Lawyers...if you could do it all over

[Anonymous]

What career would have been a better fit for motherhood?

[Anonymous]

Psychologist. And I did do it all over, and I'm one now. Hours are much better, and (at least in my case) the training helped me be a better parent. Pay is a lot less than law though.

[Anonymous]

elementary school teacher

[Anonymous]

Government lawyer -- at least at my agency -- is a great fit for motherhood. Large law firm, is not a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What career would have been a better fit for motherhood?

In house counsel is a great fit for me for motherhood. Did my time in private practice before I even got married, much less had kids. I've always wanted to be a lawyer, so no regrets on career choice and combining it with parenthood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Psychologist. And I did do it all over, and I'm one now. Hours are much better, and (at least in my case) the training helped me be a better parent. Pay is a lot less than law though.

+1!

[Anonymous]

Always wanted to be a lawyer or judge and now... hate it. I would have been very good at business or marketing. Thankfully my husband is buying a business in his field and I will end up working for him. I know this wouldn't work for most but it works for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Always wanted to be a lawyer or judge and now... hate it. I would have been very good at business or marketing. Thankfully my husband is buying a business in his field and I will end up working for him. I know this wouldn't work for most but it works for us.

Good for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Psychologist. And I did do it all over, and I'm one now. Hours are much better, and (at least in my case) the training helped me be a better parent. Pay is a lot less than law though.

+1!

Yay! A kindred spirit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Government lawyer -- at least at my agency -- is a great fit for motherhood. Large law firm, is not a good fit.

Same for a dad. I still make $150K but I put my kids to bed every night (except date nights, which I get to have).

I'd say the best combination would be 6-9 years of biglaw, using the $$ to pay off loans, buy a house, and build savings, having the babies at around year 5 and 7 to take advantage of generous maternity leave, then find govt. job when you get #1 into preschool so the daycare expense goes down. Ideally you've planned ahead and gained experience in an appropriate practice area. Of course, by staying that long you run the risk of thinking you might become a partner and killing yourself for that instead of your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Always wanted to be a lawyer or judge and now... hate it. I would have been very good at business or marketing. Thankfully my husband is buying a business in his field and I will end up working for him. I know this wouldn't work for most but it works for us.

How do you know you wouldn't like being a judge?

[Anonymous]

Why did all you psychologists change fields? Because you didn't like the law, you loved psychology, or because you wanted shorter hours?

[Anonymous]

I should have been a doctor like my mother told me to!

Barring that (I was NOT a very good science student), I wish I had gotten a degree in public policy or economics instead of law.

[Anonymous]

OP here, wish I could be a college professor.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had become a speech therapist. Lots of options for flexibility.