Comments for Leaving the Law http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com Find work and a life beyond the billable hour. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:43:38 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on There’s More Wrong Here Than a Personality Mismatch by Chris http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/theres-more-wrong-here-than-a-personality-mismatch/#comment-306 Chris Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:43:38 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/?p=101#comment-306 I dido your comments, as I am sitting here spinning my wheels while my attorney's bill me- only to be part of the problem, not the solution. I must have had Dyslexia when I read the instructions on how to hire a good attorney! An uncouth, sneaky approach to aquire one's funds. Not good at all. C I dido your comments, as I am sitting here spinning my wheels while my attorney’s bill me- only to be part of the problem, not the solution.
I must have had Dyslexia when I read the instructions on how to hire a good attorney!
An uncouth, sneaky approach to aquire one’s funds.
Not good at all.

C

]]> Comment on There’s More Wrong Here Than a Personality Mismatch by Yeoman http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/theres-more-wrong-here-than-a-personality-mismatch/#comment-305 Yeoman Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:49:51 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/?p=101#comment-305 Not getting ruffled under stress is deceptive. That's how people define me, but frankly I'm screaming on the inside. Tense as can be, and hating all the fighting that law entails. Not getting ruffled under stress is deceptive. That’s how people define me, but frankly I’m screaming on the inside. Tense as can be, and hating all the fighting that law entails.

]]> Comment on Which Came First, Depression or the Lawyer? by Lawyer Pessimism and the Alternative Career Search « Leaving the Law http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/which-came-first-depression-or-the-lawyer/#comment-304 Lawyer Pessimism and the Alternative Career Search « Leaving the Law Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:37:11 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/which-came-first-depression-or-the-lawyer/#comment-304 [...] 3, 2009 by leavinglaw I’ve written before about how law is one of the few professions in which pessimism pays off. The more problems you can [...] [...] 3, 2009 by leavinglaw I’ve written before about how law is one of the few professions in which pessimism pays off. The more problems you can [...]

]]> Comment on The Lawyer Personality by J http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-299 J Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:31:13 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-299 I am an NFP and have been borderline on the I/E. Miserable in law. Went for a year and quit and then (ack!) went back. That's probably the F part of me - feeling sorry for my law school dean who was very nice and trying to encourage me to come back. I went to a top 20 school and that never happens. I needed a jerk to tell me to get out and never come back. My life would have been so different. I fear that I will spend countless hours in therapy replaying the "what ifs". "What if I would have never gone to law school...." Growl.. good post. I am an NFP and have been borderline on the I/E. Miserable in law. Went for a year and quit and then (ack!) went back. That’s probably the F part of me – feeling sorry for my law school dean who was very nice and trying to encourage me to come back. I went to a top 20 school and that never happens. I needed a jerk to tell me to get out and never come back. My life would have been so different. I fear that I will spend countless hours in therapy replaying the “what ifs”. “What if I would have never gone to law school….” Growl.. good post.

]]> Comment on Such a Useful Degree by J http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/10/09/hello-world/#comment-297 J Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:34:23 +0000 #comment-297 Wow! So true. So true. I would advise anyone who is in law school and hates it to quit. Don't get the degree for any reason. I hated my first year of law school and quit. I started another graduate program because I couldn't stand not having a "place to go" at 22 years of age. That program wasn't a good fit, and I had just been running away from law. So, like a complete idiot, I went back to law school. Worst decision of my life. I hated the remainder of law school and hated practicing law for almost 6 years. I have worked at 4 law firms and tried at least 4 different practice areas. Finally, I figured out it wasn't me. I am doing something completely different now, but I have years of therapy ahead of me to get over the damage that I did to my life. Law cost was harmful to my physical and emotional health. Although my family could see it as clear if I was a skinny, pock-marked heroin addict, they never said a word. My husband watched it and never said a word. I had to take medication to function with all the jerkoff male partners and completely nutso passive aggressive female ones. It is such an understatement all of the nutballs you deal with in law firms. I was one of the fortunate ones on the money end. I went to a top state law school and graduated with no debt. I ended up saving a ton of money and getting all of the perks of the life, but nothing, nothing was worth what it cost me. I will deal with that pain for the rest of my life. Sounds pretty dire I know, but it really is that true. It is horrible to hate what you do and be in such pain and no one understands or even moves to help you. "Being a lawyer is so prestigous though," my mother would say. If I had it to do over, I'd say, "Then, mom, why don't you go get a law degree." Wow! So true. So true. I would advise anyone who is in law school and hates it to quit. Don’t get the degree for any reason. I hated my first year of law school and quit. I started another graduate program because I couldn’t stand not having a “place to go” at 22 years of age. That program wasn’t a good fit, and I had just been running away from law. So, like a complete idiot, I went back to law school. Worst decision of my life. I hated the remainder of law school and hated practicing law for almost 6 years. I have worked at 4 law firms and tried at least 4 different practice areas. Finally, I figured out it wasn’t me. I am doing something completely different now, but I have years of therapy ahead of me to get over the damage that I did to my life. Law cost was harmful to my physical and emotional health. Although my family could see it as clear if I was a skinny, pock-marked heroin addict, they never said a word. My husband watched it and never said a word. I had to take medication to function with all the jerkoff male partners and completely nutso passive aggressive female ones. It is such an understatement all of the nutballs you deal with in law firms. I was one of the fortunate ones on the money end. I went to a top state law school and graduated with no debt. I ended up saving a ton of money and getting all of the perks of the life, but nothing, nothing was worth what it cost me. I will deal with that pain for the rest of my life. Sounds pretty dire I know, but it really is that true. It is horrible to hate what you do and be in such pain and no one understands or even moves to help you. “Being a lawyer is so prestigous though,” my mother would say. If I had it to do over, I’d say, “Then, mom, why don’t you go get a law degree.”

]]> Comment on About by Valerie http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/about/#comment-295 Valerie Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:03:00 +0000 #comment-295 Thank you for this blog. I've been a lawyer for four years and I'm not happy in it. It's taken me a long time to be able to admit that to myself. I always wanted to be a writer but I also wanted to be financially independent and have a comfortable lifestyle. I decided to go into the law because I could use my skills and interests in reading, writing and helping people solve problems. My goal was to practice law for 10 to 15 years, save up a lot of money, and then retire and just write and travel. But my curse is that I'm successful in the law, I have done well and am building a reputation and I see that the longer I stay, the higher I will climb on the ladder and the more money I will make, etc. I do want to provide a nice living for my family. I think it would be selfish to write or to take a low-paying job and write, when I could provide them with so much more. And it's not that I despise being a lawyer, sometimes I quite like it. It's just that I feel I am not pursuing my life's purpose and dreams with full gusto. I do make it a point to read and write every day, which helps spur me on, but I get depressed at work. I think my depression comes because I am not being true to myself. I feel stuck because what I want to be is a writer but how could I survive on that?! My standard of living is in place for an attorney (luckily I do have savings and I spend less than I earn) and I have a lot of student loans that won't be paid off for years and years, and I do admit that I like creature comforts and I feel an obligation to provide them to my family. Another practical problem is that I have no idea what other job I would find happiness in besides writing, and it's not like I have a major book deal to pay for me to write. I've thought about teaching writing or teaching anything, or just working in a bookstore. I've thought about trying to launch a magazine or website for lawyers in my community (one doesn't exist), or to do freelance writing about legal issues since I have that background and it seems like it would pay. I would love it if you could do a post for those of us who dream of leaving law but feel stuck. What is the alternative, especially for those of us who are drawn to the low-paying arts and who can't expect to make a living right away on our words, or other form of art? Thanks again for the blog. Thank you for this blog. I’ve been a lawyer for four years and I’m not happy in it. It’s taken me a long time to be able to admit that to myself. I always wanted to be a writer but I also wanted to be financially independent and have a comfortable lifestyle. I decided to go into the law because I could use my skills and interests in reading, writing and helping people solve problems. My goal was to practice law for 10 to 15 years, save up a lot of money, and then retire and just write and travel. But my curse is that I’m successful in the law, I have done well and am building a reputation and I see that the longer I stay, the higher I will climb on the ladder and the more money I will make, etc. I do want to provide a nice living for my family. I think it would be selfish to write or to take a low-paying job and write, when I could provide them with so much more. And it’s not that I despise being a lawyer, sometimes I quite like it. It’s just that I feel I am not pursuing my life’s purpose and dreams with full gusto. I do make it a point to read and write every day, which helps spur me on, but I get depressed at work. I think my depression comes because I am not being true to myself.

I feel stuck because what I want to be is a writer but how could I survive on that?! My standard of living is in place for an attorney (luckily I do have savings and I spend less than I earn) and I have a lot of student loans that won’t be paid off for years and years, and I do admit that I like creature comforts and I feel an obligation to provide them to my family. Another practical problem is that I have no idea what other job I would find happiness in besides writing, and it’s not like I have a major book deal to pay for me to write. I’ve thought about teaching writing or teaching anything, or just working in a bookstore. I’ve thought about trying to launch a magazine or website for lawyers in my community (one doesn’t exist), or to do freelance writing about legal issues since I have that background and it seems like it would pay.

I would love it if you could do a post for those of us who dream of leaving law but feel stuck. What is the alternative, especially for those of us who are drawn to the low-paying arts and who can’t expect to make a living right away on our words, or other form of art? Thanks again for the blog.

]]> Comment on There’s More Wrong Here Than a Personality Mismatch by leavinglaw http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/theres-more-wrong-here-than-a-personality-mismatch/#comment-292 leavinglaw Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:48:40 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/?p=101#comment-292 Thanks! And it really is disheartening, to see all that creative energy poured into rationalizing extremely bad behavior, rather than finding ways to either change it or get away from it. Hurray to you for finding an good exit strategy. Thanks! And it really is disheartening, to see all that creative energy poured into rationalizing extremely bad behavior, rather than finding ways to either change it or get away from it. Hurray to you for finding an good exit strategy.

]]> Comment on There’s More Wrong Here Than a Personality Mismatch by JB http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/theres-more-wrong-here-than-a-personality-mismatch/#comment-291 JB Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:49:04 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/?p=101#comment-291 I'm glad to see you back, I was beginning to think you'd shut the blog down. I'm on the other side of Big Law now (out of the pot and into the fire, however), and it is amazing to hear the words that come out of my former colleagues' mouths in trying to justify their situation. Toxic indeed - and disheartening. JB I’m glad to see you back, I was beginning to think you’d shut the blog down. I’m on the other side of Big Law now (out of the pot and into the fire, however), and it is amazing to hear the words that come out of my former colleagues’ mouths in trying to justify their situation. Toxic indeed – and disheartening.

JB

]]> Comment on The Lawyer Personality by Bert http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-290 Bert Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:49:53 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-290 I'm an ENTP with an MBA finding a lot of the challenges in my current workplace that you speak of in BigLaw. I find my overly cold and analytical personality limits my effectivenss and happiness in my current workplace. I figured I might be happier in Law (scheduled to take the LSAT in Sept) and if not happy at least I'd be paid more handsomely for my toils. Then I read your post and wonder if I'd be an utter failure in the legal workplace. Is there a place/path that you see for an ENTP to be happy in Law. Or maybe you can elaborate on how Annie's comments may be relevant to an ENTP. I’m an ENTP with an MBA finding a lot of the challenges in my current workplace that you speak of in BigLaw. I find my overly cold and analytical personality limits my effectivenss and happiness in my current workplace.

I figured I might be happier in Law (scheduled to take the LSAT in Sept) and if not happy at least I’d be paid more handsomely for my toils. Then I read your post and wonder if I’d be an utter failure in the legal workplace.

Is there a place/path that you see for an ENTP to be happy in Law. Or maybe you can elaborate on how Annie’s comments may be relevant to an ENTP.

]]> Comment on The Lawyer Personality by anotherlawyer http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-284 anotherlawyer Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:05:40 +0000 http://leavinglaw.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-lawyer-personality/#comment-284 I'm an ENFP who has been practicing law for three years. I liked law school, but working in the transactional group at a big firm was so horrible, I became physically sick every morning. After being laid off and searching for 8 months, I found a job doing mostly litigation for a tiny firm. I'm not on a salary, which, while scary, gives me a lot of freedom to slack off and not feel guilty or work a ton and know I'll be paid for all of it. I get to do things my own way, since there's no corporate policy. Also, the people I work with can be a little eccentric themselves, and are always respectful (of my time, my status as a human being). I may not do this forever - my dream is to do career counseling or save enough money to run away to Europe and become a tour guide - but I think ENFPs can have fulfilling legal careers. You just have to find a flexible situation with less detail work or support staff that's on the ball. I think ADR/mediation and guardian ad litem work would be ideal for our personality types - talk all day, help people, and no 30 page briefs to write! I’m an ENFP who has been practicing law for three years. I liked law school, but working in the transactional group at a big firm was so horrible, I became physically sick every morning. After being laid off and searching for 8 months, I found a job doing mostly litigation for a tiny firm. I’m not on a salary, which, while scary, gives me a lot of freedom to slack off and not feel guilty or work a ton and know I’ll be paid for all of it. I get to do things my own way, since there’s no corporate policy. Also, the people I work with can be a little eccentric themselves, and are always respectful (of my time, my status as a human being).

I may not do this forever – my dream is to do career counseling or save enough money to run away to Europe and become a tour guide – but I think ENFPs can have fulfilling legal careers. You just have to find a flexible situation with less detail work or support staff that’s on the ball. I think ADR/mediation and guardian ad litem work would be ideal for our personality types – talk all day, help people, and no 30 page briefs to write!

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