1st year major market Corp - Consistently doing shitty job Forum

[LeDique]

Why didn't I just become a paralegal

amen

Interesting take. Paralegals deal with much of the same stress and organizational/managerial dysfunction as we do, but their work is less interesting and they're paid a lot less. Their hours are better, and they don't have to think about partnership or being forced out, but, overall, working as a big law paralegal seems unappealing.

Have you ever met a competent paralegal?

Exactly.

[rpupkin]

Why didn't I just become a paralegal

amen

Interesting take. Paralegals deal with much of the same stress and organizational/managerial dysfunction as we do, but their work is less interesting and they're paid a lot less. Their hours are better, and they don't have to think about partnership or being forced out, but, overall, working as a big law paralegal seems unappealing.

Have you ever met a competent paralegal?

Exactly.

I'd say the ratio of competent-to-incompetent paralegals is roughly equivalent to the ratio of competent-to-incompetent associates, at least in big law. But it's kind of beside the point: even if you're competent, the job still sucks given the pay.

To be fair, I did leave out the biggest relative plus in the "should have been a paralegal" column: the paralegals didn't go to law school and thus usually don't have a bunch of debt.

[Anonymous User]

I was a para. It was pretty chill bc the atty I worked under recognized I was legit and didn't ride me too hard. She also did a good job of insulating me from the two maniacal partners who threw things in the office and shit. Only got reamed by them once.

Hours weren't bad. Got some nice OT every week which helped bc without that my pay would have been garbage.

No opportunity for advancement though is rough.

Still, probably the easiest job I ever had. Probably about equivalent to an average corporate office job though. Was able to go out and get fucked up several weeknights per week and every Thurs thru Sun. Never felt like my job was in jeopardy, since I got high praise on my work.

But in the end it's OK $$ for a single bro in his 20s, but not something that's gonna pay for an adult lifestyle, subsidize ur bish getting pregnant, etc. Having a family of 3 would be living in poverty. One of my boys drove forklifts and made more than me. I guess that's why I went to law school

[somewhatwayward]

Have you ever met a competent paralegal?

Exactly.

Uh.....yes?

But in the end it's OK $$ for a single bro in his 20s, but not something that's gonna pay for an adult lifestyle, subsidize ur bish getting pregnant, etc. Having a family of 3 would be living in poverty. One of my boys drove forklifts and made more than me. I guess that's why I went to law school

[Anonymous User]

I think the conversation should move back to helping OP. The only advice that's been offered is switch firms, and stop messing up. Anyone who has worked in big law can empathize with OP's situation. You spend most of your waking hours at the office, and spend more time with your coworkers than with your families. Feeling like a pariah at the office has got to be rough, and if they lose their confidence they'll have more trouble growing.

[Danger Zone]

I think the conversation should move back to helping OP. The only advice that's been offered is switch firms, and stop messing up. Anyone who has worked in big law can empathize with OP's situation. You spend most of your waking hours at the office, and spend more time with your coworkers than with your families. Feeling like a pariah at the office has got to be rough, and if they lose their confidence they'll have more trouble growing.

What other advice could possibly be given?

[Anonymous User]

I think the conversation should move back to helping OP. The only advice that's been offered is switch firms, and stop messing up. Anyone who has worked in big law can empathize with OP's situation. You spend most of your waking hours at the office, and spend more time with your coworkers than with your families. Feeling like a pariah at the office has got to be rough, and if they lose their confidence they'll have more trouble growing.

What other advice could possibly be given?

I'm no expert. Maybe switch practice groups? If a pitcher came up to the majors, was used as a middle innings reliever and bombed their first few outings there's a good chance they won't be used again. If they went back down to the minors, and transitioned to playing right field then nobody will care about their poor pitching. I don't know what relevance any of this has, but at least I made an effort.