https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:14:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-189680 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:27:59 +0000 marley 189680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a litigator in a mid-size firm in NYC and I'm happy. I enjoy my job because it's challenging but also because I'm treated well. I work a fair number of hours but pretty flexible. I also work from home sometimes. I think it makes a big difference if the people you work with aren't monsters. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-189660 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:10:36 +0000 LindsayInNY 189660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss @WinnieBee - I'm with both of you!! I've been at two terrible firms where I was miserable. I loved my immediate coworkers and made some great friends. But the management, atmosphere, etc. was all terrible! In February, I started at a new firm. It's medium size but I'm in our smallest office. I was willing to double the length of my commute (one-way) for the situation, LOL. I work with 2 other female attorneys in this particular office - my boss/partner and a jr. partner. Both are mothers of 2. It's an extremely family friendly place! Especially my office since there's no one watching your every move or comparing you to others. The billing is a whole separate monster that I'm still trying to get under control before we start TTC. =/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-187324 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:31:37 +0000 JessicaMcB 187324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a tax paralegal for a mid-sized Canadian corporate law firm and I can tell you that if all the lawyers I've ever worked for/with (including Wills and Estates, Real Estate and Family lawyers) are any indication then no, none of them are ever happy people.</p> <p>In corporate law especially (and in really dry areas like tax) I think it's that "grass is always greener" mentality they seem to always have and a lot of them firm jump because of it. Lawyers are in my opinion the most obviously unhappy people when they are unhappy. </p> <p>One of my senior partners spends his days playing mah-jong online and having naps with his office door open, he just does not care anymore and is counting the days until retirement. The head of our department is always sending out CV's to other firms because he can't seem to figure out it isn't every firm he's ever been to that's making him miserable- it's tax law (and potentially his four ex-wives...).</p> <p>ETA: I noticed after I posted a lot of the lawyer bees are citing a lack of work as being the issue for a lot of lawyers. Is it safe to assume this is an American Bee problem? My firm has had no problems with hiring bunches of lawyers and bunches of them jumping ship to other firms/companies. Really not an issue for corporate lawyers here in Canada IMO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-187318 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:24:23 +0000 Boogs 187318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually don't know any, but wanted to say woo hoo Mr. Bee! That would be an exciting endeavor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-187302 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:01:17 +0000 alongfarview 187302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would argue that one reason lawyers may not be happy is that if you have a lot of student loans, it can be really easy to feel trapped in a job that you hate but you have to stay at in order to pay off the loans. Also, the legal market where I am currently sucks and a lot of attorney friends I know have had a hard time finding stable jobs/careers (so then you're at a job you don't like and barely making enough to cover paying off your loans). </p> <p>I'm pretty happy in my job, but I don't work at a firm - I'm in house at a start up company.</p> <p>Also, @mrbee, personally I would never recommend going to law school if you don't want to practice unless you can pay for it without taking out any loans (and also can cover 3 years of not working).</p> <p>ETA: I just re-read this, and I really didn't mean for this to come across as harsh in anyway - just that I wish someone had told me what the reality of loans would mean after I graduated from law school. And we have double that amount since my husband's an attorney also... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-187283 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:28:01 +0000 MrsH 187283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Ha ha. I'm in one of your four categories of happy lawyers and I am happy. :) I also work at a small firm and I think that helps with the hapiness. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186724 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 07:58:33 +0000 mamabolt 186724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is a happy lawyer! He does social security disability and veteran's benefits cases. He works for a small firm and has a lot of flexibility and balance and no billable hours, and he gets a lot of job satisfaction from helping people who are struggling get the benefits they deserve. It doesn't hurt that he made partner there last summer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186687 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 07:04:47 +0000 SAHM0811 186687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH has been in big law as a litigator for almost 9 years. He's definitely gone through ups and downs with being happy with his career. The work load, long hours, and constant stress has been tough... I worry about him all the time... and it's tough on me too, especially now with two kids. But he is amazing at trying to find some kind of work-life balance. </p> <p>He is lucky that he is good at what he does and that his firm shows him how much they value him, via his pay (raises, bonuses, etc), in his yearly reviews, and in the tasks they think he can handle... Like with any job, I think feeling appreciated and valued helps most with satisfaction levels. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186253 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:59:50 +0000 chibee 186253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in a big law firm in nyc. My one boss is a huge bankruptcy lawyer and I can never gauge whether or not he's happy. He's definitely happy with his career, but he's the silent type so who knows. My other boss is a partner in trust and estates and he is the most pleasant happiest man. He really enjoys his life and is always talking about his house In the country. I think its what you make of it really. On one hand I'm like how can you not be happy with all the money you have!! And I get that money doesn't buy happiness but it'd sure take away some of my stress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186219 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:09:04 +0000 hellobeeboston 186219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my husband is an attorney - and he's pretty happy! he has his own practice - does mostly real estate law, but has been doing more &amp; more estate planning.</p> <p>I think his stress comes from wanting to make sure he's successful and always growing his business and making more money.... He also has a large amount of school debt now hanging over his, actually, our heads - which tends to freak him out every so often, then he calms down.</p> <p>Overall - he is happy with his path.... He went later in life to law school after being unhappy with what he was doing. </p> <p>He works good hours - and does really well. He loves being his own boss &amp; having his own business - although sometimes misses having a mentor. </p> <p>He could be making more $ at a firm, but then he'd be working 80-90 hours a week and on weekend and I'd never see him. As it is now - with his own practice he's really flexible and when our LO arrives he's even going to try to work from home one day a week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186192 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:48:36 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 186192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our across the street neighbor works at a big firm here and he LOVES his job. He's probably the first lawyer that I've met who can't imagine doing anything else. He was a debate person in college, and I take that as a good prognostic indicator for his happiness in the job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186187 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:46:54 +0000 banana 186187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My cousin and close friend are both DA's and they love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186172 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:35:23 +0000 Witz 186172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I focus mostly in copyrights and trademarks, so while I am an "IP lawyer," I don't make the big bucks that patent attorneys do. I do really love the subject matter of my work, but I wouldn't say I am happy with my current job. Work has been really slow at my firm for the last three years, so it's hard to make my hours and I don't feel as professionally satisfied when I'm not working that much. I guess I'd rather have the stress of too much work than to have the stress of not having a job (or job security). I think I'd be happier at a different firm and a lot happier working as in-house counsel, but I haven't had any luck changing jobs (though I have been trying for well more than a year now). Having said all that, I find myself day-dreaming a lot about leaving law altogether and being a printer or a graphic designer or something.</p> <p>My husband is a prosecutor and loves his job. He loves that he has a real sense of purpose and that he spends so much time in court. He is in trial nearly back-to-back all the time, and while that kind of workload gives me the hives just to think about, he really enjoys it. </p> <p>Obviously, many of our friends are attorneys also. Of the ones that got BigLaw jobs upon graduation, five years out, only one remained at that job, out of 11. The others got burned out and went in-house, went to smaller firms, or left practicing law completely. In-house lawyers seem to love their jobs the most. </p> <p>Hellobee, do you need an in-house lawyer with experience with copyright, trademark, social media and internet issues? ;-D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186129 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:08:30 +0000 mrs. bird 186129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do:) he has a his own little practice and also works at a university. I feel badly that I don't know exactly what kind of lawyer he is (I guess I should pay better attention!) but I know he does real estate, personal stuff like wills etc, and trials as a defense lawyer. </p> <p>My other friend that is a lawyer just opened a modeling agency, so I'm not sure what that means about how happy he was as a lawyer at a university :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186069 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:31:00 +0000 MsLipGloss 186069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@WinnieBee: That is interesting! I think it's a huge part of why I appreciate my firm (and the partners I work for) so much now. If things had not changed for me, I would seriously have considered an alternative career post-baby. </p> <p>I am feeling pretty good - thanks. :) Hope your beautiful boy is growing like a weed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186057 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:24:35 +0000 Lozza 186057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My best friend does business immigration law, and really likes it- one of the reason for that is that his firm doesn't have billable hours for the business immigration group! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186055 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:22:46 +0000 winniebee 186055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: DITTO to previously working in a toxic environment. I was not very happy then. Interesting! Hope you are feeling well!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186044 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:16:09 +0000 mrbee 186044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: @MsLipGloss: Litigators made my list of happy lawyers! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186041 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:14:16 +0000 MsLipGloss 186041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @WinnieBee - I am a litigator and work for a medium size firm that is very family-friendly, and although I still bill a lot of hours, for the most part, I am able to maintain a fairly healthy work-life balance. I will say, however, that the billable hour system is an animal unlike any other(!), and that unless and until you have billed time (with a large annual requirement), there is no way to explain the pressure and stress that comes from working under that system . . . being present just doesn't cut it. </p> <p>Early in my career, I worked with attorneys who were very unhappy and made the environment toxic. Those were some tough years for me professionally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186015 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:02:59 +0000 MegWag 186015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother is a happy lawyer and he's in IP!<br /> I know several lawyers who are happy who work in other fields, employment comes to mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186013 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:01:03 +0000 ainsworthe 186013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a happy lawyer! (government attorney)</p> <p>My husband is a soon-to-be happy lawyer. (Leaving big firm for government work)</p> <p>I am excited about the extra time DH will have to be home, but I do worry about how the big pay cut will factor in to our overall happiness...</p> <p>But I am super-optimistic!!!!!! Wish us luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186011 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:00:34 +0000 winniebee 186011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, also my dad is a lawyer (litigator) and is a very happy guy and LOVES his work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-186001 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:58:03 +0000 Mrs. Train 186001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My father in law is a criminal defense lawyer and is very happy </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185987 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:54:58 +0000 BlueWolverine 185987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know quite a few. I myself am a happy lawyer, but I'm in a non-traditional career - I work in law school administration, and only practice when I take pro bono cases. I have a good friend who likes her work in utility law, and another who is a litigator. My friend who is a prosecutor LOVES his job and can't imagine doing anything else. I used to be a corporate attorney, and I hated it. That said, I worked with a lot of people who really enjoyed making the deal and seeing it through. I just wasn't one of them.</p> <p>I think most unhappy lawyers tend to work at big law firms, like I did. It's so many hours, and it sucks the life right out of you. Of my rather large study group in law school, 6 of us went to BigLaw. Only 2 are left there (the others went to govt or small/medium size firms) and one of them is dying to get out. The pay is fantastic, but the demands on your time and the often thankless nature of what you're doing gets old. Clients and partners don't care if it's 10pm. If they email you, they expect an answer. Even if on Sunday evening. Or while you're on vacation. I went to Greece one year and totally lied and said my blackberry didn't work on ship or on the islands. It was the only way to get any peace. While it didn't happen often, I absolutely saw people's vacations get canceled by partners who "needed" that associate to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185986 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:54:36 +0000 mrs. wagon 185986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: he's a litigator.</p> <p>talking to him really made me wish I had considered law school! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185982 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:52:42 +0000 heffalump 185982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: One girl actually volunteers full time. She has a really sad story- she was in an accident because her friend was driving drunk and she was in a coma for months and has brain damage from that. But she made it through law school and passed the bar. But she's having trouble getting a job.</p> <p>Another friend works in bankrupcy, one does a variety of different things, and I'm not sure what my other friend does. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185973 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:49:40 +0000 winniebee 185973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you mean happy in general or happy with their career?</p> <p>I'm a lawyer (litigator) and I'm a pretty happy person. I work for a medium sized firm that is very family friendly and while sometimes my hours stink, I have a pretty good work life balance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185971 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:47:42 +0000 mrbee 185971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: What kind of law does your friend practice? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185969 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:47:08 +0000 mrs. wagon 185969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of our friends is a lawyer in a small firm in Florida, and he's not only happy, but he has great hours and gets home in time for dinner each night! When we heard that, we were like, what?!?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-know-any-happy-lawyers#post-185965 Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:45:10 +0000 DillonLion 185965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work for a bankruptcy attorney and he's a happy guy. We only take small consumer cases, so most everyone got into their situation because of job loss, illness, etc. so we really feel like we are helping people who are suffering to get a fresh start. He's a perky dude.</p> <p>ETA: He also has a new baby, and I'm pretty sure he and his wife are working on their second. </p>