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Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
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Anonymous User
- Posts: 431119
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
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Anonymous User
- Posts: 431119
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Depressed Associate at BigLaw firm
I'm still a 3L but I've had a job before that was stressful, though perhaps not biglaw stress.
A couple things--are you living in a city where family is located? If you are in NYC and your family is elsewhere, I imagine that would be really tough since you couldn't see them often. For me at least I find that I can work really long hours as long as I have the option of driving 20 minutes to see family, instead of having to fly or something.
Do you exercise? It is the big stress reliever for me, and I couldn't imagine being sedentary (as biglaw makes many people). I know going to a gym is time-consuming, but there are also always home workouts that can be super fun and effective.
I'm sure actual associates will have better and more specific advice on how to cut down on stress and depression in firm life, but these are my two cents.
A couple things--are you living in a city where family is located? If you are in NYC and your family is elsewhere, I imagine that would be really tough since you couldn't see them often. For me at least I find that I can work really long hours as long as I have the option of driving 20 minutes to see family, instead of having to fly or something.
Do you exercise? It is the big stress reliever for me, and I couldn't imagine being sedentary (as biglaw makes many people). I know going to a gym is time-consuming, but there are also always home workouts that can be super fun and effective.
I'm sure actual associates will have better and more specific advice on how to cut down on stress and depression in firm life, but these are my two cents.
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Nagster5
- Posts: 764
- Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 11:28 am
Re: Depressed Associate at BigLaw firm
Get professional help. Talk to someone who can help you, don't procrastinate. Pick up the phone and schedule an appointment tommorow.
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Anonymous User
- Posts: 431119
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Depressed Associate at BigLaw firm
General depression/angst in Biglaw, especially in the first year is really normal. There's lots to figure out about firm culture, practice area etc. There's also the let down of having waited for something for 3 years to find out, it's not all that great.
It sounds like you also have some shitty partners, which can be a huge factor. Talk to your friends in your firm and find out if it's a firmwide problem, practice group specific, etc. Talk to friends at other firms to find out similar. All firms have their quirks, some are more tolerant of asshats than others.
I'd encourage you to think pretty hard about your practice area as it applies to what makes you happy. A lot of us picked corporate/lit in law school without any idea of what that really looks like. Best to re-evaluate that stuff now.
In the end, it's a job like everything else and shouldn't have the power to ruin your life. Yes the debt sucks and is scary, but there are options outside of big law, if that's what you need to do to survive.
It sounds like you also have some shitty partners, which can be a huge factor. Talk to your friends in your firm and find out if it's a firmwide problem, practice group specific, etc. Talk to friends at other firms to find out similar. All firms have their quirks, some are more tolerant of asshats than others.
I'd encourage you to think pretty hard about your practice area as it applies to what makes you happy. A lot of us picked corporate/lit in law school without any idea of what that really looks like. Best to re-evaluate that stuff now.
In the end, it's a job like everything else and shouldn't have the power to ruin your life. Yes the debt sucks and is scary, but there are options outside of big law, if that's what you need to do to survive.
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Johann
- Posts: 19704
- Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:25 pm
Re: Depressed Associate at BigLaw firm
yeah you need to go see a psychiatrist or psychologist and block that hour/week out of your schedule. how you are feeling is not uncommon in the industry. and you wont be stigmatized for seeking professional help - its more common than you think.
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