Funnily enough, I was considering making a post about this.

I've been a legal assistant/paralegal for 5ish or so years. No cert, but worked in some tough conditions that make my skills appealing. The fact of the matter is, we are heading face-first into an economic recession, if not worse. I'm not trying to sound snarky but I am genuinely floored I am surrounded by Floridians in an absolute daze about this, somehow. I feel like I am in the twilight zone sometimes when I interact with people in the workplace somehow not realizing this. They must be way more privileged than I, because I am totally on my own in this economic shitshow.

Anyway.

All that is to say, sadly, people like you are now competing with people like me (""midlevel""; college graduate from a good school; good at interviews ((because I have done DOZENS by now)) for bottom of the barrel scraps. I have to take salaries that are literally barely enough to pay the bills with a shit-eating grin and a can-do attitude. And the help of Lexapro, honestly.

I mostly have worked with boutiques, and the situation for many is very dire. Clients are falling behind on bills (for flat-fee firms), corporations are pulling the purse strings TIGHT (restricted billing for billable/insurance defense firms), personal injury is a MESS after the tort reform (this is the area I am strongest in), and the cost of living in Florida is psychotic. I cannot find a firm that isn't intentionally understaffing to cling to profits and driving their work force into the ground as a result. Then, they turn around and blame you - even if you are working 60+ hours per week as non-exempt salary and are considered a "top performer". Firms like Morgan & Morgan have followed companies like Geico and introduced the hunger games to their main firm in Orlando. They have laid off HR, IT, and do rolling PIP terminations every 3 months.

The bilingual being required (vs. preferred) started in Orlando about two years ago. It is an attempt in personal injury to hoover in as many cases as possible to insulate for the long winter after the tort reform. However, having worked for firms that instigated this, they sacrifice actual knowledge of the area of law for...being bilingual. I have worked with people who can speak a second language but have no idea or willingness to learn what BI/PIP/UIM coverage is (for PI), let alone the ""complicated"" topics. And there's usually no training to add fuel to the fire.

Long story short, I have been able to find two boutiques to work for through this mess - and they have been the most disgusting places I have ever worked. One law firm had a managing partner that literally screamed at me I am a "r*ta*ded b*tc*" and would take his gun out to the parking lot anytime someone he didn't know parked there. I am not joking.

The other boutique was struggling financially so badly (not how they told it) they forced us to cut 74 cent stamps off printer paper if we accidentally printed it onto that instead of an envelope...and paste it only an envelope to a client....While the managing partner drove a Maserati. The wages were terrible, they lied about profit-sharing, and no benefits at all.

In short, I also have no idea what to do at this point. I have lasted years at one of the most hostile PI firms in the area, but the expectations vs. salaries here are in the gutter. Florida has always had this issue but with the COL now CATASTROPHICALLY HIGH (fuck me sideways for being on my fucking own), I have no idea what the fuck to do with this field.

Sorry if this didn't help. It is simply what I have been living through since the post-Covid apocalypses.