it out for yourself. With only 25% of people in Australia actually having a Will, Tara has well and truly found a gap in the market and she’s welcoming you to take advantage of that too. The key is that you don’t have to do it alone. Why would you want to?
Listen for an insightful exploration of the following topics:
- How working in traditional firms can be destructive and unhealthy.
- Ways to push yourself to redefine success and use your law degree to build a life based on your needs.
- Exactly how passive Tara’s income is and how she supplements it with flexible, side-gig, law stuff.
About our guest
Tara Lucke is a former big-firm lawyer before 30 who became sick and tired (literally) of swapping time for money and started using her law degree to create passive income and a happy, healthy lifestyle at the beach.
She teaches financial advisors, accountants and lawyers how to grow their business with estate planning. She has a Facebook group called The Art of Estate Planning with over 800 financial advisors, accountants and lawyers where they share estate planning knowledge.
Tara is definitely doing law differently. With her online course, her Facebook group and her role as a Group Principal at the Nexus Law Group, she’s redefined herself as The Queen of Wills and can now proudly boast that she hasn’t worked a full week in three years.
Tara Lucke quotes
- “If you’re feeling unhappy, talk to people and try to get some inspiration because there are so many ways to be a lawyer in the way you want to. Everyone’s idea of success will be different so tapping into your idea of what success is… is a great start. Also, it’s not the end of the world if you take a break.”
- “From my perspective, I have the best of both worlds: I’m part of a law firm and also running my own practise. I can choose which clients I work for and whether I want to work at all and no one cares when I go on holiday and no one asks me when I’m coming back.”
Find Tara online
Links to other things mentioned in the episode
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