Attorneys - tell me about your job...?

[xeney]

However, don't even get me started about being a female in the profession . . .

Really? I can honestly say that this has never been an issue for me, except when I was in law school and again when I had just passed the bar ... at that point, I worked for lawyers who had female law clerks/associates cover for the secretaries during lunch, and sent the male law clerks/associates to make court appearances.

These days, it's such a non-issue that I don't even think about it. I have never felt a lack of respect from the courts (I only practice at the intermediate appellate and state supreme court level, though, where there may be a higher level of professionalism) or from other attorneys, although occasionally there is a jerk from the AG's office whom I suspect would be a jerk to anybody, regardless of gender.

[laughlaugh18]

Xeney,

Government always has had a higher proportion of women and I'm sure that's why you've seen fewer issues in that setting.

Even back in the ancient 80s, I had few problems as a young female attorney. However, as I got further in my career, around the time I started getting put in charge of things and competing with the boys for the perks of the job (partnership, etc), I started to see much more overt and covert discrimination. Compensation differences, expectation differences, etc. For myself, as well as for other female friends (who have way worse stories than I do). What makes it more difficult is that as gender equality became more publically expected, the gender inequities became more insidious and under the surface. Too often, the boys have the power and they don't want to share (whether they consciously realize it or not).

Some things have gotten better over time. Amazingly, I even see some law firms allowing women to have babies and still come back to be equity partners. There are many, many truly gender equal men out there (like our Mr. Silver); I just don't see it across the board and I'd hate to see young women lulled into a false sense of security that all the problems are gone and they'll always be treated equally on merit.

[EBD]

I am in my third year of law school, and I'm going to buck the trend and say - I really like law school! I wonder if law school has changed some - especially for women - since some of the posters were law students. It's still competitive, but most professors are much mellower than the Paper Chase haranguing that used to go on (so I hear). (I attend a medium-sized well-regarded state school). Also, I am the type who is good at school - always have been - and am fairly easygoing, so that helps. I don't mind being graded and compared to my peers. In a sick way, I like it - compared to the way you are evaluated in the real world, which in my previous work experience was totally mushy and secretive and involved office politics and all that. In school, you always know where you stand. Also, a graduate student has no boss but herself, a flexible schedule, and is surrounded by intelligent peers with similar goals. Mostly, in my previous jobs (which, to be fair, were entry-level), I was bored A LOT. In law school, and the tastes of law practice that I've had, I am constantly intellectually challenged. That's why I love it.

Before I came to law school, I worked at a legal nonprofit in NYC. I attended attorney-client meetings, and I really loved the way attorneys take people by the hand - usually people who are in some crisis situation - and make complicated things clearer. I felt it was akin to a physician's bedside manner. Attorneys take complex worries off peoples' shoulders, allowing them to get on with their lives and avert crisis. I want to do that, and that's why I came to law school.

Of course one thing I learned in law school is that many attorneys rarely or never interact with clients in the way I describe. As others have pointed out, there are lots of ways to be a lawyer. I did summer internships with some large corporate firms, and was offered over 6 figures to start out of law school. In those firms, I met some great lawyers and did intellectually challenging work, but I never even saw a client. I turned down that offer to work in a small firm in a very specialized practice - representing public school districts. It's sort of a mix of private practice and public interest, in that my clients will be public agencies. I absolutely love this area of the law, and it is definitely something new every day. I have also worked at our state Attorney General's office, representing public universities and other state agencies, which was also fascinating - and government jobs offer very predictable and do-able hours, for a lower but still reasonable salary. There are other specialties in which you learn to do one thing and get very good at it, and do it every day (generally transactional law). In others, it's something new every day - generally litigation - but as others have noted, in litigation you often trade predictability for more of a rollercoaster work schedule.

In short, if you can afford to go to law school, I think it opens many doors - not just the traditional paths. And I like the security of knowing I will always have my law degree to fall back on - while finding the perfect job is always a challenge, if I find myself in a situation where I need to make money, I will be able to do that. I highly recommend public law schools if you live near a good one - they are more connected to different types of jobs in the community, and while a "big name" is worth something, I'm not sure it's worth $100k in tuition.

[xeney]

Oh, I don't work for the government, I work for a small (20 attorneys) firm. When I worked for the government, the sexism was rampant and overt.