Lawyers who work the most appear least likely to regret their career choice, Indiana study finds
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Lawyers who work more than 60 hours a week appear generally more satisfied with their workplace and their decision to become a lawyer than those who put in less time, according to a survey of Indiana Lawyer readers.
Lawyers who worked more than 60 hours a week reported higher levels of satisfaction than other lawyers in 10 out of 14 areas tested, Indiana University law professor William Henderson writes at the Legal Whiteboard. The data from 516 lawyers was analyzed by Lawyer Metrics, a company created by Henderson to help law firms with hiring and retention.
Lawyers who worked more than 60 hours a week reported higher levels of agreement with statements that: their organization values professional ethics, their work culture allows them to thrive, their organization values community involvement, their organization values diversity, they never regretted becoming a lawyer, the profession treats the sexes equally, they receive adequate compensation, they have ample pro bono opportunities, the profession will rebound from the downturn, and young people should pursue legal careers.
In two notable areas, lawyers working 60-plus hours, along with those working 50 to 60 hours a week, were less likely than the others to agree that: their career permits a life outside work, and their organizations support flexible arrangements.
Those who worked 51 to 60 hours a week were slightly more likely than the others to say their work is professionally satisfying.
The study also looked at which factors were more important predictors that lawyers would find their work professionally satisfying. When the study authors controlled for factors such as age, income, gender and practice setting, they found the most important predictor of satisfaction was whether the workplace culture enabled lawyers to thrive. Other positive predictors for satisfaction were more hours worked, with flexible work arrangements.
