Comments on: Being A Lawyer

By: Blog Tips | Blogger For Hire

Blog Tips | Blogger For Hire — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:49:44 +0000

[...] and I am very proud of my career changes, which I’ve accomplished all by myself, from a miserable lawyer, to a happy-yet-somewhat-bored stay at home mom, to an extremely busy and fulfilled professional [...]

By: MomGrind

MomGrind — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:40:59 +0000

B.S. or not, I still don’t think you should give up on your dream of a career change. If you’re middle aged then you know perfectly well how very short life is. Good luck.

By: BurnedOut

BurnedOut — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:59:54 +0000

I found this while doing a google search for how to quit being a lawyer while at work. Its interesting and sad how so many bright, energetic people are ground down into nothingness by this so-called “profession.” Like a previous poster said “I am just not built to be an attorney.” I loved law school and did extraordinarily well. I got a prestiguous clerkship after graduation and it was the best 2 years of my life. 5 years into practicing law, and it takes all i have got just to get up in the morning and slink into my office. I love the law, love learning about the law, and love writing about the law. I have been trying to specialize in appellate work, but that field is not profitable enough for my superiors. I hate depositions, hearings, negotiations..pretty much anything involving dealing with other attorneys. My second trial sent me to the hospital, and I had a nervous breakdown after my third.
My family thinks I am crazy for wanting to quit a good-paying job right now, especially since my father recently lost his job.

As frustrating as this is, what is more frustrating is that I have no realistic options. What is a washed up lawyer with a poly/sci degree going to do in this job market? I would love to go back to school to get a PhD, but I don’t think that would get me anyplace better (and the job market in academia is much worse than in law).

What is most frustrating is that no matter how many lists I write, exit strategies I plan, or dreams I conjure up, I know I will never leave this. I am too much of a coward, to proud, too insecure. I went to lawschool to prove I could be somebody; to show the world that a poor blue-collar kid could make it with hard work and intellect. Every time I think of leaving I wind up in even more self-loathing because leaving would mean I failed, I couldn’t hack it, and wasn’t man enough.

I feel like I wasted the best years of my life that I could have spent with family and friends, enjoying my youth with my head in a book and a chip on my shoulder.

Now I am middle-aged, miserable, and utterly alone.

Finally, I completely disagree that “you can use your law degree in any field.” B.S. Try applying for a non-legal job and the first and only question you be be asked in an interview (assuming you can get one) is “So, when do you plan on going back to practicing law?” or “Why should be hire someone who is just going to leave?” or “How do you think you can be a team player having spent the last 5 years of your life lying and arguing for a living.”

Yup—great prospects.

By: MomGrind: Best of 2008 | Blogger For Hire

MomGrind: Best of 2008 | Blogger For Hire — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:25:49 +0000

[...] Being a Lawyer. Personally, I think this post should be required reading for any young person thinking about going [...]

By: MomGrind

MomGrind — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:49:48 +0000

I don’t know your circumstances in terms of finances and of being able (or not) to start over and take a risk, especially during what is still very much a recession, but it sounds like you should at least try exploring other options. You can use your legal education for lots of careers in the non-profit sector, for example. I would keep my practice for now while applying for jobs that seem interesting and see what happens.

By: criminally insane

criminally insane — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:46:13 +0000

I too am a former public defender and now self employed as a private defense attorney. I went into school so idealistic, wanting to devote myself and my talents to helping others (Stupid hippy mother and Catholic School is dangerous) Well, I was quickly kicked in the neck by reality. First, all your clients hate you. They will never express the least degree of gratitude regardless of how great the outcome is, you are lucky if they don’t insult you and denigrate you. Secondly, I wanted to go into public service work to avoid the cutthroat competition and evil corporate bosses, and work it a more understanding and communitarian atmosphere. Mistake number 2. That place was as cutthroat as any top corporate firm and 80 hour weeks were expected and completely the norm. At least corporate attorneys are compensated well for their efforts. After two years I left and discovered a brand new hell by whoring myself to some pretty bad people. The worst part is your clients are constantly conspiring to rip you off, constantly having a story as to why they do not have the money, crying and begging and promising to pay tomorrow, only to disappear without a phone call. These are criminals and I should expect it, but between being new in private practice and having to take what I can get, and having a generous heart, I have trouble saying no. So I get ripped off half the time. If you think coroprate clients are hard to please, try the average criminal defendant. Ever since the OJ trial, every criminal defendant thinks they should get “off” if they are paying for an attorney. No one is ever satisfied, especially when someone has to go to jail, then the entire family berates you. I hate my life.

By: MomGrind

MomGrind — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:55:45 +0000

Thank you jaya for adding your thoughts to this discussion!

By: jaya

jaya — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:03:48 +0000

oops i meant to say surfing the net not next lol =)
sorry guys

By: jaya

jaya — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:00:36 +0000

i have been reading so many of the commentaries here and i know exactly how you feel! i guess it resonates with other “rewarding” careers like nursing. i am a non-practicing nurse in NYC working in a small accounting firm in midtown as an office manager. (sounds weird, huh?) i’ve updated my license for those “just in case” moments….i also have a bachelors in computer information systems; unfortunately i haven’t used it since i graduated one month after 9/11.
i am in two minds: one tells me that whatever you have learned is not put to waste; it’s extra knowledge you may need down the road or just for fun (i guess). i think it’s true with my nurse training….
the other one is saying that i’ve regretted it for not putting it to good use, so that is a waste in itself. i’ve even been hearing in the news that the college degrees aren’t as valuable as they used to be; now you have to have experience along with the degree; but here is the thing: how the hell do you get the experience when everyone rejects you for not having any?
anyways to cut my kvetching (btw i’m indian working for some very nice bosses, most of them jewish + an italian =), which explains my sprinkling of yiddish lol) the current job i’m at is great; don’t need to deal with blood or conniving nurses who look to put you out instead of helping you out; don’t need to deal with politicizing drivel at big corporations. yet at the same time i hit a road block…..getting a bit bored; but then i thought instead of driving myself to tears surfing the next i figured i go back to one of my first interesting encounters in IT: programming. so now i’m re-learning visual basic (with the express version) and it’s fun =). i’m thinking i could conjure up a couple of fun, useful, useless, strange, and in-between programs…..well what do i have to lose?
i enjoyed reading your blog vered; i wish you well and let your dreams flourish. from a “shiksa”, happy chanukah and l’chayim! — jaya

By: Sympathizing with Frustrated Young Associate

Sympathizing with Frustrated Young Associate — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:04:07 +0000

To the Frustrated Young Associate, I completely feel your pain. I JUST finished law school in May and while I know I’m “lucky” to have a job in this market, I have hated every minute of it since I got here. I loved law school but am already regretting having gone – it seems like such a waste given the career it apparently leads to. I just hope that one day, when I get out of this hellish industry, I can get to where MomsGrind is emotionally and see that my law degree is still worth something. Right now I feel as if I left a perfectly good, rewarding job before law school (I worked for several years before going back to school) to get a degree that, while I enjoyed getting the degree, is not leading me to a rewarding, interesting, balanced career. I’m already trying to make a move out of the law, but it’s hard when the market is not good right now and people don’t understand why I would want to leave practice after only a few months in it. If it’s any consolation, I know completely how you feel. Everything you said rings true with me… there are days I would consider quitting without anything to go to but I know that would not be smart – financially or otherwise (it would be essentially impossible for us to live on my husband’s salary alone), so I try to stick it out and job search in my non-existent spare time.