Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Good thoughts.

OP, I worked in e-discovery when I first moved to DC (over a decade ago). I was pregnant at the time and wasn't getting hired elsewhere (surprise!), though I had 1-2 years prior experience in my field. E-discovery was easy and flexible and paid well given the language bump. However, the flexibility allowed me to simultaneously open a sole proprietorship that admittedly made peanuts initially. I kept e-discovery as a steady paycheck until the side gig started to gain traction. Though e-discovery I did meet folks, passed my name around in my niche area, and made 1 really good connection (of the dozens of feelers that I put out). I finally opted to quit e-discovery to be hired as a FREAKING asst/paralegal in my field of choice because the small firm needed someone virtual and was willing to train. I worked with them doing the grunt work but more importantly getting valuable experience and learning the ropes so that I would feel more comfortably going out on my own. That ended after about a year because as the gods would have it, my managing atty wanted to leave that field and do something new. She passed off one of her corp clients to me for my budding practice after we negotiated a reasonable fee between us. Since I'd simultaneously been working on my own business it was enough to get me moving. That was about 10 years ago and I now do well enough to support my solo practice. I don't make a ton by DCUM standards but I bring home between 300-350k. That is really all that I need, though I do hope to keep growing.

I share this because, honestly, if you humble yourself and start at zero you can build up. You also have to really want to make it work badly enough. I know that lots of people will say that it may not be financially feasible for all, and they are 100% correct. I do offer the story, however, because I did drudge it out in e-discovery for a few years and backtracked to a paralegal position. I cried about that for a year but it was a great classroom for me. This may be helpful to OP to push her to something new.

What kind of niche is this? 300k is awesome particularly for a solo practitioner.

I worked for a summer in college for an ambulance chaser that did several million in a great year and broke even in a bad year.

I have a friend who left corp to do personal injury. She said it was embarrassing but didn't care. She put up billboards on the highway and is now making ridiculous bank. Don't know that I could ever do that but man do those people make ridiculous money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Good thoughts.

OP, I worked in e-discovery when I first moved to DC (over a decade ago). I was pregnant at the time and wasn't getting hired elsewhere (surprise!), though I had 1-2 years prior experience in my field. E-discovery was easy and flexible and paid well given the language bump. However, the flexibility allowed me to simultaneously open a sole proprietorship that admittedly made peanuts initially. I kept e-discovery as a steady paycheck until the side gig started to gain traction. Though e-discovery I did meet folks, passed my name around in my niche area, and made 1 really good connection (of the dozens of feelers that I put out). I finally opted to quit e-discovery to be hired as a FREAKING asst/paralegal in my field of choice because the small firm needed someone virtual and was willing to train. I worked with them doing the grunt work but more importantly getting valuable experience and learning the ropes so that I would feel more comfortably going out on my own. That ended after about a year because as the gods would have it, my managing atty wanted to leave that field and do something new. She passed off one of her corp clients to me for my budding practice after we negotiated a reasonable fee between us. Since I'd simultaneously been working on my own business it was enough to get me moving. That was about 10 years ago and I now do well enough to support my solo practice. I don't make a ton by DCUM standards but I bring home between 300-350k. That is really all that I need, though I do hope to keep growing.

I share this because, honestly, if you humble yourself and start at zero you can build up. You also have to really want to make it work badly enough. I know that lots of people will say that it may not be financially feasible for all, and they are 100% correct. I do offer the story, however, because I did drudge it out in e-discovery for a few years and backtracked to a paralegal position. I cried about that for a year but it was a great classroom for me. This may be helpful to OP to push her to something new.

What kind of niche is this? 300k is awesome particularly for a solo practitioner.

I worked for a summer in college for an ambulance chaser that did several million in a great year and broke even in a bad year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Good thoughts.

OP, I worked in e-discovery when I first moved to DC (over a decade ago). I was pregnant at the time and wasn't getting hired elsewhere (surprise!), though I had 1-2 years prior experience in my field. E-discovery was easy and flexible and paid well given the language bump. However, the flexibility allowed me to simultaneously open a sole proprietorship that admittedly made peanuts initially. I kept e-discovery as a steady paycheck until the side gig started to gain traction. Though e-discovery I did meet folks, passed my name around in my niche area, and made 1 really good connection (of the dozens of feelers that I put out). I finally opted to quit e-discovery to be hired as a FREAKING asst/paralegal in my field of choice because the small firm needed someone virtual and was willing to train. I worked with them doing the grunt work but more importantly getting valuable experience and learning the ropes so that I would feel more comfortably going out on my own. That ended after about a year because as the gods would have it, my managing atty wanted to leave that field and do something new. She passed off one of her corp clients to me for my budding practice after we negotiated a reasonable fee between us. Since I'd simultaneously been working on my own business it was enough to get me moving. That was about 10 years ago and I now do well enough to support my solo practice. I don't make a ton by DCUM standards but I bring home between 300-350k. That is really all that I need, though I do hope to keep growing.

I share this because, honestly, if you humble yourself and start at zero you can build up. You also have to really want to make it work badly enough. I know that lots of people will say that it may not be financially feasible for all, and they are 100% correct. I do offer the story, however, because I did drudge it out in e-discovery for a few years and backtracked to a paralegal position. I cried about that for a year but it was a great classroom for me. This may be helpful to OP to push her to something new.

What kind of niche is this? 300k is awesome particularly for a solo practitioner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Good thoughts.

OP, I worked in e-discovery when I first moved to DC (over a decade ago). I was pregnant at the time and wasn't getting hired elsewhere (surprise!), though I had 1-2 years prior experience in my field. E-discovery was easy and flexible and paid well given the language bump. However, the flexibility allowed me to simultaneously open a sole proprietorship that admittedly made peanuts initially. I kept e-discovery as a steady paycheck until the side gig started to gain traction. Though e-discovery I did meet folks, passed my name around in my niche area, and made 1 really good connection (of the dozens of feelers that I put out). I finally opted to quit e-discovery to be hired as a FREAKING asst/paralegal in my field of choice because the small firm needed someone virtual and was willing to train. I worked with them doing the grunt work but more importantly getting valuable experience and learning the ropes so that I would feel more comfortably going out on my own. That ended after about a year because as the gods would have it, my managing atty wanted to leave that field and do something new. She passed off one of her corp clients to me for my budding practice after we negotiated a reasonable fee between us. Since I'd simultaneously been working on my own business it was enough to get me moving. That was about 10 years ago and I now do well enough to support my solo practice. I don't make a ton by DCUM standards but I bring home between 300-350k. That is really all that I need, though I do hope to keep growing.

I share this because, honestly, if you humble yourself and start at zero you can build up. You also have to really want to make it work badly enough. I know that lots of people will say that it may not be financially feasible for all, and they are 100% correct. I do offer the story, however, because I did drudge it out in e-discovery for a few years and backtracked to a paralegal position. I cried about that for a year but it was a great classroom for me. This may be helpful to OP to push her to something new.

What kind of niche is this? 300k is awesome particularly for a solo practitioner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Good thoughts.

OP, I worked in e-discovery when I first moved to DC (over a decade ago). I was pregnant at the time and wasn't getting hired elsewhere (surprise!), though I had 1-2 years prior experience in my field. E-discovery was easy and flexible and paid well given the language bump. However, the flexibility allowed me to simultaneously open a sole proprietorship that admittedly made peanuts initially. I kept e-discovery as a steady paycheck until the side gig started to gain traction. Though e-discovery I did meet folks, passed my name around in my niche area, and made 1 really good connection (of the dozens of feelers that I put out). I finally opted to quit e-discovery to be hired as a FREAKING asst/paralegal in my field of choice because the small firm needed someone virtual and was willing to train. I worked with them doing the grunt work but more importantly getting valuable experience and learning the ropes so that I would feel more comfortably going out on my own. That ended after about a year because as the gods would have it, my managing atty wanted to leave that field and do something new. She passed off one of her corp clients to me for my budding practice after we negotiated a reasonable fee between us. Since I'd simultaneously been working on my own business it was enough to get me moving. That was about 10 years ago and I now do well enough to support my solo practice. I don't make a ton by DCUM standards but I bring home between 300-350k. That is really all that I need, though I do hope to keep growing.

I share this because, honestly, if you humble yourself and start at zero you can build up. You also have to really want to make it work badly enough. I know that lots of people will say that it may not be financially feasible for all, and they are 100% correct. I do offer the story, however, because I did drudge it out in e-discovery for a few years and backtracked to a paralegal position. I cried about that for a year but it was a great classroom for me. This may be helpful to OP to push her to something new.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about legal aid or public interest where you feel purposeful and do doc review on the side if those jobs don't pay enough? Maybe something where you interact with more people to help w your depression. You've applied to fed jobs, but what about local government? Is it possible to do doc review part time to supplement?

for local government I only could apply in DC as I’m not licensed in md or va. But unlikely they’d take me as a lawyer anyways so I shall look for non lawyer jobs locally. Have done it before but no success there either

Why don't you waive in to VA and MD? And are you not admitted to any other state? It's very odd to be admitted only to the DC bar.

Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Start volunteering at legal aid pro bono to get some lawyering experience under supervision. They have training programs specific to the advice you will be giving. Here is a link to training if you are in DC: https://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono/resources-and-training

2. HR certification: Get an entry level job in HR, do it for one year and then start the process to become certified. Once you do that you can move up the ranks in HR and your law degree will be of value. https://www.shrm.org/certification/about/Pages/Not-Sure-Where-To-Begin.aspx

3. Start attending every and any training sessions available at your bar association. This is about training and networking.

4. Invest in your next step: get a masters degree in legal studies in a compliance area that interests you. Health care is an excellent and extremely marketable choice, and you can do it on line: https://www.online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/law-degrees/cert-hc-comp/index.aspx

Take control and take action. Also consider seeing your doctor for depression.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about legal aid or public interest where you feel purposeful and do doc review on the side if those jobs don't pay enough? Maybe something where you interact with more people to help w your depression. You've applied to fed jobs, but what about local government? Is it possible to do doc review part time to supplement?

for local government I only could apply in DC as I’m not licensed in md or va. But unlikely they’d take me as a lawyer anyways so I shall look for non lawyer jobs locally. Have done it before but no success there either

Anonymous wrote:I was a SAHM for many years and got back into my legal career with legal temp work. I had an assignment that lasted fir a few months and was able to get a job as attorney in that company - doubt they would have interviewed me without getting to know me during those months. Is that a possibility?

Anonymous wrote:I was a SAHM for many years and got back into my legal career with legal temp work. I had an assignment that lasted fir a few months and was able to get a job as attorney in that company - doubt they would have interviewed me without getting to know me during those months. Is that a possibility?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about legal aid or public interest where you feel purposeful and do doc review on the side if those jobs don't pay enough? Maybe something where you interact with more people to help w your depression. You've applied to fed jobs, but what about local government? Is it possible to do doc review part time to supplement?

Doc review jobs are full time for the duration. There isn’t part time doc review. I wish I could afford to do what you suggest but I barely get by as it is. I’ve lived like a pauper the past 17 years

Do you work for a doc review entity? Maybe try to do doc review for a law firm instead to get your foot in the door. Is e-discovery the same thing as document review?

terrible advice. you don't "get your foot in the door" of a law firm doing document review for it. you don't understand how it works.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What type of skills do you bring to document review? Because those skills are translatable. You just seem to have an inability to think outside of the box.

Attention to detail. That’s about it. I’m good at document review. Many people in document review are not good at document review.

there is no such thing as good at document review. It is a service that most clients would appreciate being fast and cheap rather than expensive and perfect

so why do QCers like me exist?

because everyone has to pretend they care. If they really cared QCers would be well paid and valued and not a dead end. Has a doc review QCer ever made partner?