| Topic Name: |
Alternative Careers for Attorneys |
| Message Name: |
My wife made the swtich |
| Date Posted: |
11/20/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
I have been an attorney for almost 2 years. I'm already burned out. Believe that! I know so many people in this field that are just settling, because this is the only field they have a degree in. I decided not to settle. I walked out of a firm and have been unemployed for 6 months. Regrets, "I have a few" - Should I have walked out? Yes. I was coming home crying every day, miserable because I was one woman attorney among 9 other men. They would make some sexist comments, disgusting ones, eyeing me up and down, etc. I got sick of it. They critiqued (unecessarily) everything I did. I put up with it. But when the insults started, that was it! When I think about it in retrospect, I feel that I made the right decision. True, I am unemployed and in debt, but I have my integrity, self respect, and sanity in tact. Still no job and I don't want to practice law any more. What next? That's what I want to know. What are alternative fields with someone with a J.D. and a bachelors in Criminal Justice? How limited am I? Problem is, I don't have experience in any other field? Is the bottom where I have to start in any field? Did I go to law school for nothing? Help? Anyone with the same problem? I don't mind making less money, so long as I'm happy. |
| Message: |
Purple,
I know a number of women attornies that have successfully moved out of the practice of law, including my wife. It was incredibly heart wrenching for all of them. They had studied hard throughout college and law school to reach the point where they were successful laywers. Many were driven by the dream of being a partner in a big name firm. Many were attracted to the law from television shows such as LA Law, The Practice, Law & Order etc.
The reality was brutal. My wife went from being a kind hearted person who wanted to help people (Corporate and bankruptcy law) to being a ruthless and hard nose attorney. But, she had to in order to survive and move up. She eventually made partner, then started her own practice. But, the pressures, the commitments, the schedule got to be too much.
Two years ago, I took a job promotion and we left Boston and her law practice behind. She took a job in a non-profit as Associate General Counsel and loves the job to death. Few preassures, great people to work with, an organization that really appreciates her work. They tell her all the time how lucky they are to have someone with 15 years of legal experience. She works 40 hours a week, gets paid decent money (more than $100K) and gets 4 weeks vacation.
Look into the non-profit sector. There should be many opportunities for someone with your background. Granted, we live in DC where the opportunities are plentiful, but I'm sure if you research it well, you'll come up with something fulfilling. Good luck!
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