Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat
I'm going to disagree with this just a little. I think it depends on what you mean by "successful." If you mean "making the most money," then you're probably right (except you should remove public interest and government lawyers from your list -- they'll rarely make as much in those sectors as they could in private or corporate practice). If you mean quality of life -- family, outside interests, etc. -- then I'd say maybe, maybe not. After 20+ years of practice, I've seen way too many "successful lawyers" who lament missing big chunks of their kids' lives or who are looking at serious burnout. It's kind of like the old saw -- nobody ever uttered the last words "I wish I'd spent more time at the office."
Don't get me wrong -- I know plenty of lawyers who love the "tons of hours at the office" life and don't regret it all, and who have happy family and personal lives. But I also know many who are looking to "escape" private practice for what they see as a more balanced life. (I've also known my fair share of wives -- almost always wives -- who want their husbands to get out of the jobs that require so much time at the office and who really resent that he's not there for meals, for bedtimes, for soccer games, etc.) Again, a lot can depend on where you are and what kind of practice you have.
The important thing is for a lawyer to decide for him- or herself what "success" means and then go for it . . . even if it means making less money.
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I meant more in the sense that they are best able to serve the interests of their clients, not necessarily in a monetary sense. I think I went a bit overboard in my response to socialite's post; I was mainly trying to stress that, while law school is a lot of hard work, so is the practice of law.
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