2L absolutely hating my SA. Anyone in this boat? What to do? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 2L at a mid law firm (around 200 attorneys) who is currently hating the SA experience. The substantive work part is fine, even fun sometimes. But I just don't fit in and I don't think I'm doing well.

I made a few mistakes with formatting a document for an important partner. I apparently gave another partner the impression that I couldn't handle the work. I think the rest of my work product has been good so far.

I spend 60-70 hours a week with firm people between social events and work. It's been exhausting.

Is anyone else in this boat? At this point I feel like if I get an offer I might feel obligated to take it, but getting no-offered might not be the worst thing to happen.

I would love to hear the thoughts of those who have gone through the SA process and have felt this way before. I'm just very discouraged at this point; I never thought I would hate the firm lifestyle so much.

[UVAIce]

Hey, PM me and we can talk about this. I work at a similar sized firm and I feel as if I could give some good advice here.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 2L at a mid law firm (around 200 attorneys) who is currently hating the SA experience. The substantive work part is fine, even fun sometimes. But I just don't fit in and I don't think I'm doing well.

I made a few mistakes with formatting a document for an important partner. I apparently gave another partner the impression that I couldn't handle the work. I think the rest of my work product has been good so far.

I spend 60-70 hours a week with firm people between social events and work. It's been exhausting.

Is anyone else in this boat? At this point I feel like if I get an offer I might feel obligated to take it, but getting no-offered might not be the worst thing to happen.

I would love to hear the thoughts of those who have gone through the SA process and have felt this way before. I'm just very discouraged at this point; I never thought I would hate the firm lifestyle so much.

Getting no-offered would be the worst thing that happened, because it may be extremely difficult to find something your 3L year without it. (not impossible, but even if you are applying for mid law positions I suspect that a no offer looks much worse than no SA at all) I worked with someone in my SA gig who fell out of favor in the first month and made no effort to recover. He just hid in his office and helped on assignments from other summers and even "interns" (non-law students), so he got zero credit for the little work that he did. He is now an unemployed J.D. from CCN.

You don't sound like you have fallen out of favor to the degree of my (ex) workmate. You just do not seem to enjoy the work. I would highly recommend taking a proactive approach to making the second half of the summer better than the first. You can do some looking around after you have secured the offer, there is no obligation to take it. Unless you got the job based on a personal connection you don't owe them anything.

**Anonymous because don't want to out myself or my former workmate**

[Anonymous User]

OP here, thanks for the responses.

I'm not sure how to go about pro-actively making the second half better. It's not so much the work I'm given that I don't like, it's mostly the intense scrutiny by all my co-workers, having to be "on" all the time, and having to be "fake" like everyone else to fit in. :/ They are huge on homogeneity. I think they have only 1 diverse person in the entire firm.

[c3pO4]

Is this your first job? This might just be part of the shock of the workforce which could happen anywhere, but if it's your first job plus the pressure of a SA, that is understandably overwhelming. Just take a deep breath, have a good attitude, and get used to working hard and getting shat on. Way of the world. You'll be fine. It's a 3 month interview. You got here for a reason. Just 1.5 months to go.

[Anonymous User]

Is this your first job? This might just be part of the shock of the workforce which could happen anywhere, but if it's your first job plus the pressure of a SA, that is understandably overwhelming. Just take a deep breath, have a good attitude, and get used to working hard and getting shat on. Way of the world. You'll be fine.

Unfortunately it's not. I have had like 4-5 office jobs, 3 of which were legal. I've had nothing but positive experiences until this.

[c3pO4]

Is this your first job? This might just be part of the shock of the workforce which could happen anywhere, but if it's your first job plus the pressure of a SA, that is understandably overwhelming. Just take a deep breath, have a good attitude, and get used to working hard and getting shat on. Way of the world. You'll be fine.

Unfortunately it's not. I have had like 4-5 office jobs, 3 of which were legal. I've had nothing but positive experiences until this.

Then idk. In that case you are probably detecting it's not a good fit based on some good instincts. Just get an offer so it's easier to look for something else. Lots of people are in jobs they don't love. It could be much worse, like if you got no-offered, or if you never had a job in the first place this summer. Still think you'll be fine.

[Anonymous User]

I am in a somewhat similar situation, although my firm is smaller than yours. I definitely like the substantive legal work, but I hate the whole "firm-"ness of my work.

[shock259]

I don't have any great advice. It can be really exhausting be a summer associate if you're more introverted/less social. I can sympathize.

Just try to stick it out. You're halfway through. Keep faking it and keep doing your best. Do whatever you can to relieve the stress/anxiety. Keep trying to go to the social events. You're probably doing better than you think you are.

Getting offered >>>>>>>>>> getting no offered. Regardless of what you want to do. Just view it as a few more weeks of punishment. And know that you don't have to go back there.

Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

I don't have any great advice. It can be really exhausting be a summer associate if you're more introverted/less social. I can sympathize.

Just try to stick it out. You're halfway through. Keep faking it and keep doing your best. Do whatever you can to relieve the stress/anxiety. Keep trying to go to the social events. You're probably doing better than you think you are.

Getting offered >>>>>>>>>> getting no offered. Regardless of what you want to do. Just view it as a few more weeks of punishment. And know that you don't have to go back there.

Good luck.

OP here, thank you for those kind words.

I spoke with my family and I've let them know that I'm not going back to this firm after I graduate. I'm going to stop worrying about an offer since I'm pretty sure I'm not going into legal practice, so it doesn't really matter.

I have no debt, good undergraduate credentials, and I'll likely graduate in the top 10% of my class, so no non-legal employer can accuse me of "failing out" of a legal career.

Thank you TLS community. You are all great. Even if the practice of law is pretty terrible.

[jeeptiger09]

OP here, thanks for the responses.

I'm not sure how to go about pro-actively making the second half better. It's not so much the work I'm given that I don't like, it's mostly the intense scrutiny by all my co-workers, having to be "on" all the time, and having to be "fake" like everyone else to fit in. :/ They are huge on homogeneity. I think they have only 1 diverse person in the entire firm.

What market are you in? This could be a regional thing.

[c3pO4]

I don't have any great advice. It can be really exhausting be a summer associate if you're more introverted/less social. I can sympathize.

Just try to stick it out. You're halfway through. Keep faking it and keep doing your best. Do whatever you can to relieve the stress/anxiety. Keep trying to go to the social events. You're probably doing better than you think you are.

Getting offered >>>>>>>>>> getting no offered. Regardless of what you want to do. Just view it as a few more weeks of punishment. And know that you don't have to go back there.

Good luck.

OP here, thank you for those kind words.

I spoke with my family and I've let them know that I'm not going back to this firm after I graduate. I'm going to stop worrying about an offer since I'm pretty sure I'm not going into legal practice, so it doesn't really matter.

I have no debt, good undergraduate credentials, and I'll likely graduate in the top 10% of my class, so no non-legal employer can accuse me of "failing out" of a legal career.

Thank you TLS community. You are all great. Even if the practice of law is pretty terrible.

This quickly went from "my firm isn't a good fit" to "I don't want to be a lawyer." lolwut?

[84651846190]

I don't have any great advice. It can be really exhausting be a summer associate if you're more introverted/less social. I can sympathize.

Just try to stick it out. You're halfway through. Keep faking it and keep doing your best. Do whatever you can to relieve the stress/anxiety. Keep trying to go to the social events. You're probably doing better than you think you are.

Getting offered >>>>>>>>>> getting no offered. Regardless of what you want to do. Just view it as a few more weeks of punishment. And know that you don't have to go back there.

Good luck.

OP here, thank you for those kind words.

I spoke with my family and I've let them know that I'm not going back to this firm after I graduate. I'm going to stop worrying about an offer since I'm pretty sure I'm not going into legal practice, so it doesn't really matter.

I have no debt, good undergraduate credentials, and I'll likely graduate in the top 10% of my class, so no non-legal employer can accuse me of "failing out" of a legal career.

Thank you TLS community. You are all great. Even if the practice of law is pretty terrible.

Get out of law right now. Seriously. Get out. You will regret every minute you spend in this career given your present attitude.