Mary Cobb tells about how she took a break from law to learn to paint in Italy, and now combines her careers in law and art

Mary Cobb is both an artist and a working lawyer. She tells us about how she left full-time practice to move to Italy and learn to paint. She’s now built a dual career, returning to practice as a staff attorney while building her art business on the side. I think her story gives a good glimpse into how pursuing your interests and passions can be balanced with a legal job, if that’s where your comfort zone lies.

• Sometimes the life you carefully built no longer makes sense to you
• It’s ok to make a change, even if you feel like you're too old to
• Get your eat, pray, love on
• Explore your artistic side, you might find you have one
• You can leverage your legal skills through contract work to fund a break, exploration stint, etc.
• Longer term, there are staff attorney roles at law firms that allow you to balance being a lawyer, making money, and exploring an interest/passion
• You can balance careers, but it requires holding your boundaries clearly
• You can gradually let go your attachment to the lawyer identity 
• Covid-19 may present opportunities to advocate for a new balance for yourself

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