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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Is Considering Career Alternatives an Alternative for You? [Chet Olsen] Most attorneys have one thing in common - they don’t want to be attorneys. Is the unhappiness that is rampant throughout the profession due to the profession itself or the attorneys getting in the wrong situations?
One thing that most lawyers have in com-
law you have an issue with or is it something
more.” In other words, maybe you like the
mon is that they don’t want to be lawyers.
else? There are several things that could be
law but it takes so much out of you that it’s
It’s almost part of the lawyer culture to be
that “something else.”
no longer fun or enjoyable. In this case, maybe too much of a good thing is bad and
constantly searching for something new and
you just need to manage your workload.
different. We are inspired by stories of for-
1. Your own situation. Maybe there are not
mer lawyers who go out and start airlines or
a million and one of them, but there are
produce television shows. We tell ourselves
many options available to you in your current
4. Are you itching to start and run your own
that’s how we want to put our legal education
profession. Working in the DA’s office could
business? Whether you had a Rich Dad or
to work.
be as different from being a bankruptcy at-
a Poor Dad, you may be feeling the urge to
torney in a large firm as it is to many of the
start your own business. When most lawyers
Producing television programs may or may
nonlegal jobs you might consider. In other
do this, they think about what kind of busi-
not be in your future but, at one time or
words, don’t give up all you put into becom-
ness venture they might want to launch. Take
another, you have probably been intrigued by
ing a lawyer to become an insurance adjuster
a minute to consider that a law practice can
an advertisement for one of those seminars
when you haven’t thought through all your
be very much like your own business. This is
focusing on nonlegal careers for attorneys.
options.
true if you start your own firm or it can also
These ads are placed by individual career
be true within a law firm environment.
counselors and career counseling com-
2. What you are looking for may be closer
panies that specialize in helping lawyers
than you think. Be careful not to make the
Especially when you hit the partnership level,
escape the law. I may be exaggerating a bit,
assumption that all law firms are alike - even
or even as an of counsel, you may be able to
but the names of these companies and their
if you have worked for two or three that were
find a situation where you can work autono-
seminars are typically something like “A Mil-
very much alike. Again, there are big differ-
mously, be paid directly for your efforts and
lion and One Things You Can Do With a Law
ences to be found. A larger or smaller firm,
call most of the shots. Some firms, of course,
Degree” and “Lawyers Who Quit the Law and
a firm in another geographic region, starting
will be more conducive to this than others
Ended Up Marrying Michelle Pfeiffer.”
your own firm - these are all options that can
but the point is that, again, you might find
give you an entirely different perspective on
what you are looking for within the legal
the law.
profession.
the things you need but may not get all you
3. Is it law or is it working that you don’t
5. Finally, it may be that you just need to give
were looking to find. In other words, I don’t
like? If you are just our of law school, it may
yourself some time before making the jump
think many people walk out of there saying
be that you are having trouble adjusting to
out of law. Your situation might improve and
to themselves “Hot damn, I now know I was
working forty or more hours a week for the
you’ll enjoy the law more as you get more
meant to be an astronaut. I’ve got to call
first time in your life. Speaking of adjusting,
senior. One of the advantages of paying your
NASA right away.”
if this is the case, you probably won’t enjoy
dues practicing law is that more and more
insurance adjusting any more than you do
opportunities present themselves to you.
practicing law.
With a few years under your belt, you will
If you attend these seminars and/or read books on this topic, you will get some of
One of the good things about considering
have a better sense of what you are looking
career alternatives outside the law is that it makes you seriously consider how you really
If you are used to working forty or more
for and be in a position to do things you were
feel about being an attorney. If you’re unhap-
hours a week, that too could be a problem.
not qualified for just out of law school.
py with your current career situation, is it the
Especially if the “or more” is “or much
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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
If none of the above applies, it might actually be the case that you are meant to be an astronaut.
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