Is being a Lawyer Worth it
A few days ago, I recalled a particular run-in I had some years ago with an elderly gentleman engaged in our noble profession. It was during winter break of my second year of law school. I had just finished with first semester finals and I was out with an ex-girlfriend and a law school classmate, doing some bar-hopping. At one point we were at Penn Station, waiting for the subway to take us to our next destination. Of course with a few drinks in us, the conversation between my classmate and I turned to how we answered particular questions on the exams we had just taken (directly in conflict with the advice our professors had given us that doing so will only cause further torment). I suspect that these types of conversations are part of the reason why my girlfriend at the time, who didn't much care about prior recollections recorded and had a sleepy-eyed, alienated expression on her face, is now an ex.
Anyway, a well-dressed older gentleman who was standing in our vicinity turned to us and said "drop out." "Excuse me?" I replied. "Drop out, what do you want to be a lawyer for? - it's a miserable existence. I'm miserable." My classmate and I stood silent, waiting for him to qualify his statement, or at least expecting to see a smile. He said nothing. His wife, who was standing beside him, was silent and expressionless. A few seconds later the subway came. As we got on the train, he was generous enough to volunteer that "you can still get some of your money back if you quit now." As weird as the whole situation was, it was soon forgotten as we went on with our night drinking.
As a practicing attorney, I would give similar advice. Thinking back, although this seasoned attorney's delivery was a bit unusual, it is consistent with what most other attorneys had told me when I communicated my interest in practicing law. Think about it, how many lawyers have greeted your aspirations to be a lawyer with optimism and encouragement? More often, they'll at least strongly caution you about what you're getting yourself into. This makes sense. Firstly, the process of becoming an attorney, which has often been described as the intellectual equivalent of going through military training, is certainly a rigorous process and is not for everyone. Secondly, those who have gone through it have a certain sense of pride in their accomplishment, irrespective of whether or not they are actually content with what they do... would you expect a navy seal to tell you "it's not so bad, I think you'd be a great seal, go for it!" Finally, and most importantly, if the law is not your supreme passion or if you're not a zealous workaholic, well, frankly, it can kind of suck!
Let's recap: becoming a lawyer is very difficult, there is no guarantee that you will be happy with where the process leaves you, nonetheless, no one likes to downplay their achievements, and it's not for everyone. I think this would be a great time to say that my cynicism does not necessarily derive from the practice of law itself, which can be honorable and rewarding; rather, its stems more from the way that law is practiced.
A career in law involves many trade-offs, for example: time or money, pleasure in what you do or money, etc., etc. or money. While money is usually the common denominator in all matters of career, law has a much higher stress quotient than most careers. In order to have a decent salary, or at least a salary that justifies all of the work put into becoming a lawyer, lawyers generally work long hours. Those long hours are often worked under a boss (or bosses) whose sanity, after 20 plus years of the same stress and overwork you're going through, is not what it once may have been. Everyone yells at you. No, I mean it, everyone yells at you. Bosses yell at you. Judges yell at you. Clients yell at you. Court clerks yell at you. Court officers yell at you ("counselors, take a seat and be quiet!" "if you must talk, talk outside the court room!"). Fear of malpractice suits and disciplinary complaints by disgruntled clients, fear of losing you're job, market saturation... the list of stressors faced by attorneys is endless.
So, addressing the central question: is being a lawyer worth it? With the bar exam coming up and aspiring attorneys with BAR/BRI books flooding Starbucks, subways and public parks by the scores, I would say that if after honest consideration you would rather be holding a frisbee than a bar prep book... well, it's up to you.
