Lawyers especially! I'm thinking of entering the law field as a career...?

CatLaw

I am a lawyer and have my own employment law firm in the suburbs of Chicago www.lawyer4employees.com. I wanted to be a lawyer since 4th grade, but because of family finances I did not go to law school until I already had a career. I love my job, my business, and especially my profession. Because I own the firm I make my own hours. Yes, there have been 80 hour weeks, but there have been 20 hour weeks also. That is one good thing about being a lawyer, you can find a firm or go to a corporation that has limited OT. Once you get that license and experience you can find that perfect fit.

As a lawyer who represents employees I do what is commonly called transactional work. That means a short time with the client. I appear at hearings in administrative agencies like the EEOC, obtaining unemployment benefits, and before federal courts representing government employees. Each day is different which is something that I enjoy.

Sometimes it is like what you see on TV with all the rushing around and going in front of strict judges, but most time it is not. As a lawyer you are on the job 24/7. Even in social events your profession makes a difference. You get asked legal questions by friends and family, and are expected to come up with a quick answer.

Negatives are that the salary is no where near what you see on tv. Latest ABA research says average salary for lawyers is $40,000. If that sounds like alot, it isn't, that is what my law school charges per year. The other negaitve is that your profession is always being made fun of and ridiculed because the profession, like all professions, has a few bad apples in it. It becomes very frustrating when you know that your practice is 100% ethical, to have your profession run down, especially by family.

I agree with the other poster about finding a job in a law firm to test the waters. Remember there are places other that law firms that employ lawyers. Most coporations have lawyers in their Human Resources department to keep hiring and firing legal. Corporations may have general counsels, in house counsels, compliance counsels (for companies that must comply with certain laws like insurance companies do), and senior or executive managment who are attorneys but do not practice law. Many business consider a law degree as a great asset.

Look at www.abanet.org that is the American Bar Assoc website, they have a section for those thinking about becoming a lawyer. If you are blessed with the calling to become a lawyer then go for it. If at all possible go into law school right after college. Good luck.

mj69catz

There are a lot of different types of lawyers, and some don't work as much overtime as others. Much of the time those that do work overtime choose to do it.

If you are considering becoming a lawyer, find out what lawyers do and join the technolawyer community (www.technolawyer.com), or subscribe to news feeds at law.com Also, check out the recently released Blawg World E-Book for some links to cool legal bloggers.
http://www.technolawyer.com/r.asp?L11534&M23654

Angelique

I work for lawyers and it is nothing like TV. There is so much paperwork and you spend most of your time doing it. Trials can be exiting, but not always. The hours you mentioned really depend on what type of lawyer you want to be and what sort of practice you join. A smaller practice you might not have to leave state, larger ones there is more travel, but the pay is much better. Collections is the easiest, corporate and defense are the hardest.

kikidismom

I am a trial lawyer. Most days I go to hearings, take depositions (recorded interviews of folks in lawsuits), summarize them and then based on what information we got issue subpoenas for records to either verify a claim, investigate the extent of the injury or claim or look for impeachment information (that you are lying). Then I spend a lot of time reviewing what information I already requested that has come in on other suits, reading it and analyzing it and telling my insurance adjusters whether that raised, lowered or did not change the value of the case. Even as a busy trial lawyer, you aren't in trial that much - there are years I try 1 or 2 cases a year and then others I try more than a dozen to verdict. When you are in trial, your case owns you, 24/7. My client's butt is on the line and you are totally fixated on what is being said, how the jury and judge are reacting, preparing cross exam questions for the witness is now testifying, changing your stratgey and trying to keep bad and inadmissible evidence out. Then that night, before the next day, you meet w/ your witnesses, tweak your case, make sure your witnesses actually are going to be there, etc. and that goes on till the verdict comes in. During that process, my clients and trials own me and I think they deserve no less of me. That having been said, there are a lot of cost saving pressures on lawyers now that weren't there when I started practicing in 1987 and we tend to have to do more of our own clerical work (typing, etc.) and get less staff and lower hourly rates to do it. Ironically when I first got out of law school and knew nothing, I billed at $150/hour. Now, with 20 years practice, about 60 trials under my belt and a reputation for being well respected and successful, I bill at $125/hour so you have to bill more time to take home less money. I like my job and am not starving but most of us are earning a lot less and working more hours than we thought we would years ago at this stage in our career. My recommendation: work for a law firm, volunteer if need be, even if it just answering a phone or filing b/c you will get a much better feel of what it's like, and if you want a family, consider family law or real estate or bankruptcy which have more stable hours.

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