Former Lawyers Pursue Alternative Careers and Find the Work Grueling
Many lawyers may dream of careers outside the law, pursuing their passions and enjoying the good life.
Two lawyers who tried it, however, found the work can be grueling, the New York Times reports. “Plan B, it turns out, is a lot harder than it seems,” the story says.
The Times interviewed two lawyers who opened their own businesses. Rona Economou was laid off from her Manhattan law firm in 2009, so she opened a Greek food stall in New York City called Boubouki. Mary Lee Herrington quit her job as an associate at a London law firm two years ago to start a wedding planning business in the city.
Now Economou wakes up at 5:30 a.m. six days a week to begin baking. On the seventh day, when her shop is closed, she handles paperwork and administrative matters. Herrington works 17-hour days as a wedding nears. At first, she took a part-time job to make ends meet.
Still, Economou and Herrington say they are glad they made the change. Herrington loves talking about work, something she never did as a lawyer. Economou feels connected to her customers and the neighborhood. “I’m coming up on my one-year anniversary, and I love it,” Economou told the Times.
