Hmm, let me add yet another former lawyer's opinion. Is it that we have a propensity for the sport of cycling or for giving career advice?

Anyhow, there are some philosophical issues embedded in this discussion. Many people tend to tie their identities with their livelihoods; many with their titles. Some excellent points have been made here. I will just add that I don't believe you should be concerned about whether a job seems like a step back, whatever that may mean to you. This touches upon how we perceive work. Is it merely a means to fund your existence, or rather a career that satisfies what you believe may be one of your purposes in life? I won't delve deeper into this except to suggest that you analyze how you think of "work", "purpose". Merely joining the W-2 fray just because you think the world is "geared for working people" may lead you to act summarily without allowing for thorough consideration of alternatives to your financial and emotional needs. Cantril and Bumstead examined our quest to understand our purpose through work in Reflection on the Human Venture. To question one’s meaning, one’s purpose, can be like opening Pandora’s Box. Tolstoy arrived at a great despondency, what he labeled as his “life arrest” in his essay My Confession, when he did so.

I do echo what Indysteel has expressed about debt. I am adverse to personal loans. Home mortgage is acceptable; however, I have strong opinions on this which are outside the scope of this discussion. I do caution against taking out a large student loan without heavy deliberation. I'm not saying it's absolutely bad; just think long and hard about signing onto that. I saw many lawyers who felt trapped in their career options because they had the anchor of their law school debt limiting their ability to leave firm life shackles. After spending too many all-nighters at the firm office as a corporate attorney during deal closings and giving too much of myself to a firm and clients, I had the freedom to leave that lifestyle because I had no debt.

I think goldfinch offers very perceptive thoughts - I agree with everything she's said; in fact, all of it resonated with my own beliefs and opinions. It takes some time to become accustomed to nontraditional work-days, but now that I am independent of an employer, I love it. I find it completely freeing and wonderful. But, then again, I was never one to find that work met any social needs for me. Many people miss the work place because they use it as an avenue for socialization; I never did. I became a lawyer because of the intellectual stimulation. I saw the constant pressure to attend firm functions, parties as an intrusion into my personal time. We all have differing emotional and financial needs. Just offering another opinion.