What Do You Like Best About Being a Lawyer?

Last week, I was at the kitchen table making some notes when I came up with the title for this post. But I only had the title. I didn't know what else to write.

Andrea was in the kitchen too. "Hey," I said. "What do you like best about being a lawyer?"

She stood there looking at me. Clearly, she'd heard the question. But she wasn't speaking.

"You're drawing a blank, aren't you?" I said.  "So did I."

It might have been a turning point in our careers. In the days that have passed since that fateful moment, we've come up with a few ideas. Andrea's: "I like it when I'm able to help someone solve a difficult problem." And mine: "I like becoming involved in cases that require me to become an expert in something I previously knew nothing about."

But let's be honest: plenty of professions would allow Andrea to solve problems, and I could simply spend my time writing books.

What do you like best about being a lawyer? If you're a law student, what do you think you'll like best?

Are you drawing a blank too?

Comments

[Kerry O'Brien]

If you've got a lot of personal crap and you're not good with relationships and personal communication, that stuff gets magnified when you're working your butt off 50-75 hours per week. You have to take care of yourself and fix some of your life baggage or your lawyering will suck you dry of your humanity. Basically, you've have to be a healthy person to continue to be a healthy lawyer.

Anyway, you've have to be soooo on target with your career to love it if you're doing it 50-75 hours per week. I mean - what can you do that much and not get sick of it?

I find that I like certain aspects of practicing law. Cross-examination is fun, especially of experts. Getting the other side's cases dismissed creatively is fun. But these are not high ideals - these are aspects of law that match my character. Same with most folks. If you liked putting the wooden shapes in the wooden box when you were 2 years old, there will be certain tasks in law that you like.

But being a lawyer is a ready-made career, and it's naive to think that all of these law school graduates will happen to fit well into this particular ready-made career. We all have a duty to ourselves to look at our skills and our desires and fight to follow those. A law degree need be only a step in that process - not a prison sentence.

[Disenchanted MD]

Greetings Legal Friends,

I am a practicing physician who has become disenchanted with my profession. After reflecting upon medical malpractice liability and the deplorable state of health care, I am ready to move on.

One option that I am considering is going back to school to become an attorney. Rather than being bitter, I'd like to take positive steps to do something about the state of medical affairs.

It's interesting reading about everyone's feelings about the legal profession on this message board. Please lend me whatever feedback you can spare about switching from medicine to law. Moreover, how would law school admissions committees feel about having a physician for a law student?

Disenchanted MD

[Unlearned Hand, Esq.]

Disenchanged MD:

Your background will make you valuable, at either a PI firm evaluating files to find docs to sue, or at an insurance defense firm, defending these same docs. You'll make some good money at the first, but be suing your fellow physicians, sometimes even when they probably did nothing wrong; you'll make less money at the second and have to sometimes defend your fellow physicians when they clearly screw up and should be run out of the profession.

So, you have to decide what you want, but understand that the practice of law is all about the one case. It is very rarely about establishing a precedent, or changing the way med mal cases, for example, are handled. If you think you want to change the culture in THAT way, forget the law, and become a lobbyist or politician. Change the law through legislation.

[GCL]

In my area of law (health law, sometimes MENTAL health law) many cases involve interesting, albeit often tragic, stories, and they hardly ever have anything to do with money. What I don't like is not being able to take all the time I need to to the the job as well I could (my clients are cost-sensitive government bodies). Big firm billing structures are sucking the life out of me!!

[Disenchanted MD]

Thanks Unlearned Hand, Esq and GCL,

I do appreciate both of you taking the time to respond. My next question is where should I apply? I've got a fairly good academic record with a BA and MD from top programs in their respective fields. My BA, interestingly enough, was in political science so I do have somewhat of a background in social sciences and writing.

Now that I've built up a little bit of personal wealth, should I go for prestige over cost savings in my choice of school?

Do you know of any classmates that did what I'm thinking about doing? As you can imagine, law school is a rather unorthodox move on the part of a practicing physician.

Thanks again for your time.

Disenchanted MD

[Potential Lawyer?]

I am making a decision about attending Law School this week! I'm in and all set but am still apprehensive and relatively uninformed about the reality of being a lawyer. Im 5 years into a career in advertising Acct Mngmt and have grown bored with the nebulous and trivial nature of the work and poor hours v. pay ratio. These are the things Im honestly looking for in a law career.

-Self-Worth (doing important work with tangible results impacting real people)
-A stable career that I can grow into and will continue to challenge/satisfy into retirement.
-Generous Paycheck right away
-The ability to parlay legal expertise into other realms (politics (maybe), real estate)

Please feel free to beat me and my dream of being a successful well-adjusted lawyer with a stable family life into submission. I think I need it.

[ATC]

Disenchanted MD:

THe simple fact is, a physician makes a lot more money in today's world than a lawyer. That is because there are about a million lawyers out there, a number expected to double in ten years. Also, a legal education is more expensive than ever. You can make a lot of money as a JD/MD, but you will still be practicing 'medicine' because that is your niche.

Just my two cents. Hope it helps.

[Disenchanted MD]

Dear ATC,

Thanks for your comments. You raise a valid point about compensation of doctors v lawyers. I wonder, though, if a lawyer with a specific niche market, ie medical malpractice defense, earns more.

Out of curiosity, how much does a lawyer make on a given malpractice case that goes to trial?

I'm thinking that I wouldn't have much of a problem finding clients. I already know tons of doctors and their colleagues that are getting sued.

Also, when choosing a law school, should I go for the less expensive state school or the more expensive high-powered place?

Regards,

Disenchanted MD

[Yeoman]

Disenchanted MD.

Don't go to law school, it would be a huge eror.

I'm an insurance defense lawyer, although the only malpractice actions I've ever defended were vetrinary malpractice actions. Nonetheless, I have to believe your earning potential as a med malpractice attorney will be significantly reduced over that of being a physician.

It should be easy to find out, however, by simply finding out from your present carrier who they use to defend suits. Then call them and ask them. I suspect you'll likely find that these attorneys will be willing to talk to you.

However, find out if you'll really like practicing. I'm well aware there are downsides to being a physician. I know quite a few, and some are quite frank about that. However, generally, by my observation they have a higher quality of life than most trial lawyers.

What is it that is causing you to be disgruntled with medicine, and why on earth do you think it would be better to be a lawyer?

[perlelune]

I've been out of law school for a little over a year now, and practicing at a large law firm during that year. I hate it. I hope, hope, hope it's just the first year experience, and that it will get better. I have nightmares all the time about dumb crap -- like thinking I forgot to send documents out or I missed a key document or some judge is going to disagree with my interpretation of a case and the partner's going to think I wasn't thinking/am stupid/am lazy. The hours suck. And I don't mean, oh, I can't go to the movies this Saturday suck, but more in a oh, I haven't slept more than four hours in a night in over a month, suck. I've never cried so much in my life. I'm not even sure if the work is interesting. If I were studying it I bet I would think so, but with all the pressure it just seems like a giant weight pulling me down. I've always been a lighthearted kind of person, who just liked to think and analyze and reason and debate and stuff like that. I feel like this job is taking all of those good aspects away. So what do you think? Will it get better?

[Matt]

Better? Well, at least you'll be accustomed to it, and will stop caring so much what that partner thinks. You'll always have too much crap to do, but in a few years you'll also enjoy the added expectation that you build a client base. And you'll wake up one morning, still stressed and overworked, and realize that you're the senior associate that the new folks are looking up to and trying to emulate.

[The Sardonic Lawyer]

I'm afraid it's unlikely to get better anytime soon. While there are certainly exceptions, the life of a newly-minted associate at BigFirm Sweatshop, LLP is unlikely to improve during the first few years of practice. The problem is simple from an economic perspective:

(1) BigFirm Sweatshop has lots of overhead, including nice office space, plump salaries and benefits for associates, lots of support staff, etc.;

(2) BigFirm Sweatshop equity partners want to receive a nice distribution from firm profits (after all, that's why they put up with the excruciating hours and sacrificed their idealism and first marriages);

(3) Ultimately, there are far too many associates working for BigFirm Sweatshop for more than a third of them to ever have even a slim chance of making partner. Most associates will ultimately choose or be forced to leave in a few years, so Bigfirm Sweatshop wants to squeeze as much work out of them as it can before they depart. It's nothing personal, just a business decision;

(4) You are easily replaceable. There are hundreds of lawyers who would post nude pictures of their mothers on the internet to have a shot at your job (there are hundreds of lawyers who would post nude pictures of their mothers on the internet for much less, but that's beside the point).

Don't think I'm unsympathetic to your plight. The generous compensation you receive for your work does not begin to make up for being treated inhumanely, which is part of the reason I consider big firms an embarassment to the profession. Also, from your self-description it sounds as though law school and starting to practice has yet to beat all positive qualities out of you, and I recognize a certain kindredness of spirit in anyone who really just wants to "think and analyze and reason and debate and stuff like that." Enjoyment of those same activities is why the Sardonic Lawyer chose to go to law school as well, and the disappointing lack of esteem afforded those activities by the profession as a whole goes a long way toward explaining how this lawyer became sardonic in the first place.

In all seriousness, if this job is truly making you miserable and your post isn't just the product of a transient period of sleep deprivation, then my advice to you is GET OUT NOW. There are other firms, smaller firms, that actually treat associates like human beings, and though they may be few and far between, given the credentials you must have to have been hired by a big firm you should have a relatively easy time of seeking out a decent position with another firm that let's you maintain your sanity, if not actually enjoy practicing law.

[Tim]

Kind of long - apologies in advance. Skip it if you want - I won't be offended.

Potential Lawyer - don't ask too insistently to have the dream demolished! It's my dream too! I've been in IT management for a while, and boy oh boy - law seems like a better option. Maybe we're both simply insane.

Perlelune - I've been in a similar situation in my current job (though not a lawyer - I'll be starting law school in 2006 most likely). Though IT management and law practice aren't at all the same thing, they're both professional jobs, and I bet there are enough commonalities that some general advice will be applicable. Based on my experience, things will eventually get better. There was a LONG stretch where I could do no right, or so it seemed. My boss had very few words for me at all, and most of those were less than kind. I lost a LOT of sleep, and not just because my department runs 24x7 (though the 3 AM phone calls notifying me of the latest crisis did contribute).

As I have adjusted over the months, things have started to get better. Some of it is just learning how my boss works - I disagree with a lot of the way he does things (he plays little games, while I'm up front and call it like I see it, and so forth), but I've learned how he thinks, what he expects, etc., and that has made some difference. Further, I'm simply becoming more competent at what I do.

I don't know if your situation is similar, but this is the first "professional" job I've had. There was a considerable amount of adjustment involved. I have found that the manager who was previously in my position has been a tremendous mentor - I'd suggest trying to find a mentor to help you through if you don't have one already.

I'd also recommend taking a bit of time to discuss your situation with someone you trust that isn't directly involved. That external perspective can be invaluable. My priest has been invaluable, as have a couple of good friends.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider, though, is where you think you should be. Why did you go into law? Did you go to law school because of a perceived or stated expectation by someone important to you (happens a lot, and not just in law)? Did it just seem like a good idea at the time? Did you have an unrealistic expectation of firm life?

Perhaps a different type of practice would suit you better. It may be a matter of finding a different firm to work for - you could probably find a place that suits you better. I know a few lawyers who left law firm life to practice in the corporate world.

Adjustment can be HARD. I know all too well the sense of hopelessness that creeps up on a person. If, after careful and deliberate consideration, you believe that law isn't where you want to be, then find something else. Easier said than done with law school debt, I know, but a point that my priest made to me when discussing my own options is pretty appropriate: what good is it if you gain the world but lose your soul? Polonius' advice obtains - above all, to thine own self be true.

[Yeoman]

Say, fellow barristers and soliciters, Evan has started a brand new topic to address our young colleages concerns. Perhaps we should comment up there?

[Sean]

Perlelune. I have never worked in a big law firm, so these comments are from an outsider looking in. I have, however, a good friend who used to work at a very large downtown Los Angeles firm. My advice to you? Get out now before your soul dies.

If you think the partners there care about you, you are sadly deluded. You are nothing but a billing machine, and one that is replaceable. If I ever wanted to speak with my friend after she started at the sweat shop, I would call her at the office - no matter what time of day or night it was, or whether it was during the week or on the weekend. I got hold of her at the office 95% of the time. Sad.

From what I've seen it does not get better. You get used to it, which is not the same thing. Hopefully you haven't taken your huge salary and locked yourself to a large mortgage and car payment. If not, you can afford the pay cut to go to a smaller firm that is more focused on client service and associate development. A firm that cannot afford high turnover so they try harder to make their associates happy. It'll still be work, but the hours won't be anything like you have now.

Good luck.

[mythago]

Tim, they're not the same. IT doesn't have the pyramid scheme of career advancement that BigLaw does.

A BigLaw associate of my acquaintance once overheard his firm's name partner refer to associates as "billable units."

There's lots of law out there that lets you get more than four hours' sleep a night and enjoy your job.

[Yeoman]

Tim, mythago is correct. They are not comparable.

[Ms Syed]

Alright, I'm married to a great guy who's my most staunch supporter--I've always wanted to become an attorney and now, at 34 I'm closing my business and jumping in off the "no regrets" high dive. I have no worries about $$ or constraints, just an open highway (with three kids in tow)and a family full of cheerleaders. I intend to take up the practice of immigration law to be that pillar of no BS to those who are in need of my help to either go ahead and go home with their life savings still in THEIR pockets when their chances truthfully, are slim to none with INS; or, to help those who need it and are poised for honest residency to navigate the system successfully. That's my aim. Thoughts/suggestions?

[Magdalynn]

I want to be a lawyer, I think. I use to hate lawyers until one got me out of a big mess. I like all the comments, especially about helping people. I think I want to be a social worker too and I'm confused about which road to take? I want to make the world a better place. Which profession would do that the best? Would Law or Social Work? Anybody have any suggestions. I wan thinking about doing both?

[CLT]

I am only in highschool but i have been seriously thinking about becoming a lawyer! I realy liked the comment about helping people cause i love to help people to! I tend to put helping my friends and anyone else first in my life. I dont think any problem is impossible to fix i'll usualy do any thing to solve some ones problem. I dont know if this is realy what i want to do but i hope i can figure it out soon!

[Ms. Future Lawyer]

"Which profession would do that the best? Would Law or Social Work? Anybody have any suggestions. I wan thinking about doing both?"

Magdalynn, I know you posted your question almost a year ago at this point, but I am just reading it today and I think that I need to comment. If my comment can no longer benefit you at this point, I understand, but maybe it will benefit someone else. This comment is not only for you however, but to everyone else as well, ESPECIALLY the unhappy lawyers.

I am not a lawyer yet. Actually, I am not even in law school yet. But, if it is the Lord's will, I will be starting in January of 2008, and after much prayer and soul searching, despite the swarming negativity I am happy with my decision. As for you, if you have not decided yet, I can not really give a definitive answer as to which path you should take to "make the world a better place." You could do that through either choice, or any other profession quite frankly. Whether you make a difference in the world or not does not depend on the professional route you decide to take, but on your personal character, abilities, attitudes, and values. Whatever you decide, your impact depends on what YOU decide to DO with your decision.

I am 23 years old with a bachelor's degree in Art History, an artist, a dancer, a singer, a musician and a generally creative person who is engaged to be married to my perfect man in June of '08. I am VERY family oriented, and I want to have children. I am not a rich girl, and I never have been. Am I interested in earning more money so that I can make life better for my future husband, my unborn children, my family and myself? Of course! And I am not ashamed. Money in and of itself is not my purpose, however. I enjoy law, particularly business and contract law, and the things that I can be involved in and accomplish through it. I am dedicated to my family, and I am dedicated to helping people and caring for people and influencing them to be better.

Unfortunately, in this world of commerce, it is very hard to accomplish some of the goals I would like to accomplish for people (such as starting funding programs and helping people to improve their situations) without money. Am I afraid of the practice of law robbing me of my life and changing my outlook and/or destroying my family? Not at all. It can only rob me of my joy if I allow it to. I will find the niche in law that suites my personal desires and that is what I will pursue. I will make the world a better place through my legal dealings not because of law itself, but because of the personal decisions that I make while practicing. Law is, for me, a path to helping me achieve that. But, that is just me, and my personality. In my estimation, if I can do good for just one person, and positively impact their life in any way, I am happy. You never know how impacting one person will impact others around them and around you. It is a chain reaction, really.

I guess the point of all this is in short (and it may be a cliche) is that life, and any endeavor you take on in life, becomes whatever you make of it. Cliche or not, this is true. And for all of the unhappy lawyers, I am very saddened to hear that you are unhappy, because you deserve to be. It you are unhappy, evaluate yourself, and your situation, and take the necessary steps to change your life. If this means finding another firm, opening your own practice, or going into a related or completely different profession, so be it. But, nothing of this earth should have the power to dim your entire existence.

On the same token, remember that nothing in life is all rainbows and kisses. There are challenges and unpleasantnesses is everything. If everything was always good, we wouldn't appreciate it as much would we? Nevertheless, in any situation the good should always outweigh the bad. This is something that every person must evaluate for themselves, and if the good does not outweigh the bad, then maybe it is time to move on. But if it does, maybe you shouldn't give up just yet. Adjust your attitudes, approaches and outlook and see if anything changes, then go from there.

Okay, I am done. I hope I have helped someone other than myself. That was therapy for me also ;)

-Much love to all....
XOXOXOXO :)

[V. Martin]

I think that being a lawyer is one good thing and great aspect of intellegance.
It's one of many logical jobs in the world.For people
who like to seek justice it's a great future path.

[E. Fleming]

A question to any Criminal Lawyers out there (be you Prosecutor or Defense Attorney). So far, I've heard a lot of griping, moaning, and gnashing of teeth on this blog. I am a freshman here at Florida State University, and I'm exploring some options as the year goes on. I've looked into become a Criminal Lawyer (defense attorney, to be more exact), and it seems like it may be a good match. I heard there's a lot of investigating cases involved (which means a lot of reading), but I don't mind it, as I like to read. I'm also very strong in social sciences, according to some past college preparation tests I've taken. To me though, it's not about the paycheck (which is VERY generous, I hear), but the desire to do something interesting for the community. I'm also fascinated by the idea of saving people from wrongful sentences, using my mind (and, of course, evidence).
Does anybody here have any words of wisdom for me? Thanks.

[scarletbaby]

Hmmm. What I like best about being a lawyer is that I can always complain to fellow jaded attorneys and feel empathized with. Most of my fellow lawyers are fat, jaded, alcoholic divorcees. This makes me excited for my future. Only 6 months into my job, I have role models such as the aforementioned to look forward to. That is what I like BEST about being a lawyer.