First of all, let me thank those of you who have been in touch with me. I appreciate the feedback, so keep it coming!

This month, as part of the typical annual review period, I was asked to review my assistant and the firm’s law clerks and articling students. It occurred to me that one of the most challenging aspects of transitioning from student to associate is supervising others.

My January column was all about how to work. This month, I’ve been thinking a lot about how not to work (well, at scheduled intervals throughout the year). I’m taking my first official vacation as an associate this month, and I imagine many other first years have some winter holiday time booked, too. I took a few days off at Christmas, but was in town and worked as necessary. This time I’m headed out of the country for some fun in the sun. This column is all about how I’m learning to take vacation and make it count.

Happy new year! The most exciting part of 2012 for me is that I can officially say I was called to the Ontario bar “last year” — it already sounds better than saying “in June,” doesn’t it? Over the next 12 months, I look forward to sharing with you some of the highs and lows of my first year of legal practice. I welcome your comments and any suggestions for future articles.