These Lawyers Found New Careers More Gratifying than Law Practice

George Patsourakos
Sep 9, 2009 10:16 AM CST

Some lawyers do not find practicing law a satisfying career. In fact, they find it frustrating dealing with divorces, child support, home foreclosures, etc.

That said, these lawyers will work in other professions—professions in which a law degree is usually helpful—and they will find these jobs more interesting than practicing law.

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alan
Sep 9, 2009 12:44 PM CST

most lawyers who “go into another field” do so because they cannot pay rent on what they earn as a lawyer. No surprise there, seeing as how the over-supply of lawyers is so large due to the misleading income figures used by law schools to lure new victims.

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Never Looked Back
Sep 10, 2009 6:51 AM CST

I left law 10 years ago to go into HR.  Yep, I had to take classes which cost $.  The upside:  9 to 5, exceptional benefits, a sweet compensation package, and time for family.  I never looked back.

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Confused
Sep 11, 2009 6:14 AM CST

How does someone who didn’t like being an attorney to begin with justify recruiting new attorneys?

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HR Curious
Sep 11, 2009 7:09 AM CST

Never Looked Back - I am considering my options to go into HR for private industry.  Did you get an MBA with an HR concentration, or what classes did you take?  Just curious because I’m trying to find the best course of action to transition away from private law practice and into business.  Thanks.

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Cecilia Mowatt
Sep 11, 2009 8:07 AM CST

I am disappointed in the assumption that the decision to do something that is not traditional legal practice means you are either of inferior intellect or running away from the stereotypical pressures of practice.  My own career path has been nontraditional after an early stint with the SEC.  Yet I proudly put “Attorney” as my profession/occupation.  There has rarely been a day throughout my professional life where I did not need to review a contract, policy or legislation for its legal ramifications for the businesses I serve.  Legal training is the best education for long term ROI.  IRAC is a great foundation for being able to tackle any problem.  We lawyers can rule where diversity is concerned because when we do our jobs right we consider all perspectives.

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2L
Sep 11, 2009 8:14 AM CST

I haven’t even finished law school and I am already considered an alternative career. I really am wasting my time and money

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Steve Perkins
Sep 11, 2009 8:32 AM CST

Comment #12:  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being an elitist.  Much like Comment #14, I’m not even sure if I’ll practice after graduation or stay in my current field where the money and hours are decent and the jobs are plentiful.

However, it’s a bit ridiculous to find someone lucky enough to be doing appellate work (!), see that they became a “diversity coordinator” instead, and then hear them say that it’s an intellectual STEP UP from being an attorney. 

Umm, no… it’s not.  If you were doing low-level doc review or depositions or something, then maybe.  But moving from appellate work to a fluffy pseudo-H.R. job does not put you in an intellectual position to look down on your old profession.  Just admit the burnout and move on with your life.

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Sara
Sep 11, 2009 8:43 AM CST

Steve, by the way, I did constitutional civil rights due process class actions, wrote legislation, worked on trials and appeals, etc.- which are interesting and complicated areas of law. I found that I tired of always looking backwards to fix others’ messes and not being the decision-maker but rather being a service person implementing others’ ideas. That is the nature of lawyers- where in my HR role I have much more sway over what happens in shaping the future- something I found was more satisfying for me. Just food for thought.

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Steve Perkins
Sep 11, 2009 8:47 AM CST

I’m not sure if “Sara” and “Randi Lewis” from the article above are the same person, or if Sara is simply someone who identifies with Randi.  Either way, Comment #17 is perfectly reasonable and respectable.  From what I saw over my Summer internship, I gather that the grass might not be greener… most of the lawyers there made less than people in my current field, and work often was no more interesting.  Regardless, telling a bunch of lawyers and law students that another field is a better “fit for your intellect” is an ideal way to draw groans and chuckles.

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Margaret
Sep 11, 2009 8:50 AM CST

I’ve been practicing law for 12 years - after a 20-year career interacting with the public - and I am totally burnt out.  The nastiness and pettiness of opposing counsel has drained me (where others might find it invigorating).  The HR career and diversity coordinator careers sound so much more civil, with positive interaction.  It’s encouraging to hear others have found good alternate use for that expensive education.
And for that 2L (comment 14) - GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!!!!

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HVB
Sep 11, 2009 8:51 AM CST

Good point Sara: most law practice is “always looking backwards to fix others’ messes”.  At one point it aggravated me until I looked at it from another perspective: I am solving people’s problems, and that is challenging and rewarding (especially if you are fortunate enough to have appreciative clients; if not, get out!)
I often say, “if everyone did what they were supposed to, I wouldn’t have a job!”
Others assessing this profession should consider that some areas are inherently at the front-end of decision making, such as transactional and estate planning work.

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Attorney one year so far
Sep 11, 2009 9:08 AM CST

I have been an attorney one year and find my profession/job very rewarding but agree with comment #15 -

“The “law degree is helpful in other jobs” used to be true when getting a degree was inexpensive, and if you were in your twenties, childless, and didn’t mind three more years of austere living. ... I tell students not to go to law school unless they truly want to be a lawyer.”

I believe we as attorneys should be more honest with potential law students about the price they pay to become an attorney and if they do want to do it, they really need to want to do it and not just because they can’t figure out what to do with their life.  Law schools are in the business of churning out new lawyers regardless of the end result, the majority of the loans will take many years to pay off with the salaries that exist for the majority of the law jobs out there, if they can find jobs.

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Esq.
Sep 11, 2009 9:59 AM CST

You can’t really paint “practising the law” with such narrow strokes.  Being a trial lawyer, big firm transactional lawyer, government lawyer, administrative law judge, document reviewer, legal aid attorney, etc.  are all very different in terms of workload, environment, and individual personalities and skill sets.  I’m starting to think that a lot of people leave the law because there is a derth of career counsling for lawyers.  Or, more specifically, they are shuttled either into big firms or certain types of trial work by their law schools, and aren’t aware that there are many other career paths for practising attorneys.

I’m about six years out myself.  I definitely feel that the law is my calling, and greatly enjoy research, writing, and problem solving.  And while the gold-standard of the profession seems to be membership in the big firm rat-race, clerking in the federal courts, or in the political arena that is big-name agency prosecution, I don’t believe that I would find any of those pursuits rewarding.

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DR
Sep 11, 2009 10:40 AM CST

I concur with #28 above.  I believe that satisfaction with the practice of law (at least for me) revolves around the type of practice and the environment in which you practice.  I find what I do right now to be very challenging on many levels, but I would find it hard to enjoy some other practice areas, especially one in which I would have to be a generalist. 

I did the reverse of this article…I became an attorney at 40 years of age after working in another field for almost 20 years.  My only regret is that sometimes I wish I could be more well-rounded.  Practicing law, as well as handling family responsibilities, leaves little time for other interests.  I would still like to engage more time in my past interests…which was the arts.  I feel very lucky, though, to be where I am at this stage in my life.  I think it is great when people find some satisfaction in their work, even if they have to switch careers.

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JME
Sep 11, 2009 11:28 AM CST

#31 - I graduated in 2008.  #80 of 86.  That’s kinda the bottom of the class.  I graduated at age 54.  I attended a state univeristy in the midwest.  I knew no law firm was going to interview me, long before I got started.  I made up my mind from the beginning, that I would go solo.  I found a small town with no lawyers, set up shop with no money, and my first year of practice in nearly up.  I am not in debt so far as the practice is concerned, although I am not making much money to take home.  I do have strong family support, as I was told my family would never allow me to be homeless, so my mortgage and basic needs are met.  The firm pays for itself, and is beginning to show a profit.  My best case was given to me by one of my professors.  If you want to practice law, there are ways to do it.  Look around, find a lawyer in solo practice considering retirement.  maybe you can get in as an office share, then assume the practice when he retires.  Believe me, it happens.  It happened to one of my classmates - wish I’d done it, his office is five blocks from my house, I commute 30 miles.  Point is, don’t rely on someone else, make it happen for you.  And I KNEW, walking out of the bar exam, that I had passed.  I’ve deferred my student loans out, to give me time to get established, but even so, law school only cost me about $90K.

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JN
Sep 11, 2009 3:33 PM CST

I have noted many comments posted (and not just in this thread) regarding “too many lawyers” being graduated for the available work and the high cost of a legal education (generally couched in terms of “too much debt”).  In a capitalist economy, it would seem that this should be a self-correcting problem, although I realize that some individuals can get badly hurt in the process.  Unless the story can be kept hidden (no way in today’s connected world!), it would seem that before long, supply and demand should lead to a balance.

As for me, I graduated law school at 39, have now practiced for 18 years (12 as a solo) and love it.  (Strangely enough, I loved law school too.)  I have attorney friends still practicing in their 70’s and 80’s who have no plans to quit, and it is not because they need the money.  Obviously, no one thing is right for everyone, but I do get tired of reading how terrible the practice of law is.  If you don’t like it, find something else to do, but don’t assume that because it is not right for you, it is not great for others.

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WZ
Sep 12, 2009 2:23 AM CST

I started law school in my 40s, and enjoyed it immensely! - passed the bar on first try, practiced solo for about ten years, did okay for the most part, but the stress was unbearable.  Moreover, I was never able to pay back law school loans.  At least I made enough for rent and to raise my kids.  Eventually I decided to go back to what I was doing before, being a professional musician, and within four years had paid back every cent of my loans.  I love what I do now, every day.  It’s still not big bucks, but I sleep well and no longer suffer from stress of court deadlines, brief writing and discovery hassles, and having to deal with rude and inconsiderate counsel, the kind of people I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley let alone sit across from in a deposition! 

I loved law school, and did enjoy the practice on the whole.  I still regard my legal education as an enormous asset that I continue to put to use frequently.  I’m glad to see that so many others are truly enjoying and prospering in their careers in law.  But I feel I’m back in my own skin now.

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steve sedberry
Sep 13, 2009 5:55 AM CST

A law degree will always provide graduates with a variety of career options, unlike most other post-graduate degrees.  This is because the intellectual rigor associated with the educational disciplne provide a skillset with applications in a variety of fields, including management, journalism, business, strategy, planning, teaching and others. 

Lawyers have gone on to a variety of other careers, perhaps because they had to, but more likely simply because they could. 

John Grisham, Howard Cosell, Ghandi, Mandela, John Cleese, Ben Stein, Earle Stanley Gardner, Geraldo Rivera, Scott Turow, and numerous other lawyers have had successful careers after law practice.  It would be pretty difficult to come up with another educational discipline with graduates in fields as diverse as these.

For more discussion on career options with a law degree, see www.lawschoollabyrinth.com.

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Door closer
Sep 13, 2009 10:41 AM CST

Employers are understnadaby wary of people who invested all that time and money in getting a legal education but don’t want to be a lawyer.

What does that tell a potential employer??

That you don’t know what yout want to do, lacking focus, bad judgment etc…..

A JD is not a door openeer to other things, it is a door closer.

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cgb
Sep 14, 2009 9:16 AM CST

I was in private practice for 20+ years and gave it up for the public sector. The stress of small firm and/or solo practice drove me nuts. Not to mention disrespectful and ungrateful clients who despite wins on their behalf refused to pay their bills. But for clients, tjhe practice of law would be fun. Now its a regular paycheck, 9-5, insurance paid, etc., etc. and no more dipping into the credit lines.  Ah, freedom!

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Doug Smith
Sep 14, 2009 1:37 PM CST

I have always read and never, replied.
I have severe dyslexia and don’t read or write.
I’ve built a computer that I talked to and it talks to me.  There are lawyers who love with they do and without them this world would be a mass.
I have taught at the local university and found it rewarding but not financially.
Started a company and made more money than I ever thought I would in my wildest dreams.  But was so unhappy I cried out to God.  Sold the company and was going to cruise the world on my boat and ended up taking care of some kids by accident. 
Last 25 years I have made nothing.  But I have found joy beyond belief.  The movie Safe Harbor was made about my life.  I used to care about what people thought of me.  But I have learned it doesn’t matter. 
I tell my boys it’s bad enough you have to work for a living. you might as well enjoy it. 
The movie caused people to believe that we made lots of money on it.  And so a lot of our donors quit giving.  Then the economy slowed things down.  I’ve had to lay off my entire staff.  I’ve kept school teachers and pay the mortgage out of my retirement.  My friends or always saying how awful this is.  But there’s still a joy and peace that I cannot explain since I had no salary to start with I lost nothing personally and as far as my retirement a cant think of anything else I want to invest in.
I spent most of my fortune fighting the state for the right to work for free.  The remainder to kids who could not afford to come here.
When I was a child I lived under a bridge and had nothing but was happy.
The point being anything worth doing will be difficult. 
And education is never wasted. 
Money can only make you comfortable it can not bring you joy or happiness.
If you want to be a lawyer be a lawyer if you were chasing money good luck.

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Esq.
Sep 14, 2009 2:45 PM CST

@ #37:  I like your baseball analogy about changed expectations for pitchers being beneficial for the game and players alike.

The American League now has designated hitters,(and by extension designated pitchers).  It essentially means that certain players with an extreme gift for pitching but (some of whom) can’t hit worth a damn, can not only participate in the game, but are some of the highest paid and most valued players in the game.

It’s a shame how many on the hiring end of the legal field, who supposedly seek the ‘best and the brightest’, use extremily narrow standards of evaluating candidates.

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Stephen
Sep 14, 2009 5:39 PM CST

I’m slightly disappointed by the negativity being displayed by my namesakes in these comments. Of course a law degree isn’t an automatic route to big money, easy work/life balance and a life you’ll love, nothing is. Surely somewhere in your law school careers you must have picked up the idea of not generalising and looking for fine distinctions? I certainly did. I’m also seeing a lot of self confident assertion and little evidence and that’s possibly part of the problem too.

A law degree is a very potent postgraduate qualification. It won’t open doors on its own, but neither does any degree. I’m sure some people will look at it and say “why isn’t he a lawyer?” but I’m sure there’s someone in the world who looks at people who did English in high school and says “why aren’t you a writer?” People have different mental processes and standards. Don’t tar everyone with the same brush.

Frankly I consider that things I don’t have on my CV to be more damaging to my job chances than the qualification I do have. Someone might read a law graduate’s CV and think “overqualified”, they equally might not.

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