How many of you JDs do not work anymore because it is not worth it financially?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People with the brilliant suggestion to just go get a government job. That market has become extremely competitive as well. OP has zero relevant experience - she's not going to be able to just waltz into the SEC, CFTC, etc. and gets some great experience to then lateral over to Big Law.

I agree 100 percent, but those are the among the most prestigious, sought after agencies. Try looking at smaller agencies or agencies with less prestige (like HUD, DOT, Labor, FCC). Yes, there is still a fair deal of competition, but you will certainly better your chances of getting hired and getting some experience than if you repeatedly apply to SEC, CFTC, DOJ. Also consider local and state agencies.

Except that there are graduating students and graduates who actually have experiece from school year or summer work with those agencies who she will be competing with. Her chances are slim.

[Anonymous]

She could try DHS's asylum office - they hire asylum officers who have normal hours; would fit in ok with previous experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

People with the brilliant suggestion to just go get a government job. That market has become extremely competitive as well. OP has zero relevant experience - she's not going to be able to just waltz into the SEC, CFTC, etc. and gets some great experience to then lateral over to Big Law.

I agree 100 percent, but those are the among the most prestigious, sought after agencies. Try looking at smaller agencies or agencies with less prestige (like HUD, DOT, Labor, FCC). Yes, there is still a fair deal of competition, but you will certainly better your chances of getting hired and getting some experience than if you repeatedly apply to SEC, CFTC, DOJ. Also consider local and state agencies.

Except that there are graduating students and graduates who actually have experiece from school year or summer work with those agencies who she will be competing with. Her chances are slim.[/quote]

I work at a "less prestigious" agency, and at this point there is no way she would be hired here because of the level of competition.

[Anonymous]

It's always worth it to keep your foot in the career door/job market. Even if you aren't netting a lot, as others have said it avoids gaps in the resume, there are other benefits like health care and SS and retirement to keep in mind. That doesn't mean you have to work FT but I'd want to do something to keep my resume fresh.

[Anonymous]

xcept that there are graduating students and graduates who actually have experiece from school year or summer work with those agencies who she will be competing with. Her chances are slim.

I don't know, I served as references for two graduates who did not work for smaller agencies over the summer and both got hired. Keep looking, get to know people there, do informational interviews. It can happen.

[Anonymous]

Why do people think even small firm 40-50k jobs are easy to get?

Are you licensed OP?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I appreciate all your helpful advice. I will reevaluate my options.

It is sad, though, that any gap on my resume would damage my chances. In some other countries (in Europe, in particular) it is the norm that women take up to three years off after giving birth.

It's hard to trade in raising my toddler for work that I would do now only for resume purposes. I want to work and build a career (even if not BigLaw), I just don't like to have to do it right away. I have always envisioned myself as a working woman and know that I would be frustrated long-term if I did not work.

Please do not call me names like "entitled b...". Yes, I appreciate that we are very fortunate that my husband has a stable high-paying job. It could be a lot worse.

I admire all of you who work at demanding jobs while raising children.

[Anonymous]

Why didn't you wait a couple years to have kids?

[Anonymous]

Hey OP, I am a lawyer mom working at a big law firm. It's been a hard road and I put in few very tough years before having kids. I now have two kids and am myself struggling with the best way to handle the situation. My husband does not make as much money as yours, but he makes enough right now that I could conceivably stay at home.

But the truth is that I don't want to stay at home full-time. I worked really hard for many, many years and I am proud of what I have achieved. I don't want to give all that up, and, frankly, I hope one day that my kids are proud of me for having a career.

I've done a lot of self reflection and decided that I want to work part time, so that I can maintain my career as a lawyer and also be the parent I want to be. Part-time at big law is still so demanding, though, because every tiny thing you do is quanitifiable in terms of hours billed. So big law is a rough road for moms, even if you are part-time.

Lately I've been thinking about other potential part-time routes that don't depend on the billable hour. For most of these jobs, what I would bring home is nominal compared to what I bring home now. I've still got a lot to decide and we will see where I end up, but I do feel confident saying that I have made one decision: not to completely give up my career, even if that means working at legal aid for two days a week.

You might think about the same. With your situation, I don't think big law or even small firms are right for you. You haven't explained why you are so married to the idea of a firm, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why didn't you wait a couple years to have kids?

Yeah, cause this advice helps her now.

[Anonymous]

It's sad, but true that gaps in your resume are a career killer when it comes to legal work at most firms (and definitely at big law). I know a woman who was married by childless by choice who took six months off from a long big law stint to care for her sick mother (not child, but mother) and after her mom died and she started looking for work in mid size and big firms she couldn't find anything...and this was a year before the market tanked. Everyone told her the same thing:she stepped off the track and simply lost her footing. It took her nearly a year to find a comparable position. The legal world doesn't have time for sick parents or kids. Sad, but true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I appreciate all your helpful advice. I will reevaluate my options.

It is sad, though, that any gap on my resume would damage my chances. In some other countries (in Europe, in particular) it is the norm that women take up to three years off after giving birth.

It's hard to trade in raising my toddler for work that I would do now only for resume purposes. I want to work and build a career (even if not BigLaw), I just don't like to have to do it right away. I have always envisioned myself as a working woman and know that I would be frustrated long-term if I did not work.

Please do not call me names like "entitled b...". Yes, I appreciate that we are very fortunate that my husband has a stable high-paying job. It could be a lot worse.

I admire all of you who work at demanding jobs while raising children.

No, that's not the norm, certainly not among women with careers that you would like to have (i.e. making $$$$$). Very few countries have a leave longer than a year, many have half that. It is still much more favorable (to women) policy, but it helps mainly average women, not the top 1%.

[Anonymous]

Truly a First World Problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What you want is impossible. You don't want "nanny to raise your children" but you also want a high powered career that takes all day, every day. Even if you could get BigLaw job (which is itself unlikely) you can never have both of these.

Plus: the fact that you are so dismissive of government and non-profit jobs speaks very poorly of you. It looks like you think you are too good for those jobs despite 1) having zero experience 2) zero offers, even for those measly 50-60k jobs and 3) not wanting to work long hours.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People with the brilliant suggestion to just go get a government job. That market has become extremely competitive as well. OP has zero relevant experience - she's not going to be able to just waltz into the SEC, CFTC, etc. and gets some great experience to then lateral over to Big Law.

She should have taken a leave of absence from law school when she had her son. She could not have possibly had him at a worse time in her career.

totally agree. OP, why do you think the rest of us are having kids in our mid to late 30's?

-1 Totally out of line. OP was asking for job advice, not your judgment on her life choices. I know several (yes, several!) women who had children during law school. At least 1 was still able to get a biglaw job. Do you read DCUM? Do you see how many women struggle with infertility and problems associated with waiting to have kids, not to mention interrupting your career during your peak working years.