Briefs, Belief and the Bar

Since beginning my law degree, I’ve realised that juggling studying full-time, working, and supporting my family is more than just managing time — it’s a heartfelt daily commitment full of discipline, sacrifice, and purpose.

I’m in my second year of the LLB, working a full week in a demanding role, and I’m also a husband and a father. My study hours don’t follow the usual pattern; I’m not spending hours in a library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with lecture notes and highlighters. My revision often begins when most people are winding down — after dealing with work emails, preparing dinner, and reading bedtime stories.

Some days I feel fully in control. On other days, I feel like I’m spinning plates and praying they don’t drop. But even on the difficult days, the goal remains the same:

🎯 Complete the LLB

🎯 Complete the BTC

🎯 Be called to the Bar

🎯 Secure and complete pupillage

At the heart of my academic ambitions is something even more meaningful: a sense of calling, stewardship, and legacy. I want my son to see me not just talking about discipline, purpose, and perseverance, but living them every day.

While there is a cost involved — social life becomes smaller, free time is more precious, and sleep can sometimes be a negotiation — it’s important to remember that this cost isn’t greater than the calling. If I aim to build a future as a barrister, I need to start developing the habits that will belong to that future today.

Over the next few posts, I’ll share:

• How I structure my week between work, law school and family
• What “realistic study discipline” looks like when life is full
• How I protect time for my wife and son
• Why faith is the only reason this balancing act is possible
• How I stay focused on the end goal when the days feel long

If you’re also studying later in life, retraining for the Bar, juggling work and family — you’re not behind, you’re not disqualified, and you’re not alone. You’re building something with weight, with purpose, and with testimony.

Here’s to the long nights, the early mornings — and the finish line that is worth it.

— Manuel