ADVICE TO YOUNG LAWYERS #17 . . .Dear Mr. Schaeffer:

As a second-year associate at a large law firm in New York City, I'm required to work very long hours. That's not true of all the associates at my firm--the patent department has it pretty easy, as do the bond lawyers--but my personal gig is litigation. It means I'm always being asked to put out fires or do things at the last minute. On a good day, I'm not home until ten in the evening. I throw down my briefcase, kick off my shoes, and plop down on the sofa. I sometimes think about calling an old friend or two but it's always too late or I'm too tired. It's been this way for as long as I can remember. Except for once in awhile with my older brother, I haven't had a real conversation in months. It was two summers ago that I had my last real date with a man. Sure it's great to be able to pay off my student loans, but this job is just making me so terribly lonely.

It was for these reasons that I decided to keep a hamster at the office. His name is Fred and he's my friend at a time in my life when it seems I have no friends.

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