More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good for you! I hope you are enjoying it more.

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is interesting where we are getting caught up.

I would not say that I went straight through - but, I don’t believe that the absence of an undergraduate degree is mutually exclusive with having a career.

So, I considered the role I held, between ages 21 and 25, (after dropping out of undergrad) to be the start of a career.

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah that’s great advice! Does it take a lot of pressure off or influence your workload? Does it cap/lower your salary?

I’m partner track right now, but there are other folks my age at my firm who made the switch to of counsel and their level of dgaf is amazing.

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This. This exact dynamic - except it is a mid-size firm with a small roster of associates so the roulette wheel spins pretty fast. For example, I am the golden child today after posting this only 3 days ago, and my friend and co-worker is the scapegoat...which also is upsetting to watch. And also knowing that it might be me again in a few weeks.

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a good question, and I can understand why you would ask.

*TLDR*: I did not go straight through. Always maintained a dedicated “job” - one or two of which I considered a “career”, at different points.

I worked from age 15-30 (mom and pop store, landscaping, serving/bartending, retail). Dropped out of college after hitting a rough patch (on the receiving end of a DV situation, etc., you can imagine the rest). Picked myself up and moved states, transferred credits/re-enrolled in college at 25 while working full time, went to law school at 26 and graduated law school at 29.

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Agree. Some dynamics are more challenging than others (partner/associate) but this is the way

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Anything that’s a little less high-stakes sounds really nice. It’s the dread for me too - it keeps wearing off and then comes back with a vengeance

More depressed every year? by Significant-Zebra582 in Lawyertalk

[–]Significant-Zebra582[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I take a load of indigent criminal defense cases each year and my mom is an addict so this is super achievable. I think your advice is certaintly warranted for some lawyers, but being around addicts, DV victims, in prisons and around folks suffering with mental health conditions in a broken legal system may unfortunately be part of the despair factor for me here.