August 5, 2008
- Too Many Lawyers Dislike Their Work
Many lawyers at large law firms are simply biding their time until retirement. It is typical for lawyers to wish that they were doing something else and to be envious of officers or employees of their corporate clients. Many lawyers proclaim that they would not go to law school again, if given the choice. Numerous lawyers also state that they would not recommend that their children attend law school. One senior lawyer in a commercial law firm has been rumored to tell new associates in the firm that they should have chosen a different job and profession. (…)
May 29, 2008
- Lawyer Satisfaction
Some trial lawyers simply love the thrill of the fight. They enjoy constructing an argument and attempting to convince other lawyers and the court of the strength of their position. True trial lawyers love the art of advocacy, the adrenaline that comes with a trial or oral argument, and the satisfaction that comes from settling a lawsuit or dispute that should be settled. Many transactional lawyers and trial lawyers enjoy serving their clients and obtaining the best results possible. Some lawyers love the actual legal principles themselves that underlie their work. Thus, many lawyers become excited and passionate over legal principles, novel fact patterns, and cutting edge legal work.
May 28, 2008
- Spectrum of Professional Satisfaction in Legal Profession
Despite the stress and emotional problems that are common in the practice of law, not all lawyers are discontented. There is a spectrum of generalized professional satisfaction in the legal profession. Many judges, law professors, special interest lawyers, government lawyers, and in-house corporate lawyers are happy with their work. While lawyers who bill their time generally seem to have less professional satisfaction, many lawyers at large and medium-sized law firms would not trade what they do for any other job or professional opportunity. I am acquainted with numerous lawyers in law firms who love what they do. While some of these individuals would retire from the practice of law if they were to win the lottery, there are others who would continue practicing law regardless of how rich or independently wealthy they were to become.
March 1, 2008
- Billable Hours and Associate Raises
As U.S. (…)
November 15, 2007
- In-House Lawyers Happier?
I know of a lawyer who began his legal career with a prestigious law firm and decided that the billable hour system was intolerable. The lawyer's spouse, however, didn't want him to leave his lucrative law firm job for an in-house lawyer position that would provide a lower salary. The lawyer and his spouse then struck a deal: the spouse would keep track of and record her time in 6-minute increments for a period of seven days so that she could better understand her husband's unhappiness. (…)
