careers in law

Musings on Careers in Law / Career Descriptions for Appellate Judges
Appellate judges hold some of the most coveted positions in the legal system, and many lawyers would happily abandon their legal practice (whether lucrative or not) in order to become one. One of the advantages of being an appellate judge is the opportunity to review and "second-guess" the results of trials and motions that have already been decided. Thus, an appellate judge does not listen to evidence or conduct trials. Being an appellate judge is more academic and theoretical in that an appellate judge has more time to ponder complex and cutting edge legal issues, and to interpret the law. (…)

Musings on Careers in Law / The Heirarchy of Happiness
In general, judges seem to be among the happiest in the legal profession. Trial judges are able to apply the law to sets of facts and must make rapid decisions regarding matters of both procedural and substantive law. With the exception of occasionally or periodically having one of their decisions overturned by an appellate judge, trial judges are able to make binding decisions and control outcomes in a manner that can only be envied by lawyers and lay citizens alike. Although there have been complaints (some of them valid) that judges do not make enough money, judges generally make more money than many lawyers. While lawyers in large firms usually make more money than judges, the disparity in pay is surprisingly small in medium-sized cities that are not on the Coasts or in major metropolitan areas in the United States.

Judges Seem to Be Among the Happiest in the Legal Profession
I have consistently noticed a difference in the level of general job satisfaction among those in the legal field engaged in different types of jobs. At or near the top of heap seem to be the judges. Admittedly, many judges are overworked, and all judges are isolated to an extent from the rest of society. Further, the caseload for federal and state judges has steadily increased, making judgeships more stressful and demanding than they were in the past. (…)

Choose Careers in Law with an Awareness of Billable Hour Requirements
Whether a member of the legal profession is subject to billable hour requirements can be a significant factor in whether that individual finds satisfaction and fulfillment in her professional life. According to responses received by the ABA Commission on Billable Hours, many government lawyers, in-house lawyers at corporations, lawyers in academia, public interest lawyers, and lawyers who no longer practice law left the private practice of law because they no longer wanted to be subject to the system of billable hours. Yet most lawyers in the U.S. (…)

Careers in Law May Disillusion Some
Careers in law don't always live up to new lawyers' initial expectations. An August 2000 Esquire article explored the issue of why graduates of Harvard Law School's Class of 1990 were quitting the practice of law in droves. According to the article, Harvard law students in the Class of 1990 initially believed that their law degree would provide them with an enviable lifestyle filled with wealth, professional satisfaction, flexibility, and professional recognition. Ten years later, however, less than half of the Class of 1990 apparently worked in law firms, and approximately twenty-five percent of those with entries in the class directory were no longer practicing law. [See Robert Kurson, "Who's Killing the Great Lawyers of Harvard?" Esquire (August 2000) at 84.]

Career Description for Litigators as Going to Battle
My older brother, a member of Harvard Law School's Class of 1990, learned that life as a litigator at a large firm in New York could be compared to going off to battle each day. Following graduation, my brother clerked for a judge in Massachusetts for a year. After approximately seven years of practicing law with two large law firms in New York City, my brother decided to abandon the law and begin a career in finance and investment banking. He was tired of having to go to "battle" every day as a litigator. He was also disillusioned witha hierarchical law firm structure that placed huge demands on its junior lawyers, yet provided no guarantee or substantial prospect that even its most productive and promising junior lawyers would become partners. My brother is not alone in fleeing the law for perceived greener pastures.

Careers in Law / Lawyer Lifestyles Sometimes Cause Discontent
General career descriptions for lawyers do not always prepare individuals for the lifestyle challenges many encounter in a large firm environment. Discontent sometimes causes lawyers to leave the practice of law. The head of an editing department for a charitable organization once told me that he marvels at the number of lawyers who consistently apply for non-legal, editorial jobs with his department. To many lawyers, the grass often seems greener outside of the legal profession.
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How Do Young Lawyers Feel about their Careers in Law

How do young lawyers feel about their careers in law? In a 1995 survey of lawyers who had been practicing law for less than three years or who were under the age of 36, the American Bar Association found that 27% of the lawyers surveyed were dissatisfied with practicing law. Approximately a third of young lawyers responded that they would "strongly" consider leaving their current job in the next two years, while approximately another third said they "might" consider leaving their current job within the same time frame. In a Texas survey for 1999-2000, 39% of the responding law firm associates indicated that they wanted to change jobs within two years, 22% stated that they wanted to leave the practice of law, and 37% reported that they wanted to become an in-house lawyer. Thus, most of the responding Texas associates no longer wanted to practice law with a law firm. In general, many young lawyers seem to have significant levels of discontent with the legal profession. [See Patrick J. (…)

Careers in Law and Satisfaction Levels for Lawyers
How do lawyers feel about their careers in law? A study of graduates of the University of Michigan Law School (the "Michigan Study") revealed a strikingly widespread and increasing career dissatisfaction among lawyers in private practice. The Michigan Study also found that for members of the class of 1991, those who were no longer practicing law within five years after graduation were much happier with their careers than those who worked for law firms. One study from the Maryland Bar Association revealed that approximately a third of the responding lawyers were not certain that they wanted to continue practicing law. [See Patrick J. (…)