"Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
My youngest daughter often tells me she wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. Her reason for wanting to follow in my footsteps: "So I can be with you all day long!"
While I love her reason and I love the idea of spending my work day with her by my side ("Mommy & Associate"), I sincerely hope that she never follows in my footsteps to the Bar. I discourage anyone from becoming a lawyer. If I could do it all over again, I would choose another career. Why? Let's see:
1. If you work for someone else as an associate, there is tremendous pressure to bill, bill, bill. The practice of law is not only an art; it is a business. Most firms set billing targets for their associates, which means that the lawyer must bill (and collect) a certain number of hours each day. These targets do not take into account lunch or bathroom breaks or all the non-billable work you do for the firm. It does not take into account the minimum 12 hours of continuing legal education classes that each lawyer must take each year or the networking and "schmoozing" we are pressured to do. As such, you must work long hours to ensure that your targets are met. If you do not meet your targets, you will not likely get that raise you deserve at your annual review.
2. It is often a thankless job. You can do your best for a client and obtain the best possible outcome for them, under the circumstances, but the client is still be dissatisfied. Case in point: I was able to convince a judge not to order my client to pay child support (which is a difficult feat). Was the client happy? No. He was upset about the fact that he was not awarded joint custody, as he had hoped. He fired me the next day.
3. You are blamed for everything as everything is (allegedly) your fault. You are blamed for the state of the law. If you tell a client that they cannot do or have something they want, it is your fault they cannot do or have it. You can advise a client not to do something, and if they choose to go against your advice, you can be blamed for their choice. You are blamed for the judge's decision. As a lawyer, one of your primary goals in any file is to limit your liability because, ultimately, you could be found to be liable for almost anything.
4. Lawyers rarely ever have a real day off or a real vacation. With the advancement of technology, whereby we can be reachable by email or phone at any time and any place, we are constantly reminded about work, our files, our clients. I once went away on vacation for a week and, upon my return, I was informed that some clients had complained about my unavailability (as I was on a cruise ship on the Atlantic ocean and had limited access to internet). I guess some clients feel lawyers do not deserve a vacation, ever, especially when their lives are falling apart.
Statistics show that there is a higher rate of suicide amongst lawyers versus the general population. Lawyers are also at a greater risk of suffering from drug or alcohol addictions. Given the reasons I have described above, the statistics are not surprising. Law is an extremely stressful and demanding career, especially for family lawyers.
While I often complain about the stress and negative aspects of being a family lawyer, I have to remind myself that God placed me where I am for His purpose and glory. He has placed me in the lives of my clients, to assist them with putting their lives back together after their marriage has fallen apart. I have to remind myself that there is a reason I was led to the practice of law and that is to serve my brothers and sisters. And I have to remember the clients I have helped through the years, the ungrateful ones but also the ones who thanked me with hugs and tears in their eyes. I have to remember that God has given me an opportunity and a privilege to really make a difference in someone's life.
So while I discourage my Sydney from following in my career footsteps and while I might regret my career choice, I know I am where God wills me to be, where I can fulfill His purpose in my life. And I know, I should forget all the negative aspects of my profession and focus on the good that I can do. I must do it all to the glory of God.
