Why would anybody want to be a lawyer?

[Anonymous]

Damn legal shows in the 80's made it seem so exciting!

Why do they never have tv shows about doc review, lol?

[Anonymous]

Being a lawyer in DCUM land has one path. Top 10 school, big law for 5-7 years, then boutique or in house. Thats just one very narrow way of looking at law. My sister lives in Ohio where she went to a state law school (U of Akron) for 21k a year while working full time. It was half paid by her employer. After graduation she transferred to said companies legal department where they pay back her loans. She makes 156k in Ohio were a 5,000 sq ft house in a great school district is 450k. I think in our area it seems like the legal profession is soul sucking because there are so many of us but there are lots of ways and places to practice law and this notion of "top tier or not worth it" s silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being a lawyer in DCUM land has one path. Top 10 school, big law for 5-7 years, then boutique or in house. Thats just one very narrow way of looking at law. My sister lives in Ohio where she went to a state law school (U of Akron) for 21k a year while working full time. It was half paid by her employer. After graduation she transferred to said companies legal department where they pay back her loans. She makes 156k in Ohio were a 5,000 sq ft house in a great school district is 450k. I think in our area it seems like the legal profession is soul sucking because there are so many of us but there are lots of ways and places to practice law and this notion of "top tier or not worth it" s silly.

Agreed. One of the lawyers my company uses is a one-woman shop in Wisconsin. Her rates are reasonable, and she specializes in a few obscure areas of law but she's good at it. She'll never end up doing litigation, just contracts stuff. She makes a decent living for the area, and she doesn't have to work crazy hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being a lawyer in DCUM land has one path. Top 10 school, big law for 5-7 years, then boutique or in house. Thats just one very narrow way of looking at law. My sister lives in Ohio where she went to a state law school (U of Akron) for 21k a year while working full time. It was half paid by her employer. After graduation she transferred to said companies legal department where they pay back her loans. She makes 156k in Ohio were a 5,000 sq ft house in a great school district is 450k. I think in our area it seems like the legal profession is soul sucking because there are so many of us but there are lots of ways and places to practice law and this notion of "top tier or not worth it" s silly.

Yes but she lives in Ohio. Sorry that’s not a choice most would make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a lawyer in DCUM land has one path. Top 10 school, big law for 5-7 years, then boutique or in house. Thats just one very narrow way of looking at law. My sister lives in Ohio where she went to a state law school (U of Akron) for 21k a year while working full time. It was half paid by her employer. After graduation she transferred to said companies legal department where they pay back her loans. She makes 156k in Ohio were a 5,000 sq ft house in a great school district is 450k. I think in our area it seems like the legal profession is soul sucking because there are so many of us but there are lots of ways and places to practice law and this notion of "top tier or not worth it" s silly.

Agreed. One of the lawyers my company uses is a one-woman shop in Wisconsin. Her rates are reasonable, and she specializes in a few obscure areas of law but she's good at it. She'll never end up doing litigation, just contracts stuff. She makes a decent living for the area, and she doesn't have to work crazy hours.

And again- Wisconsin. No. That’s not a choice most of us would make since you know, we live in dc.

I would personally put a gun in my mouth over living in Wisconsin or Ohio.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy my lawyer work. It's not for everyone and it doesn't make me rich. But it's an indoor sit-down job with paid leave, it's interesting, sometimes I get to help people, and most of my peers follow and care about the rules of ethical practice. Could be worse.

[Anonymous]

I think lawyers get a bad rap. Not all lawyers are ambulance chasing litigious dbags trying to file hundreds of frivolous lawsuits to earn a quick buck. There are many lawyers who do good who aren't Better Call Saul. We are a nation of laws aren't we? We you need a good lawyer, you need a good lawyer and they can save your bacon. Not only in terms of just keeping you out of trouble with the law, but making sure you have a fair contract, you aren't being ripped off by someone, etc. etc.

[Anonymous]

You can leave DC. I’m at a ‘big law’ firm in a secondary market and it’s been fine with some effort by me to find my right fit. I’ve switched to a department where I like the people a lot and the hours are fine. There are some ups and down but if you find people to work for who don’t create needless stress it’s better. You won’t find that in DC where partners fire off nasty emails for the smallest perceived slight (first hand experience for me when we were co-counsel with big DC firm).

[Anonymous]

Pp from secondary market. Our office clears out by 630 and people go home and log off for dinner. Log on later if needed. Can work from home as much as you want and set your own hours. You can’t get that in a regular non-firm job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most jobs are sole sucking. The difference is big law get paid very well and they are making a choice for the lifestyle and money. Your husband can take a lower paying job but will you be ok without the fancy cars, big house, and the lifestyle that comes with it? Apparently they like it or they wouldn't be doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most jobs are sole sucking. The difference is big law get paid very well and they are making a choice for the lifestyle and money. Your husband can take a lower paying job but will you be ok without the fancy cars, big house, and the lifestyle that comes with it? Apparently they like it or they wouldn't be doing it.

I agree I lost my feet to the law.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy corporate law, and contracts.

I don't make big bucks, but I work from home, no one bothers me and the work is easy.

[Anonymous]

Yes there are people who have a passion for the law.

The options aren't just low paying drudge work or biglaw soul crushing jobs representing corporations.

My mom represented day laborers for the NYCLU. It didn't pay much, but she loved it. I think doing that kind of work can be amazingly rewarding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much better to go to grad school to major in gender studies. Much more free time since you'll be unemployed!

[Anonymous]

Dh and I both went to top 10 law school, then big firms. All on loans but paid off from big law salaries before we had kids. He went in-house and I switched to a boutique firm. I love the law I do (litigation), am very well paid, and have a lot of flexibility. I work decent hours with some busy periods, but I also have a lot of flexibility to not be in the office when I have things I need to do. All in all it has been a great trade off in that we both have jobs we like, make a lot of $$, and have a happy overall life without either one of us becoming a big law partner.