Comments on: “I hate being a lawyer”

By: Julie A. Fleming

Julie A. Fleming — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:15:32 +0000

Nicole,

What a challenging decision you’re facing! The biggest issue I see is on the money right now. You’re correct that public interest law is typically not highly paid (though a few firms have been working on a new business model that could alter that, to some degree), and animal rights law is in the same category. What’s more, with the layoffs of the last 18 months or so, the market is saturated with highly qualified and experienced lawyers, which makes it more difficult for new lawyers to find a position. That certainly isn’t to say it’s impossible, and it’s hard to guess what the market will be in 3-5 years, when you’d be finishing law school, but it’s something to consider. Also, if you choose to apply, look *very* carefully at the school’s employment record, and be sure to ask for the percentage of graduates who are employed in the legal field at and within 6 months to a year following graduation. A good education is important, but having a job is (for most of us) critical.

I just did a radio interview and we briefly addressed the decision about whether to attend law school. If you’re interested, you can find the recording here: http://www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vepisode.aspx?aid=42543

Whatever your decision, best wishes!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:05:23 +0000

I THINK that I am glad that I stumbled across this. I have been contemplating a career in law, scouting about the internet, looking at law schools, rumminating about it. I was a Teacher and it nearly drove me mad, having to contend with ungrateful, sarcastic teenagers all day whose primary purpose was to taunt the Teacher! My main reason for being compelled to law is wanting to “make a difference,” that is, wanting to practice environmental/animal rights law and/or public interest law. Secondly, I have a massive amount of student-loan debt, and would, of course, be accruing more if I went to law school. So, I would also like to make a substantial income and become solvent. Perhaps these two things are mutually exclusive, as I have heard that public interest and environmental/animal rights law is not the most lucrative. Anyway, after reading this I am questioning whether or not I want to pursue it after all. I am also a Creative Writer and would like to still have time and energy to do that at the end of the day, but am thinking that practicing law might not allow me that. Any specific thoughts related to my questions/concerns, anyone?

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:03:47 +0000

I THINK that I am glad that I stumbled across this. I have been contemplating a career in law, scouting about the internet, looking at law schools, rumminating about it. I was a Teacher and it nearly drove me mad, having to contend with ungrateful, sarcastic teenagers all day whose primary purpose was to taunt the Teacher! My main reason for being compelled to law are wanting to “make a difference,” that is, wanting to practice environmental/animal rights law and/or public interest law. Secondly, I have a massive amount of student-loan debt, and would, of course, be accruing more if I went to law school. So, I would also like to make a substantial income and become solvent. Perhaps these two things are mutually exclusive, as I have heard that public interest and environmental/animal rights law is not the most lucrative. Anyway, after reading this I am questioning whether or not I want to pursue it after all. I am also a Creative Writer and would like to still have time and energy to do that at the end of the day, but am thinking that practicing law might not allow me that. Any specific thoughts related to my questions/concerns, anyone?

By: Alexis Martin Neely

Alexis Martin Neely — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:21:07 +0000

Reading these comments makes me sad. I remember when I felt like this ten years ago. I hated working at a law firm, but thought there was something wrong with me. Fortunately, I worked with a coach who helped me realize that there wasn’t something wrong with me at all, I just needed to step into who I really am and realize that I’m here to make a difference in the world and I’d never do that working at a big law firm.

I wrote a bit about this on my personal blog here: http://www.alexismartinneely.com.

Sorry I didn’t get to see you at #ABAChicago Julie. Look fwd to connecting soon.

Alexis

By: Ginger

Ginger — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:07:58 +0000

I’m at the point where prison seems to be an attractive alternative to practicing law. I’m out 10 years and I can’t take another day of chasing clients for money, dealing with moronic judges who play favorites and dealing with attorneys who are dicks. And my wife’s position is “your making good money, what else matters?” Is there anyone else who can relate?

By: Diana

Diana — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:39:31 +0000

I almost feel guilty saying I hate being a lawyer because (in case you’ve been under a rock and didn’t already know) the economy is in the toilet, but I still have a job and make a good salary. This job has allowed me to put a lot of money in the bank, and I have received a good bit of recognition for the work I do. I’m a partner, so I don’t have any complaints about “the boss”, although I could do without the micromanaging managing partner. After reading this blog and giving the points raised some serious thought, I guess what I hate about being a lawyer is the sense of never being “good enough”. No matter what I do, there is another lawyer out there ready to pick apart what I have done, and second guess my advice. Clients are rarely happy. If you call them, they complain about the bill, if you don’t you are not being responsive. A few weeks ago, when I dropped my son off at preschool, his teacher stopped me and told me if they gave an award for the best lunches, my son would win. I’m a partner, do large complex estate planning, make a great salary, etc, but nothing, I mean NOTHING in my job has ever given me as much job satisfaction as that comment by the preschool teacher. My job as a lawyer? yeah it pays the bills, but my “job” as a mom? I MAKE GOOD LUNCHES !!!!!!

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:18:30 +0000

Completely agree with the above posters. I work in a top 10 law firm in M&A. And it’s complete and utter BS the stuff that I do. It’s all execution work – just immensely boring. All good-paying jobs are usually boring because they’re corporate jobs – and corporate jobs means you do menial tasks for corporates like help them file some SEC document prior to a takeover. BOOOORRRING. I don’t have loans nor need to look after a family so am probably at more luxury than some of you to leave. But where do I go in this sort of market?

By: Pat

Pat — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:02:07 +0000

I could not agree more with the comments. I realize that there is a lot more to the statement, “I hate being a lawyer” once you peel back the layers. I hate drafting discovery, I hate answering discovery, but most of all, I hate having to learn everything the hard way. And by that I mean, by messing something up because I’m relatively new and have not had experience with every single little thing that comes up, and then getting yelled at for doing it wrong.
I discovered today why I use email with my boss so much – despite the fact that he hates it. No matter what I step in his office for, to tell him good news, to tell him we won a motion, to explain something to him, whatever, I leave feeling like an idiot or with more work. Period. Even if something was “all me” and a good thing, he’ll find a way to minimize it, take the credit, or say he would have done it better. If I’m proud of a dep, he’ll come back with 50 things I should have asked. Not a pleasant way to spend 12 hours a day. Thus, email has become my preferred way to communicate. He can’t type well so there is less bashing!
My experience with lawyers has taught me that while these people may be great lawyers, they are not great business people, mentors, teachers, etc. Why? All they know is how to be lawyers. They never worked in the business world. They never cared about efficiency or organization or how to lead a team or how to teach.
Not sure what I’m going to do, but one thing is for sure – I’m not going to continue like this. Having graduated Summa Cum Laude, even with the crappy economy, I’ll eventually give up – anyone with any backbone would eventually.

By: joker law

joker law — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:40:30 +0000

indeed

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:45:51 +0000

Cato . . . wow! As I read your comment, I started to think that I wrote it myself. I’ve been practicing for two years, and one thing that worries me besides the constant misery is that I won’t develop a sufficient “client base” (either because I can’t or because I have no drive to do it) and that in two or three years I’ll be too expensive for the firm to keep. Luckily, I’m not saddled with big student loans, but what else can I do? With the economy the way it is, it seems too risky to change professions now.

I hate coming to work. It isn’t so much dealing with clients (because I don’t have any and don’t speak to any) or opposing counsel (I rarely communicate with them except to relay messages to the partner) or judges (I never get to court because the partner always argues the motions I write) or taking depositions (I’ve only taken 1 in two years) or office backstabbing (I guess there’s no reason to backstab me yet). It’s that I feel so wasted here. I was a law clerk for three years for two different federal judges before coming to private practice. It was great. I was challenged. I developed researching and writing skills. I did something important. The issues were complex and interesting. Here, I’ve spent the last couple of days slowly drafting interrogatories and requests for production in a simple case (actually, it’s now needlessly devolved into four simple cases, thanks to me) that’s already dragged on for more than a year (again thanks to me). I’m not helping anyone except my firm and the partner I’m working for. Meanwhile, I’m told I need to “cowboy up.” That’s what some anonymous partner wrote on my evaluation. What the **** does that mean? That same person said that I would have problems attracting clients to the firm because my non-cowboy approach does not “instill confidence”–a foreshadowing of my eventual termination down the road.

From what I have seen so far this is how practicing law works–your job as a litigator/cowboy is to stride into the salon and bludgeon the other side with threats and delay and massive litigation expenses until they’re so tired and financially expended that they settle. At the same time, opposing counsel/cowboy is doing the same to your client. I don’t see the net benefit to society. We don’t create anything. The only justification for our profession is that some people are so damn stupid that they can’t act rationally and can’t resolve their problems until lawyers and their bludgeoning instruments get involved. That is plain stupid. More than half of the cases I’ve worked on are only here because of personal animus between the parties. Oh, well.