Stagnant but high paying job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. Of counsel. Gritting my teeth but need to put my kids through college.

I mean, I can go and be a partner in a less fancy firm tomorrow. But frankly at my age I don't have the stomach for the rat race and the politics. Most of the time I am ok with the things turning out the way they did. Most of the time. I know I am just as good if not better than most of the people with the partner title. It's just the luck of the draw. Many people would kill for my life and position.

I’m stagnant in a moderately well paid (government) job and would absolutely seek out advancement if not for the motivation of stability and pension. If you didn’t need the income - which you say you don’t - then definitely make a change now before it’s too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. Of counsel. Gritting my teeth but need to put my kids through college.

I mean, I can go and be a partner in a less fancy firm tomorrow. But frankly at my age I don't have the stomach for the rat race and the politics. Most of the time I am ok with the things turning out the way they did. Most of the time. I know I am just as good if not better than most of the people with the partner title. It's just the luck of the draw. Many people would kill for my life and position.

Do you have a substantial portable book of business??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar position here, honestly I’m just burned out and don’t feel much motivation to push hard every day so I’m not surprised I’m not getting considered for promos. The work is boring and I don’t feel like I’m growing but the tech job market sucks rn and I can’t find anything else that pays nearly what I make now.

Fellow tech person here and in the same boat. I’d have to take a big pay hit to go elsewhere, and I am hanging on with teeth gritted because I get certain bonuses, etc. if I make it another year or so.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity, OP, why are you upset about being a permanent counsel? Having worked in law firms myself, this always seemed to me to be the best outcome - high pay without the pressures of being partner. But I realize people have different levels of ambition!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, OP, why are you upset about being a permanent counsel? Having worked in law firms myself, this always seemed to me to be the best outcome - high pay without the pressures of being partner. But I realize people have different levels of ambition!

Because you're always on the bubble and beholden to others. That said, if you want to control your life more than you do as an Of Counsel, you'll need to put in 3-5 years of hard work to build a book of business. You'll still be under someone else's control, but it will be the control of YOUR clients instead of a partner who doesn't want to ruin his family's vacation (and who would rather ruin yours).

That said, there are some Of Counsel who have more power than partners. These are people whose skills are really in demand - and the partners at their firms know it. If such Of Counsel walk out the door, so does the lucrative business that they do for the firm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, OP, why are you upset about being a permanent counsel? Having worked in law firms myself, this always seemed to me to be the best outcome - high pay without the pressures of being partner. But I realize people have different levels of ambition!

Because you're always on the bubble and beholden to others. That said, if you want to control your life more than you do as an Of Counsel, you'll need to put in 3-5 years of hard work to build a book of business. You'll still be under someone else's control, but it will be the control of YOUR clients instead of a partner who doesn't want to ruin his family's vacation (and who would rather ruin yours).

That said, there are some Of Counsel who have more power than partners. These are people whose skills are really in demand - and the partners at their firms know it. If such Of Counsel walk out the door, so does the lucrative business that they do for the firm.

If the Of Counsel has a lucrative business that would actually follow them if they left, they should be provided with an opportunity to be partner. Otherwise, the firm will just find someone else to do the work when the Of Counsel leaves.

[Anonymous]

Much better that being promoted into a job you can't do and getting fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much better that being promoted into a job you can't do and getting fired.

Or being promoted into a job you don't want.

[Anonymous]

Long term “income partner” here. You just have to make your peace with it. Only a big book of business is going to get you promoted. I tried and tried and tried and while I have by far the most technical knowledge of anyone in my group, am recognized by the industry for it, and people generally like me, I just don’t have that skill set. It’s frustrating to see folks who have no idea what they’re doing get paid multiples of what I do, but in the law firm world their abilities are just valued more than mine. Unless there is some magic event like a competitor loses a critical niche player you can replace, you just need to make your peace with it, or do something else. There are worse things in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long term “income partner” here. You just have to make your peace with it. Only a big book of business is going to get you promoted. I tried and tried and tried and while I have by far the most technical knowledge of anyone in my group, am recognized by the industry for it, and people generally like me, I just don’t have that skill set. It’s frustrating to see folks who have no idea what they’re doing get paid multiples of what I do, but in the law firm world their abilities are just valued more than mine. Unless there is some magic event like a competitor loses a critical niche player you can replace, you just need to make your peace with it, or do something else. There are worse things in life.

This is something that's not really emphasized in law school, maybe because most law professors have never reached partner level, either. Many go in thinking it's enough to be smart and on law review. Then think it's enough to bill hours. The reality is that most of the work, even the most technical, can be figured out by someone capable of passing the Bar exam. The same is not true for the people/sales skills and connections needed.

[Anonymous]

Can you take a continuing education class or the like? It might give you a bit of an upper edge and definitely a talking point when it comes time to promote.

On the other hand, promotions means more workload and responsibilities and stress.

You have the best of both worlds - a high pay w/o the headache of more responsibility. Be careful what you wish for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long term “income partner” here. You just have to make your peace with it. Only a big book of business is going to get you promoted. I tried and tried and tried and while I have by far the most technical knowledge of anyone in my group, am recognized by the industry for it, and people generally like me, I just don’t have that skill set. It’s frustrating to see folks who have no idea what they’re doing get paid multiples of what I do, but in the law firm world their abilities are just valued more than mine. Unless there is some magic event like a competitor loses a critical niche player you can replace, you just need to make your peace with it, or do something else. There are worse things in life.

This is something that's not really emphasized in law school, maybe because most law professors have never reached partner level, either. Many go in thinking it's enough to be smart and on law review. Then think it's enough to bill hours. The reality is that most of the work, even the most technical, can be figured out by someone capable of passing the Bar exam. The same is not true for the people/sales skills and connections needed.

+1. I had profs whose experience in practice was a couple years as an associate… plus, law professors to start with are not the most socially adept bunch

[Anonymous]

I feel like this poster is me exactly. Do I really want to be partner - mmm, probably not. But it is still an ego hit when those junior to you make partner and you know from working with them they you are equally skilled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. Of counsel. Gritting my teeth but need to put my kids through college.

I mean, I can go and be a partner in a less fancy firm tomorrow. But frankly at my age I don't have the stomach for the rat race and the politics. Most of the time I am ok with the things turning out the way they did. Most of the time. I know I am just as good if not better than most of the people with the partner title. It's just the luck of the draw. Many people would kill for my life and position.

Do you have a substantial portable book of business??

It's decent enough

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long term “income partner” here. You just have to make your peace with it. Only a big book of business is going to get you promoted. I tried and tried and tried and while I have by far the most technical knowledge of anyone in my group, am recognized by the industry for it, and people generally like me, I just don’t have that skill set. It’s frustrating to see folks who have no idea what they’re doing get paid multiples of what I do, but in the law firm world their abilities are just valued more than mine. Unless there is some magic event like a competitor loses a critical niche player you can replace, you just need to make your peace with it, or do something else. There are worse things in life.

This is something that's not really emphasized in law school, maybe because most law professors have never reached partner level, either. Many go in thinking it's enough to be smart and on law review. Then think it's enough to bill hours. The reality is that most of the work, even the most technical, can be figured out by someone capable of passing the Bar exam. The same is not true for the people/sales skills and connections needed.

This is 1000% untrue. For a run of the mill litigator or transaction lawyer, maybe. For someone with an intricate knowledge of a complex field that took decades to learn, and that most folks would have no hope of leaning or retaining, nope.