August 6, 2008
- Lawyers Are Often Dissatisfied With Their Work
Many lawyers are disillusioned, dissatisfied, or at least not enthused with the practice of law. One commentator has concluded that lawyers are less than happy, and that their source of unhappiness is the work that they do as lawyers. According to a study by the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, only half of surveyed California lawyers said they would become lawyers again, if they had the chance to start all over. The study found that California lawyers were very pessimistic about the current state of the legal profession and its future. A 1992 survey from the California Bar Association revealed that 70 percent of the responding lawyers would choose a different profession if they could, and that 75 percent would prefer that their children not become lawyers. (See Carl Horn III, LawyerLife at 32-33; Amiram Elwork, Stress Management for Lawyers at 3; Patrick J. (…)
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. (…)
July 30, 2008
- Lawyers and Guilt
Do lawyers in private practice feel guilty about taking a vacation or spending quality time with family or friends? (…)
July 18, 2008
- Divorce Rates for Lawyers
While little evidence exists on the subject, there is some evidence that lawyers have a higher divorce rate than the rate of other professions generally. One commentator has observed that lawyers are more apt to experience divorce and marital problems. [See Patrick J. (…)
July 14, 2008
- Lawyers and Time Off
I've spent the last few days relaxing in San Diego with my wife. It has been great to walk on the beach, exercise, and have Sunday brunch at the historic Hotel Del Coronado! (…)
July 9, 2008
- Lawyers and Substance Abuse
In addition to suffering from high levels of depression and anxiety (and maybe as a result thereof), lawyers appear to have more problems with alcoholism than do individuals in the general population. (…)
July 7, 2008
- Studies Show Lawyers Are Prone to Poor Mental Health
In a study of North Carolina lawyers (the "North Carolina Study"), approximately 37% of lawyers reported feeling depressed and 42% reported feeling lonely during the previous three weeks. The North Carolina Study also stated that 24% of the lawyers surveyed reported that they had experienced symptoms of depression at least three times per month during the past year. (…)
July 3, 2008
- Studies on Depression among Lawyers
Some studies indicate that lawyers are more prone to depression than individuals in other professions. In one study, lawyers in the State of Washington were found to suffer from statistically higher depression levels when compared to the population in general in Western industrialized countries. [See Patrick J. (…)
