There are a lot of dissatisfied law school graduates these days. The profession is changing, good paying jobs are harder to find, attendance costs have gone up dramatically, and more and more new attorneys are making less money. Recruiting law students for the office and talking with undergraduates I am increasingly asked, if I regret going to law school. I have no regrets on going to law school. It was what I wanted to do, because it was what I wanted to do. Experience helped me to understand the areas of practice that I enjoy doing and don't enjoy doing. I have been fortunate in that I have been able to focus on research and training - things I very much enjoy.
But do I have any regrets. The tangible results of my work are few and far between. At the end of the day, it is hard to look and see what I have done today. I have replied to email, emailed, attended meetings and calls, organized and hosted calls, but what tangible change have we made. I spend about 1/3 of my year planning a national conference, once a year when the ballroom fills with people I know we have accomplished something, but what tangible record is there that we have made a difference in the life of the attendees? What do we produce. If I produced widgets, there would be a box of widgets at the end of the day. Sometimes I wonder if I would have a greater sense of accomplishment if I had become a blacksmith, silversmith, or house painter.
some days I do nothing but answer e-mail and shuffle papers; perhaps I even ship a few packages to customers. but it sure beats sitting on my fat ass doing nothing productive!
ReplyDeleteI organise the re-vamp of the interiors of fabulous houses but my own home is the side of a cloakroom. I'd never be a house painter but I've met a couple of hot blacksmiths.
ReplyDeleteJP