Other Attorneys Out There?

I'm still doing well getting out of this flare, but the stress at work is just unbearable. I'm in litigation, 5+ years, and I'm in a small firm now, but I've done mid sized firms with 50+ attorneys. It seems like the partners are all just...not human? I'm working 10-12 hour days even though they now know about the UC and I've told them basically "I'm not looking for any accommodations, I'll get all of my work done, but let's work together to make the 'emergencies' less frequent." Basically they leave things to the last minute and I end up staying up all night to get it done, or working over the weekend. Even when I remind and nag and remind, they still leave it to the last minute knowing it will be me having to deal with it. Worse is that I do my best, and I have been complimented on my work product by judges, professors and other attorneys, but here they are never happy with it.

I'm frustrated, because I feel like every law firm I've ever worked for is the same, and I get the same reports from colleagues that are my age. I think the answer is probably to jump to government, in-house, or academics, but there is just SO MUCH competition for those jobs I don't know if or when that will happen.

I could just cry (actually I do) - I spent so much money thinking that I was going to do something useful with my law degree, and I'm stuck litigating with companies fighting over money that, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't matter to them OR the other side. I'd love to work for a non-profit, but they don't pay enough for me to pay my stupid student loan payments.

So, anyone else have law firm experience want to chime in? How do you deal with everything UC throws at you and stay at these high stress, crazy town jobs?

My co-worker just married a guy right out of law school. he couldn't get a job, so started hanging out at the courthouse, met some judges and they are throwing him court appointed cases. He opened his own firm a few months back....just renting space in an office building. I think he is doing ok. He is his own boss and he what he makes is coorelated to how much time he puts in. His wife does carry the benefits though.

I didn't mention - it's a tiny law firm so I'm not eligible for any FMLA or any other protection. That makes it a little scary, although I've only had to take a total of 2 days off with this so far - 1 for the colonoscopy, and 1 for the day in the ER with food poisoning.

lemonhead - that wouldn't pay my student loans either, unfortunately. I took a crack at solo practice, but there is just too much competition in the giant metro area I'm in.

sherbear46- that's an idea. I just became eligible for administrative law judge positions and I've applied to every opening, but no bites yet. I have 4 more years before I'm eligible to be a "real" judge.

I am a lawyer too...but really just my husband's associate. Obviously, I don't have your issues. I feel badly for you. Any chance you could go in house?? Legal aid? Less stress? I was with the Illinois AG's office b4 my babies and the hours were 9 -5 for most. I came over from private practice, so I worked later...but I really didn't have to. Your health needs to comes first. Most law firms are the devils' spawn. Get out if you can!!!! Keep me posted :)

~Cita

Myerlemony,
Good call. I HATED private practice. The billable hours and stress were horrible. I met my husband at work (he was a new partner and I was a new associate). After we married, I needed to leave. I interviewed for the State's Attorney, AG and Corp Counsel (for Chicago). I got the AG position and I liked it. Much less stress. The money wasn't as good, but it was ok.

How about charitable foundations? Do you have a head hunter? Could you be a sole practitioner? That's pretty much what we do..my husband left his firm a few years ago and we started our own practice. He does the lion's share of the work (esp now with my UC). I do billing, legal research, editing of our briefs, etc. It works for us. Good luck!

I'm a 33 y/o male
UC since 2004
9 pills of colozal/day
20 mg of pred-currently
remicaide every 2 mos.
multivitamin
fish oil
probiotics

So I've been fishing a bit, and Friday a sent a resume to a really large architectural and design firm (I do construction law/litigation). This morning they called and set up a phone interview for this afternoon, and I just finished it - and not to jinx the whole thing but their HR person and I really hit it off. I was also really "on" (thank god I'm off the pred!) and was able to come up with great answers and industry specific examples.

So. She is going to call me tomorrow afternoon (unless something weird happens and the next level hates my resume, or something) to set up something face to face with the attorneys in the office I would be working in!

Crazy and I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but there it is. The HR person said it's the best place she'd ever worked. She was laid off in 2009 when the industry crashed, and she has since gone back to them. That's saying something. I also connected with an attorney in that office through LinkedIn, and he has offered to chat with me over the phone about what it is like to work there.

Somehow we got on the topic of vacations, and I jokingly asked if they are allowed, and she said "oh yes our GC will be gone 2 weeks over the holidays!"

So we'll see...I'd still rather be with the City but a big construction company isn't a bad stepping stone to that, it isn't going anywhere.

Oh and just so this stays UC related - they have FAB health benefits, an employee wellness program, on site gym, and all kinds of things.

Of course, the excitement sent me right into the bathroom with nervous tummy. Oh well.

I'll say a prayer for you tomorrow!! It sounds perfect.
~Cita

Good luck!!!

It's just litigation - I've done therapy for it, yoga, everything - it is just law firm culture itself.

It makes teaching a classroom packed with 45 10th graders from an urban school a walk in the park. No kidding - I took a break from it to teach high school English in 2009. Easiest year I've ever had - not that teaching is easy, but comparatively it was.

This would be taking me out of high stakes, crazy corporate litigation and into corporate transactions. Much much better....and more than 25 employees so a little FMLA protection after a year.