Choosing commercial law wasn’t just about a fascination with contracts and corporate deals—it was about finding an area that challenges me intellectually, aligns with my operational mindset, and offers real-world impact. But the reality is that my legal journey hasn’t been confined to commercial topics alone.

As a law student and professional navigating multiple domains—from criminal law and torts to employment, public law, and beyond—I’ve had to develop strategies for keeping pace with it all. Working full-time while studying, writing, and leading projects means staying organised is non-negotiable.

In this second post in my Why I Chose Commercial Law series, I want to share the tools and techniques that help me stay sharp (and mostly sane), no matter what area of law I’m focused on that day.

1. Motion – My Personal Assistant in the Background

Motion has completely transformed the way I manage my professional and academic life. I use it to automatically schedule and prioritise everything from University assignments, my full time work and my consultancy deliverables.

Here’s how I make the most of it:

  • I upload all my university assignments, course deadlines, and independent learning as individual projects.
  • I use it to manage consultancy tasks and legal projects, all broken into milestones with built-in buffers.
  • Motion syncs with all my calendars and relevant email accounts—meaning I never miss a class, call, or deadline.
  • It auto-adjusts when plans shift, helping me recover time and stay realistic about my capacity.

What I love most is that I don’t waste time thinking what should I do next?—Motion already knows.

2. Westlaw & LexisNexis – For Staying Legally Literate

Whether I’m reviewing a recent Supreme Court judgment or brushing up on employment law developments, these databases are essential. I use them to:

  • Stay current with case law across every core subject I study
  • Dig into practitioner commentary and journal articles
  • Identify trends in regulation, human rights, and policy reform
  • Build stronger arguments in both academic work and real-world legal strategy

Legal literacy isn’t just about being exam-ready—it’s about developing a working understanding of the legal landscape across jurisdictions and disciplines.

3. ChatGPT – My First-Draft Thought Partner

I’m not shy about using AI tools like ChatGPT to accelerate my workflow. It helps me:

  • Summarise dense legal material
  • Explore perspectives on complex legal questions
  • Draft outlines and brainstorm arguments across various areas of law
  • Refine my thinking before diving into formal writing

Of course, I always cross-check with primary sources—but having a starting point saves hours when time is tight.

4. Timeboxing with Outlook Calendar

When balancing multiple commitments, timeboxing is my go-to strategy—and Outlook Calendar, which syncs with Motion, is where I keep everything aligned. I block out time for:

  • Focused study sessions tailored to each area of law
  • Project work and meetings across my legal and operational roles
  • Reading and prep time for both academic and professional tasks
  • Recharge breaks and protected personal time

Outlook gives me visibility; Motion gives me adaptability. Together, they keep me both focused and flexible.

5. Calm, Walks, and Weekend Boundaries

This lifestyle—working, studying, leading, learning—is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also demanding. I rely on short meditations, walking meetings, and structured downtime to stay grounded. Some of my best legal ideas have come to me on walks, not while staring at a screen.

Protecting time to recharge is part of my strategy—not an afterthought.

6. My Academic Wall Calendar – Visual Structure at a Glance

Alongside my digital tools, I also rely on my large academic wall calendar. It’s the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I check at night.

I use it to:

  • Track all my key deadlines, lectures, and tutorials
  • Highlight important personal or professional events
  • Colour-code tasks and commitments so I can see my day at a glance
  • Cross off each day to create a sense of momentum and structure

It’s more than just a schedule—it’s a daily visual cue that helps me stay present, focused, and accountable. When I see a bright red or blue box in the morning, I know immediately where my attention needs to go.

Final Thoughts

Commercial law is the path I’ve chosen to specialise in, but my legal foundation spans much broader ground. The reality is that law is interconnected—and the more I learn across disciplines, the better I understand how to serve businesses, individuals, and society as a whole.

These tools help me show up as a focused student, a responsive leader, and a thoughtful practitioner. I won’t pretend I have it all figured out, but this system keeps me learning, delivering, and growing.

In the next post in this series, I’ll reflect on how my early military training taught me the value of precision, pressure, and clarity—traits that now shape my legal thinking in and out of the commercial sphere.

If you’re juggling work and study too, I’d love to hear what keeps you going. Drop me a message—I’m always up for a chat about systems, sanity, and legal ambition.