T14 grad, 3rd yr associate. hate being a lawyer. Forum

[bizzike]

.

[NYSprague]

great attorney because I am unengaged in it and can't force myself to give it my full intellectual effort

Regardless of whether you stay or leave law. When you say you are searching for something "meaningful", what you are really saying is you are looking for something that will make you happy / something that has "prestige".

http://www.lifebuzz.com/mike-rowe/

Nothing entry-level (even non-profit) in any industry is "meaningful". Entry level roles will always be filled with tasks that more experienced workers a) don't have time to do b) don't want to do. If you hate lawyering, that's fine. Find something else. But, be aware, that whatever path you choose the first 3,5,7 years will be filled with slogging shit and taking orders. During this phase, forget about work/life balance (what are you going to do in your free time, spend all the money you don't have?) and focus on mastering every aspect of your job. Become indispensable to your firm. Keep in mind, nothing is ever going to happen as fast as you want it.

I'm on IBR, and with my monthly payment, don't even pay off 1/2 the interest that accumulates every month.

This isn't going to change at your next job(at least in the short term). You need to deal with this and move forward.

Your peers had desirable outcomes and you did not, and that has got to hurt deeply. Unfortunately, life's not fair and it will never be fair. As it stands right now, I'd guess that you expend a considerable amount of energy thinking about how everyone else is better off than you. But until you decide that you're going to focus on building and developing yourself you're going to be miserable because you have an entry-level skill-set and believe you're entitled to a mid-level position.

Get counseling, find God, get a gym membership(and use it), do something to get your mind right. Because until you do, regardless the industry, you're going to be miserable.

Are you even in law school? If so, have you gone through OCI or had a job? If not, 0Ls can't post here.
I can't tell from your posts but you are making a bunch of assumptions here.

[uvauvauva]

No offense, but I think you lack interviewing skills. You said you were top 1/3 but a firm didn't give you an offer. Then you had interviews with V50s... but didn't get an offer.

Try to learn your mistakes during interviews and keep on applying. Also, maybe you don't like your market? Take another bar to change it up?

I'm wondering... what exactly don't you like about the law?

[NYSprague]

No offense, but I think you lack interviewing skills. You said you were top 1/3 but a firm didn't give you an offer. Then you had interviews with V50s... but didn't get an offer.

Try to learn your mistakes during interviews and keep on applying. Also, maybe you don't like your market? Take another bar to change it up?

I'm wondering... what exactly don't you like about the law?

Oh right. It has to be his interviewing skills not the job market.

[Anonymous User]

No offense, but I think you lack interviewing skills. You said you were top 1/3 but a firm didn't give you an offer. Then you had interviews with V50s... but didn't get an offer.

Try to learn your mistakes during interviews and keep on applying. Also, maybe you don't like your market? Take another bar to change it up?

I'm wondering... what exactly don't you like about the law?

Oh right. It has to be his interviewing skills not the job market.

BUT BOOTSTRAPS.

(ETA: ymmv, goddamn anony misclick.)

[Anonymous User]

Hmmm. Had v50 interviews and did not make it. Too 1/3 in aw school and struck out? Idk. Most likely interview skills.

[uvauvauva]

Sorry that was me. Not supposed to be anon.

[dresden doll]

It's not true that entry-levels are absolutely never meaningful. I suggest picking up a job with a direct service provider. You'll be doing substantive stuff helping actual people sooner than you know it.

[Stringer Bell]

Hmmm. Had v50 interviews and did not make it. Too 1/3 in aw school and struck out? Idk. Most likely interview skills.

OP is probably class of 2011. TBF that OCI was pretty freaking brutal.

[elsea]

Find a public sector job where you can get your loans relieved in 10 years and elect IBR for ten years.

Clock in and clock out every day. Be marginally competent at your job, enough so you don't have to get fired. Cozy up to some political hack if you must, if he's on his way up. (Good to have friends, you know.) Don't let your job control your life. Put in your time, tell yourself you are trying to enjoy it. Get some therapy and some antidepressants. Do art.

After ten years, poof, loans gone.

Leave law.

Be happy.

[dresden doll]

Find a public sector job where you can get your loans relieved in 10 years and elect IBR for ten years.

Clock in and clock out every day. Be marginally competent at your job, enough so you don't have to get fired. Cozy up to some political hack if you must, if he's on his way up. (Good to have friends, you know.) Don't let your job control your life. Put in your time, tell yourself you are trying to enjoy it. Get some therapy and some antidepressants. Do art.

After ten years, poof, loans gone.

Leave law.

Be happy.

What was the point of even going to law school in this little fiction?

[NorCalLaw]

Find a public sector job where you can get your loans relieved in 10 years and elect IBR for ten years.

Clock in and clock out every day. Be marginally competent at your job, enough so you don't have to get fired. Cozy up to some political hack if you must, if he's on his way up. (Good to have friends, you know.) Don't let your job control your life. Put in your time, tell yourself you are trying to enjoy it. Get some therapy and some antidepressants. Do art.

After ten years, poof, loans gone.

Leave law.

Be happy.

What was the point of even going to law school in this little fiction?

Does there have to be a point? Tons of people shuffle in and out of the profession all the time. There's no shame in leaving if you want to pursue something different.

[dresden doll]

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

[anonymous2012]

Law school is a bad decision for most people who choose it. Accepting that is better than stretching to find a legal job. Cut and run. Lots of public service jobs view law degrees favorably, even if it's not a legal position.

[09042014]

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

check yoy sunk costs.

[dresden doll]

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

check yoy sunk costs.

That only further supports my point, no?

[09042014]

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

check yoy sunk costs.

That only further supports my point, no?

The point is that this person can't not go to law school now.

[elsea]

Find a public sector job where you can get your loans relieved in 10 years and elect IBR for ten years.

Clock in and clock out every day. Be marginally competent at your job, enough so you don't have to get fired. Cozy up to some political hack if you must, if he's on his way up. (Good to have friends, you know.) Don't let your job control your life. Put in your time, tell yourself you are trying to enjoy it. Get some therapy and some antidepressants. Do art.

After ten years, poof, loans gone.

Leave law.

Be happy.

What was the point of even going to law school in this little fiction?

Law school and the loan damage is already done. This is just about surviving the next ten years to get rid of the mountain of loans.

[NorCalLaw]

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

check yoy sunk costs.

That only further supports my point, no?

No. The flaw in your thinking is that you're looking at the whole process as though one can change the past. The reality is that certain decisions have been made and expenses have been incurred that can no longer be changed. Instead, one must act based on one's present understandings and circumstances. Sure, one should not incur $200k in loans without expecting to spend the next decade or two practicing law. But once one graduates and cannot successfully service their debt with a legal job, does not enjoy practicing law, or simply cannot find such a job at all, one must take action to address the present circumstances, not those of the past.

[Old Gregg]

Yup. Know a venture capital guy raking in millions who went to law school. What a dumbass right?

[igo2northwestern]

Yup. Know a venture capital guy raking in millions who went to law school. What a dumbass right?

That's incredibly rare. Law school is not a recruiting grounds for VC firms; VCs typically pick the best out of IBD and MBB consulting. Chances are the person you are aware of had this background, existing connections, and/or a dual MBA degree.

But even if s/he did not, it would be a foolish decision to shoot for VC via a $200k+ law degree.

[Old Gregg]

Yup. Know a venture capital guy raking in millions who went to law school. What a dumbass right?

That's incredibly rare. Law school is not a recruiting grounds for VC firms; VCs typically pick the best out of IBD and MBB consulting. Chances are the person you are aware of had this background, existing connections, and/or a dual MBA degree.

But even if s/he did not, it would be a foolish decision to shoot for VC via a $200k+ law degree.

I knew this response was coming and it's a complete misread of my post. My post did not imply any of the above. And I know it's super rare. I was addressing this point:

Does there have to be a point?

To incur 200k in loans, I'd say yes. Feel free to disagree of course.

Which is stupid.

[Old Gregg]

Man it's like you didn't even read my post but took the opportunity to try to sound smart and jump down my throat. Nice stuff. And anonymously to boot.

[Pokemon]

How does any of this help OP really.

[84651846190]

Stop being a lawyer. Do something else. Problem solved. Billions of people all over the world have figured out how to support themselves without being a fucking lawyer, and the vast majority of them had fewer resources (and education) than anyone who posts in this forum.

You'll be find. Stop wasting your time doing something objectively shitty and get on with your life. This goes for anyone who doesn't enjoy legal practice. Life is too short.