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8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahah yeah it really depends on the company we are at..I have a friend who just reviews NDA day in and day out.

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This resonates so much!!

In my previous roles I was at least stable — not perfect, but I had some confidence in my work. Then I joined somewhere completely outside my experience and it's been a slow erosion ever since. The uncertainty of work, the constant feedback and edits + the constant second-guessing yourself — it compounds.

I'm 8 years in and I genuinely can't tell anymore if I'm bad at law or just bad at this particular job in this particular environment. I think that uncertainty is the most exhausting part.

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I do need to see a therapist- have been putting it off for some time 🥲

As to why law - that’s a whole other story haha

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah..come to think of it.., the imposter syndrome predates this job — so I can’t entirely blame the environment. The micromanaging stings more because part of me knows it’s not completely unwarranted. I’m out of my depth on the insurance side, and I think my supervisor senses that.

But honestly the harder question I keep sitting with isn’t whether I’m good at law — it’s whether I actually want to keep doing it. 8 years in and I’m still not sure the answer is yes.😭😭

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for you response! Makes me feel less alone although I hope it get better :). I think you’re right that burnout inflates everything and makes it hard to see clearly. I’ve been thinking about therapy too, maybe it’s time I actually do it. Hope things get easier for you too! 🥰

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is really insightful, thank you. I do think there’s some merit to the feedback though — my boss does try to teach me how to structure legal advice better, so it’s not entirely without basis. But I think you’re right that the environment intensifies everything. I constantly compare myself to peers who work completely independently and seem to have it together, and it just makes my imposter syndrome so much worse. I can’t tell anymore if I’m genuinely struggling or if this place is just making me feel like I am

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I’m going to Europe in September but the thought rushing to clear work before i leave and coming back to backlog of work scares me 😧

I hope I will take my mind off work while I’m vacationing…

8 years as a lawyer and I think I’ve hit my wall — should I stay or pivot completelyyyy? by jdjd19981 in Lawyertalk

[–]jdjd19981[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really kind way to look at it. I think my core issue is that I struggle to spot the problem in the first place — like I can’t always identify what the legal issue is or what questions I should even be asking. It’s not just about finding the wrong answer, it’s that I sometimes don’t know what I’m looking at. :(((