Lawyer jobs that are just a job

[Anonymous]

Woah, 22:36 you're CRAZY to recommend DOJ. I have a LOT of friends there (I can think of 8 off the top of my head) and they work way harder than me, and I head my practice group and work my ass off. They sleep in the office. No joke.

I believe the poster's DOJ rec was specific to the EOIR, BIA section of DOJ, which I have also heard is good to work for, family-life wise. I work at DOJ (another litigating section) and although it is more than 40 hours a week, I'm not sleeping in the office or anything. I wouldn't recommend it as super family friends, but it certainy doesn't compare to when I was in private practice.

[Anonymous]

DOT, FRA, FERC, HHS, HUD, VA, etc. Just jobs, not soul-crushing BIG LAW or high-stress DOJ.

Agreed, but the problem with some of these agencies is that although they are not high-stress, they are very political places. Therefore, in my experience, you may find yourself pressured to give legal advice that isn't legally supported in order to please political appointees and their goals. It just depends on how much that would bother you.

[Anonymous]

Social Security also has many positions in Bailey's Crossroada/Falls Church with good mobility to GS-14 level and possibly beyond. Don't know what's open right now. There is a Bright Horizons on site.

[Anonymous]

My DH works as an attorney doing employment law for PBGC. He loves his work and his work-life balance. He says there might be jobs posted for his office now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In-house jobs. You will be dealing employment law, etc., but it is closer to a job/job than being a lawyer at a firm as you would work normal business hours and such.

Posted by someone who doesn't work in house. My in house job certainly isn't like that. No way could I stick to working 40 hours only and get the work done.

I am an in house transactional lawyer and rarely ever work more than 40hrs...maybe one week a year when it is necessary. I am one of hundreds of mid level attys in my company so work is spread around so you can have good work life balance and we have legal assistants to lean on. I am the the one making 270k and working from home most of the week.

I have a similar situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Social Security also has many positions in Bailey's Crossroada/Falls Church with good mobility to GS-14 level and possibly beyond. Don't know what's open right now. There is a Bright Horizons on site.

Nothing's open right now, but there have been recent postings, so you can keep checking. I commute to SSA in Woodlawn (from Silver Spring) and it's actually not all that bad, since we have flexible hours and it's a reverse commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DOT, FRA, FERC, HHS, HUD, VA, etc. Just jobs, not soul-crushing BIG LAW or high-stress DOJ.

I would recommend staying away from HUD. OGC management there is awful and morale is really low, which makes the environment soul-crashing.

[Anonymous]

There are all kinds of lawyer jobs at DOJ! Don't believe everything you hear. Yes some are crazy hours, no overtime because it is statutorily prohibited, but other DOJ attorney jobs are 40 or 45 hours per week. Those tend to open up less but they are there.

[Anonymous]

I would recommend staying away from HUD. OGC management there is awful and morale is really low, which makes the environment soul-crashing.

Unfortunately, I must second that, which is unfortunate since there are some nice, intelligent line attorneys and the agency's overall mission of helping with housing is an attractive one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am almost exactly like you. Been at a big firm for almost six years, was recently told that I am on partnership track, and am so miserable and get so little time with my kids that I am ready to jump ship. I've applied to nearly ten government jobs, though, and haven't even gotten an interview. Totally bummed.

Keep applying. I think I probably applied to 30, and that was before the crash. Most advertised government jobs are already earmarked for someone, so you have to just keep applying and hope to strike an actual opening. At the same time, you should be networking; although I was able to get my job by sending in applications, most of my friends in similar positions ended up making it work through back channels, which of course results in a partially earmarked opening (as opposed to many which are actually earmarked for internal candidates).

Thank you very much. I needed this encouragement. I am only 6 weeks into my efforts to get a new job, but hearing crickets has really got me down. I'll keep plowing forward and hope for the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In-house jobs. You will be dealing employment law, etc., but it is closer to a job/job than being a lawyer at a firm as you would work normal business hours and such.

Posted by someone who doesn't work in house. My in house job certainly isn't like that. No way could I stick to working 40 hours only and get the work done.

I was in house before kids and worked less than in my prior firm job, but a lit more than 40 hrs and had to be at the CEO and SVPs' beck and call.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like most of you lawyers don't work very hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like most of you lawyers don't work very hard.

Certainly not compared to how hard I worked in biglaw, no. But I put in a solid 40-45 hours of work per week, and I produce good quality work. And I get paid for that much and no more. So I certainly don't feel like I'm sitting on my ass doing nothing all day, thanks very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like most of you lawyers don't work very hard.

Quantity v. Quality.

120 hours of reviewing documents is not hard work. 40 hours of drafting contracts on behalf of your agency can be. This is just simple example, but illustrates the stupidity of your statement.

It sounds like are a little bitter, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine, in house lawyer work from home 3 or more days a week and 10 to 6 hours, 270k, routine work sometimes but occasionally work on cool cutting edge matters, opportunities to rotate in the large legal dept if interested

PP, do you mind sharing where you work? Thanks!