https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 24 May 2026 20:26:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1502283 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 16:11:05 +0000 Zbug 1502283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another non practicing attorney here. I used to work at a big firm but was really unhappy. I'm currently a sahm. My bar membership is currently inactive. Never dreamed I would be a sahm but I am loving it so far. Unfortunately, paying off law school loans is a harsh reminder of my former life :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1502117 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 15:29:11 +0000 NorCalWayfarer 1502117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Joining in late, but I'm an associate at a mid-size firm. I practice public agency law so I love my clients and the work, just not a huge fan of the billable hour (shocking, right?) and I'm not a fan of litigation so I'm trying to do exclusively transactional work. My department within the firm is pretty family friendly, so that is nice.</p> <p>We don't get any paid maternity leave, so I'm taking state leave (2 weeks before birth + 12 weeks post-birth) and then PTO, which should end up being about 20 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1501772 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:55:42 +0000 sandy 1501772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkcupcake: everyone told me it would get better after 3 years, 5 years, etc. Then I realized that the old partners still woke up in the middle of the night bc they had a freak out moment about a case...and I realized I would never be happy working at a traditional firm. I'm not exactly sure what kind of work I'm going to do after I have another child and send them off to school but everyone said it was better to keep my license active if possible bc going inactive and trying to change back to active status would be a huge pain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500931 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:03:46 +0000 shortcake 1500931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lindsayinny: it is usually non partnership track but much the same work as junior associates. Depends on the firm though. Some promote SA's to associate (mine does) and some do not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500921 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:02:08 +0000 pinkcupcake 1500921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I have no idea. It's something I think about often, but I haven't come up w/anything definitive yet. I think at this point, I have a better idea of what I *don't* want to do than what I do :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500819 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:43:20 +0000 Mae 1500819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkcupcake: any thoughts of what you might do when you eventually go back? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500757 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:31:36 +0000 pinkcupcake 1500757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: yeah, me neither. I was actually seriously considering it a couple months ago when my renewal was up. My husband was telling me I should just go inactive since I was so miserable when I worked and I knew there was no way in hell I would ever go back to it, but I don't know, I just couldn't do it. It's going to be a pain- I have to fulfill my cle requirements and a portion of them must be live credits and I'm really not looking forward to attending a seminar and introducing myself as a SAHM :P . I will prob just hide out in the back somewhere ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500712 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:25:29 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1500712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DillonLion: walled you. :)<br /> @pinkcupcake: I think I'm like you about the license. We've been talking about me working part-time or staying home next year, and DH asked about going inactive if I SAH. I was adamantly opposed to it, even though I think I'll be much happier SAH; I definitely would never go back to a firm. I'm not sure why exactly, but I just do not want to go inactive under any circumstances. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500688 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:20:19 +0000 pinkcupcake 1500688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: you sound a lot like me :) I was thrilled to be a sahm - my job brought me so much stress. Opposing counsel, the constant arguing, insane deadlines... I never want to go back to that again. I don't plan on going back to work for awhile, but like you, am keeping my license active just in case (although I am 99.9% sure that I will never go back to actually practicing law). Sometimes I wonder why I can't seem to let my license lapse since I'm so sure I don't want to go back to it :P I actually wouldn't mind doing doc review - it doesn't seem exciting but I like how you don't have to deal w/ billable hours or opposing counsel. Something for me to think about :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500644 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:07:24 +0000 DillonLion 1500644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: yah? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500640 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:06:05 +0000 LindsayInNY 1500640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shortcake: Is staff attorney a different sort of position? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500574 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:50:55 +0000 shortcake 1500574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a staff attorney at a large NYC firm. It is really the best of both worlds in some ways. I do a lot of discovery work so certainly not glamorous, but I usually work 40 hours a week (occasional weekend work or a long day but not typical), work from home and have very flexible hours. The trade off is really being pigeon holed into this work, it will be hard to break into practice again after doing this for so long. But while we have little kids, it is great and I am taking advantage of the flexibility and will deal with the career issues later on when the kids are in school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500563 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:47:36 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1500563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DillonLion: I bet we know some of the same people... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500397 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:59:17 +0000 Pirouette 1500397@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DillonLion: of course you can :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500392 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:58:16 +0000 Pirouette 1500392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Madison43: yup, i feel exactly the same way! my firm is so accommodating, but i feel so conflicted over my desire to be in two places at once. it is hard! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500357 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:50:14 +0000 DillonLion 1500357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a paralegal, can I join? I love hearing about what kind of law you ladies practice. My office does bankruptcy </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500323 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:37:20 +0000 BKCaribBaby 1500323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Non-practicing lawyer. I did a very specialized form of real estate for quite some time, then switched to legislative/policy work and now I am learning the finance side of what I used to do. I always worked for small, boutique mission-driven firms, so I never really had to deal with hard core billable requirements. My career has been such a mixed bag, but I actually intended it to be this way. I never wanted to be traditional lawyer for a extended period of time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1500220 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 08:02:51 +0000 MrsADS 1500220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ DC yoga bee: yeah, the pay issue is tough. It is really satisfying/rewarding work but I find I really tend to take it home with me (mentally). It's hard to separate myself from it when it really can be a life altering consequence for my client. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1499913 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 22:40:17 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1499913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: Word. It definitely spoils you, I know you already got a taste of it, but I cannot recommend it highly enough for family life while still doing interesting work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1499901 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 22:25:53 +0000 gracecat 1499901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did criminal prosecution for a few years, taught, now I am currently not practicing, since we live overseas. I would love to work again but it's not an option to practice crim law here as a prosecutor. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1499882 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 22:05:44 +0000 MsLipGloss 1499882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Fwiw, I am still up working . . . I could probably work straight through the night and still struggle to meet all of the deadlines I have for the next two weeks. Obviously, it can be done . . . but I am certainly tired of proving that to myself--at least for tonight--tomorrow is a new day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1499812 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:50:01 +0000 Mrs. Stroller 1499812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Worked for a non-profit doing legislation stuff, so no billables and normal working hours. But it got a little mundane after several years. I'm a SAHM for now and liking it much, much more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers/page/2#post-1499777 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:27:35 +0000 deactivated_account 1499777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: I'd love to hear about any of your maternity leave terms that you are willing to share if your firm is small. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499682 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:39:58 +0000 septca 1499682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am lawyer who doesn't practice. I work mostly on legislation and policy... I do *a lot* of bill analysis, writing, and strategy - thinking through the various personalities at play and what's likely to happen in at any given time in our industry. It certainly doesn't pay like Big Law, but it's what I have always wanted to do and it is very family-friendly... 40 hours/week, telework, great benefits. The unfortunate part is that it is a small world and many of the tracks available pay really, really poorly - I would like to move on from my current job but am stuck between the option of working insane hours or making very little money. :sad: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499566 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:38:59 +0000 Rockies11 1499566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a lawyer in a major Canadian city - mid sized firm, civil litigation. I am mommy tracked - I work 4 days a week, two from home. We have longer mat leaves here, so it makes it complex to be in private practice. It's good in some respects being mommy-tracked because then you have the flexibility to adapt when things change with the family. It's bad, however, in that your career at the very best remains flat for a long time. Which is tough to swallow as an ambitious person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499535 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:23:40 +0000 MrsH 1499535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a partner in a boutique firm. I'm on maternity leave for one more glorious month :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499530 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:23:12 +0000 dc yoga bee 1499530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: I would love to work at Legal Aid doing domestic violence work! It would be a 11K payout with no real raises, so we are trying to figure out if that would ever work with DC prices, and the $$$$ of future daycare :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499520 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:20:17 +0000 MrsADS 1499520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work for a Legal Aid society - cause (poverty law) is close to my heart. It's stressful but not in a big law firm kind of way. No billable hour requirements! Good time off, I work 8:30-5, but I take stuff home fairly frequently. It can be exhausting working with my clients. </p> <p>The worst part about my job right now is a 1 hour commute each way. :sad: Not sure what will happen if hopefully a future LO comes. </p> <p>Obviously the pay is horrible! LOL. I have noooo interest in working for a private firm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499485 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:07:00 +0000 Madison43 1499485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: Agree. She's my priority now so mommy tracking, at least for a few years, is the best way to try and have a little of the best of both worlds. But it's hard for me to accept slowing down, even though I want/need to, you know?</p> <p>I love hearing about everyone's non-billable positions. So inspiring! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lawyers#post-1499447 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 17:57:14 +0000 deactivated_account 1499447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I'm so glad to know that others consider a clerk job as somewhat of a dream job. </p>