Life and balance beyond the courtroom

For many in Malta, Dr Joseph Giglio is synonymous with criminal law, high-profile cases and political debate.

He is a Senior Partner and founding partner of the firm LexPractis Legal, as well as Shadow Minister for Justice. But beyond the courtroom and parliamentary chamber, he is a man who says that his greatest fulfilment comes not from his professional accolades, but from his family.

After several decades practising criminal law, Dr Giglio admits the emotional weight of the profession inevitably leaves its mark.

The very nature of criminal cases, combined with the pressures that come with public visibility, can easily consume a person if boundaries are not carefully maintained, he says candidly.

“Yes, it’s obviously going to impact your personal life when you have a high-profile job such as mine,” he admits. “But you have to switch off, because if you do not, you will not be able to cope with the pressure and the stress that it brings with it.”

For him, maintaining that balance is essential to survive both professionally and personally. His grounding force has always been his family.

“You have to ensure that you’re doing your job seriously and with integrity,” he explains. “But then you need to have your own time to enjoy some days with your children and your family. It’s very important.”

This year, he and his wife Jeannine – also a lawyer - will celebrate 30 years of marriage.

“In fact, we had planned a little holiday for our anniversary,” he says, “However, unfortunately, the election was called, so we had to cancel it. But we will obviously have time to celebrate this milestone later in the year.”

Together, they have raised four children - Michaela, Mattea, Giorgia and Giacomo -  Michaela and Mattea have already followed their parents into law.

As for the younger two, who are twins, Giacomo is in the second year of the law course, while Giorgia is currently studying veterinary medicine in Budapest.

Despite their own careers in law, neither he nor his wife pressured their children to follow the same route.

“When they told us they were interested, of course we were happy about it, but neither myself nor my wife pushed them into anything,” he says firmly. “We let them decide for themselves, knowing full well that we would support them in whatever decision they would take.”

Interestingly, despite the legal dynasty the family appears to have become, Dr Giglio explains he did not come from a legal background himself.

“My father was an auditor, and my mother was a teacher. Most of my mother’s brothers and sisters worked as teachers or bankers, and my father’s family were also teachers or doctors. So, I don’t really come from a legal background at all,” he explains.

His own decision to study law stemmed from idealism and a desire to fight injustice.

“Standing up for people’s rights, protecting the rule of law, stepping up against something that is bigger and more powerful than you… those were the aspirations that pushed me in that direction,” he states.

Despite hectic schedules, the Giglio family makes a conscious effort to spend quality time together. Holidays remain particularly important, even if sometimes they are only short breaks squeezed between professional commitments.

Closer to home, he says that eating together is important to us. Other family moments include watching films, playing board games and following football together.

A lifelong supporter of Juventus F.C. and Sliema Wanderers F.C., football remains one of Dr Giglio’s greatest passions outside work.

His connection to Sliema Wanderers, in fact, appears set to deepen further. During the conversation, Dr Giglio revealed that he had recently been invited to join a new committee being set up within the club.

Travel is another passion that helps him decompress from the pressures of everyday life.

While many gravitate towards more long-haul destinations, Dr Giglio’s favourite place remains much closer to home - Italy, and more specifically, Rome.

“You have Roman history, the Renaissance, all the architecture and art,” he says. “You have the impact the Romans left, the impact the Popes left and, to a certain extent, even the impact left during the fascist era with Piazza Venezia and so on.”

Of course, the delicious food also plays a role.

“You can eat very well,” he says with a smile. “It’s close to home - only an hour away by plane - and it’s well-priced compared to somewhere like London.”

When it comes to unwinding, Dr Giglio does not claim to be a sophisticated chef, but he happily takes charge of the barbecue.

“I don’t really know how to cook,” he laughs, “but I do enjoy organising barbecues! And I like to listen to music while I am at the grill.”

His music of choice while he is cooking? Likely to be something by Ennio Morricone, whose sweeping cinematic soundtracks he deeply admires.

Away from politics and the courtroom, another longstanding passion remains lecturing first-year law students in criminal law at the University of Malta.

One of the strongest messages he tries to impart during his lectures is that university life should never revolve solely around examinations.

“What I always tell them is that it is indispensable that they live the ‘university life’” he explains. “I strongly recommend that they get involved in other activities - sports activities, student organisations and so on - apart from studying.”

As for succeeding once they join the legal profession itself, Dr Giglio believes the formula is ultimately straightforward.

“You can get far in your career if you realise that it’s a constant learning curve,” he says. “You have to keep studying and preparing yourself all the time, and you have to take the job with a great sense of integrity and seriousness.”

He pauses briefly before adding a final thought.

“In my opinion, like any other thing in life, ultimately, there’s no place for mediocrity.”