If you're happy being a lawyer...

[Anonymous]

What is it you like about being a lawyer? Is it what you expected it to be? Why or why not? And...if you had to do it over again, would you?

[Anonymous]

I'm happy being a lawyer because I've found a position that allows me to do reasonably interesting work without too much stress and still have plenty of time for my family. I don't make much money at all, though, so if I couldn't rely on my DH to be the primary breadwinner I would probably be in a very different situation. It is certainly not at all what I thought it would be, although looking back I'm not sure what I thought it would be. I had a vague idea of wearing suits and having a secretary and an expense account and saying things like "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH," but that's about it.

I honestly don't know if I would go back and do it again. Law school is an incredible education and it really taught me how to think, not just for work but in all facets of life. I think it made me smarter. But career-wise it's been a pretty big disappointment. At this point I'm over it and able to be happy with what I've got, especially since I've been incredibly lucky in other areas of my life, but I certainly don't have a fantastic career. And I did go to a top-10 law school, although my grades were middle-of-the-road.

[Anonymous]

I definitely would not do it again. Litigation is awful. Judges care nothing about the law other than as a language in which to present their rationalizations of their gut decisions, if they even feel like going through that trouble. Most other litigators are horrible people who think that harming the opposing attorney is an important part of the job.

If you're passionate about rationally arguing through questions, litigation is the last field you should enter. I can't comment on other areas of law.

[Anonymous]

I love it actually. I'm sort of a litigator and investigator. I love having to become an expert in something new all the time. I love always learning. I also love figuring out the puzzle of what happened through documents and depositions. I have a good paying job and reasonable hours (government).

[Anonymous]

I do transactional real estate and I love it. I love putting deals together and I love working with clients who are happy all of the time.

[Anonymous]

I love my job- government non-litigation in-house type position in a niche area. I went straight into this type of work and never worked for a law firm. I interned for the federal government and what I'm doing now is what I've always wanted to do. I have great work-life balance. I think I make a fine salary, with excellent benefits (GS-13). I graduated with relatively low student debt, all federal loans.

All that being said- would I do it over again? ABSOLUTELY no way. I graduated four years ago, and the law market was glutted then - it is just awful now, waaay too many new graduates. I am very thankful, and lucky, to have a job, much less one I enjoy and in my field. I am very thankful to have low debt- not the $150k+ many have, with a mortgage-payment-like obligation each month.

From my class year range friends- I hate to say it, but I think I'm the only person I know who hit the trifecta of (1) love my job; (2) good finances in terms of salary and debt; and (3) good work-life balance. Most everyone is just relieved if they are employed.

The legal industry is restructuring.. tuition costs a FORTUNE compared to what it did even four years ago. There is no way I'd go to law school now, knowing what I know about the job market and how unhappy most lawyers are.

[Anonymous]

I love my job, but it took me awhile to get to this point.

I am in-house counsel at a well-funded non-profit. Spent about 5 years in biglaw before getting laid off as part of the recession. I would have told you I loved my job there, but that would have been a lie. I loved the money, and that's it. The people were uniformly horrible and, what I realize now, working in a very business-like nonprofit and not in a law firm, is that many biglaw lawyers (and firm lawyers in general) are "K through JDs" who truly have no clue how non-firm organizations work. I used to look up to the big partners, thinking how business-savvy they must be, and now I know how ridiculous that is.

I make less money now, just about 100K. I went to a 2nd tier law school on scholarship, so I don't have many student loans. That helps.

Would I do it again? Probably not. I am working to transition myself from just the in-house lawyer to more of a business role. Had I known then what I know now, I would have worked my tail off in an entry-level business position, then perhaps gotten an MBA (but only with employer tuition assistance).

[Anonymous]

I also like my job -- I'm in a litigating component at DOJ, and do mostly appellate work. I work on some of the most complex cases my office has to offer, and enjoy solving the riddles those cases pose. I also like that I get to research and write most of the day. In that sense, it's completely what I expected it to be. I went to law school intending to come out and find a job that let me write most of the time. What I didn't expect was to end up in litigation, and handle trials, and go to oral argument. I thought I would hate that, and it turns out I really enjoy it. I also am lucky to work in an office with really great people. All around, I am a very happy lawyer.

Would I do it again? If I could go back in time and come out into the job market when I did, yes. Like another PP, law school really taught me to think, and I think I am very well suited to the work I do. Would I do it now? No. In fact, I have counseled a number of college interns in my office not to go to law school right now. The market is awful and there is no way that the majority of graduates with significant amounts of debt will be in any position to pay that money back, let alone make a living wage for themselves in the legal field. There are other jobs out there that use some of the same skills -- thinking, writing, speaking. If I had it to do over again now, I would pursue one of those jobs instead.

[Anonymous]

Like others, I feel that law school really taught me to think. I didn't otherwise enjoy law school, as it was very theoretical, and theory without practice has always annoyed me. But it was a necessary evil to become a lawyer.

I loved my first job out of law school - a district court clerkship. Best job I will ever have (so kind of sad that it came at the start of my career!). The issues were fascinating and what I love best is writing, and to a lesser extent research, so it was perfect for me. Then I spent 3 years at BigLaw to pay off my gargantuan loans. I don't regret this because the loans drove me crazy, and I was fortunate enough to be able to pay them off in 3.5 years, but it was really awful. Litigation was fascinating as a clerk but horrible as an associate - not just the hours, which were bad enough, but the complete lack of control and predictability. I could never make plans because I never knew if they would be canceled for work. Usually they weren't (and I was luckier in this than many of my friends and colleagues), but the possibility was enough. I was miserable.

And then, mere weeks after my loans were paid off, I escaped to the government (which is where I'd wanted to be all along, but for the loans). I now work in a general counsel's office of an agency, doing appellate work and various other things. It's not as interesting as my clerkship or biglaw cases, but it is interesting enough, and the hours alone make it worthwhile. I feel like I finally have my life back. I can see my family, pursue my various interests - my garden no longer need die because I get home too late, and leave too early, to water it. I can finally get a pet because I will be home to care for it. The people are nice and not snobby at all, as at Biglaw. (I didn't realize how snobby and competitive people were at Biglaw until I left.) They have hobbies and families and are not afraid to talk about them. They are interested in me as a colleague and person, not just a billing machine. So I took a 60% pay cut - it was well worth it.

So for me, whether I like being a lawyer has much more to do with the circumstances of my job than anything else, and I think that is true for a lot of people. There are things I'm more passionate about, like music, but I don't have the talent to make a career out of them. Law is a default that happens to suit me, at least in my current position. So my advice would be, before you commit to law school, to take a hard look at what job would suit you when you come out, and how you will get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like others, I feel that law school really taught me to think. I didn't otherwise enjoy law school, as it was very theoretical, and theory without practice has always annoyed me. But it was a necessary evil to become a lawyer.

I loved my first job out of law school - a district court clerkship. Best job I will ever have (so kind of sad that it came at the start of my career!). The issues were fascinating and what I love best is writing, and to a lesser extent research, so it was perfect for me. Then I spent 3 years at BigLaw to pay off my gargantuan loans. I don't regret this because the loans drove me crazy, and I was fortunate enough to be able to pay them off in 3.5 years, but it was really awful. Litigation was fascinating as a clerk but horrible as an associate - not just the hours, which were bad enough, but the complete lack of control and predictability. I could never make plans because I never knew if they would be canceled for work. Usually they weren't (and I was luckier in this than many of my friends and colleagues), but the possibility was enough. I was miserable.

And then, mere weeks after my loans were paid off, I escaped to the government (which is where I'd wanted to be all along, but for the loans). I now work in a general counsel's office of an agency, doing appellate work and various other things. It's not as interesting as my clerkship or biglaw cases, but it is interesting enough, and the hours alone make it worthwhile. I feel like I finally have my life back. I can see my family, pursue my various interests - my garden no longer need die because I get home too late, and leave too early, to water it. I can finally get a pet because I will be home to care for it. The people are nice and not snobby at all, as at Biglaw. (I didn't realize how snobby and competitive people were at Biglaw until I left.) They have hobbies and families and are not afraid to talk about them. They are interested in me as a colleague and person, not just a billing machine. So I took a 60% pay cut - it was well worth it.

So for me, whether I like being a lawyer has much more to do with the circumstances of my job than anything else, and I think that is true for a lot of people. There are things I'm more passionate about, like music, but I don't have the talent to make a career out of them. Law is a default that happens to suit me, at least in my current position. So my advice would be, before you commit to law school, to take a hard look at what job would suit you when you come out, and how you will get it.

This is uncannily like my DH. DH is this you?

[Anonymous]

I love being a lawyer. I loved law school. I work for myself now which is the best of all possible worlds for me. I make over 100k and I largely control my own schedule.

[Anonymous]

If you're happy being a lawyer clap your hands. *Clap. Clap.* If you're happy being a lawyer clap your hands. Now everybody! *Silence*

[Anonymous]

I love being a lawyer but I have a very unique job. Law school was ok. I went to a first tier school and did well but it wasn't the best time of my life. I practiced in a big firm for a few years. The money was good, forged a few friendships, but I couldn't wait to get out. Now I work for a specialized federal agency. Although my agency is my "client", really I feel that my job consists of making the right decisions. Rarely am I pushed in a specific direction. I get to apply the law (in an administrative setting) and do what I think is right. I work about 50 hours/week but telecommute 100%. Make about $110K base salary but another $10-20K in bonus. Interesting enough work and great work/life balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love being a lawyer but I have a very unique job. Law school was ok. I went to a first tier school and did well but it wasn't the best time of my life. I practiced in a big firm for a few years. The money was good, forged a few friendships, but I couldn't wait to get out. Now I work for a specialized federal agency. Although my agency is my "client", really I feel that my job consists of making the right decisions. Rarely am I pushed in a specific direction. I get to apply the law (in an administrative setting) and do what I think is right. I work about 50 hours/week but telecommute 100%. Make about $110K base salary but another $10-20K in bonus. Interesting enough work and great work/life balance.

Can you share which agency?

[Anonymous]

One of the PP's posted that she/he is in transactional real estate law and loves it. I was happy to read that is how she/he feels but that's my field, too, and I can't say I love or even like it half the time. It took me some years to realize that the lawyers don't get to put together the deals - the lawyers mainly "paper" the deals that were already put tgoether by the developers and business folks before they even gave a thought to calling the lawyers in. Second of all, plenty of real estate clients are not happy with the way a deal turns out, or falls apart (and take it out on their lawyers). To most clients, the lawyers are a necessary evil in a business transaction (I say that as a lawyer in private practice, and my DH is in house counsel also doing transactional work "putting deals together" and he feels the same way, and his clients are all within his company!), which does not make me feel like I'm really contributing to anything. It doesn't feel fulfilling to me at all, and if I had to do it over again I wouldn't (not sure I'd even be a lawyer, but definitely not in this field in any event). But my point is that what works for one does not work for another, so I'm not sure that everyone's replies will help you, OP.