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[quote=Anonymous]OP, one of my very best friends is a criminal defense attorney in Chicago.  She started out working with a small crim def firm and branched out on her own a few years ago.  She absolutely loves it and her firm is doing really well.  She is in court several times per week and tries a few cases every year.  She works very hard (often from home unless she is meeting with clients or in court) but has a lot more freedom than those of us who work at bigger firms.

That said, it is not Law and Order.  If you think you want to be a crim def attorney, find a job ASAP in a public defender's office or a crim def firm.  It's not for everyone, and it may not be what you think it is. Get as much experience and exposure as you can before committing to law school.  Although my friend is doing very well for herself now, the pay starting out of school is not good, especially if you will have student loans.

For my own part, I have mixed feelings about being a lawyer.  I've been out of school over a decade and am fortunate to have a stable career that provides for my family, but it has been much more difficult than I imagined, in ways I never imagined.  The politics of working with competitive and ruthless Type A people in firms that are still managed by old men who had stay-at-home-wives and employ the "old boys club" is something I did not anticipate.  The impact that having a family has had on my career is also something I wish I would've appreciated more before going into this profession.  I can handle the stress, the adversarial nature of litigation, the long hours, and the tedious nature of the work.  I enjoy how challenging and interesting my practice can be at times.  But I have come to the realization that this industry still has a long way to go in terms of women. Maybe these issues aren't as prevalent for women in the public sector or other types of firms, but just know it is still very much an issue in the profession as a whole.[/quote]

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