<p>there have been so many reputable studies showing that law school and the practice of lw is a depressing job? what do you think?</p>
<p>I'm not a lawyer yet, but I've got to think that your as happy as you want to be - meaning, that you control what you do with your legal education, just as you control what you do in any other profession. </p>
<p>I'd assume becoming someone who goes into lawyering to make money and winds up some corporate whore that hates themselves but love their beamer is possible. You could also be naive and think that your going to become a lawyer and dramatically change the world in a day. Or maybe be even more naive and think that as a lawyer you spend the majority of your time like a TV lawyer (Dillon McDermont or Ally McBeal types). If thats you, then I think its very possible to be disppointed and unhappy with the profession. </p>
<p>Alternatively, its just as possible that you get your legal education and all of a sudden realize joyfully that you have the training and opportunity to engage in legal processes that effect us all, yet few have the knowledge to impact. You could enjoy the research that many lawyers spend their time doing...reading cases, learning about how laws have evolved and been applied to so many interesting situations. You may be satisfied with knowing that you do your small piece everyday, although it may not be the whole world, and appreciate the small battles on the way to winning the war. </p>
<p>All I know for sure is that I'm looking forward to it!!</p>
<p>I'm certainly far from depressed. There's one lawyer in the happy column for you!</p>
<p>How could be unhappy making $250K?</p>
<p>^^^^Money certainly isn't everything.</p>
<p>the majority of lawyers don't make 250,000. In fact, the average doesn't even break 6 figures..</p>
<p>
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How could be unhappy making $250K?
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</p>
<p>For what it's worth, I was making $190k when I quit BIGLAW 5 years ago and I was completely miserable.</p>
<p>Yeah, if you're making that much than it's clear that work is your whole life. You don't see friends, go on vacations, or even get 8 hours of sleep every night. How great is it really to make that much money, but never have time to enjoy it. I too want to be a lawyer and make good money, but I'm not willing to trade in having any kind life outide of work for a huge salary.</p>
<p>"Mo money Mo problems" <-- very true. Although my uncle isn't a lawyer, he's a CEO for his computer company. he has a castle of a house, a ferrari, many other goodies, etc. i knew him 10 years ago obviously, and he definitely had a more genuine personality, relaxed, comfortable sense of character. nowadays, he feels he just can't get enough, is struggling more with his money, and has gotten a very gruesome attitude. i by no means am a religious exhibitionist, but think that what the Bible says about money is wholeheartedly true.</p>
<p>"Mo money Mo problems" </p>
<p>I don't think so. Rich people live longer. Rich kids have higher SATs.</p>
<p>No Money, More Problems</p>
<p>^ This is true too. The happy medium between poverty and extreme wealth is what we should strive for.</p>
<p>To add to the happy medium comment, I have always carried this piece of wisdom, which I heard in some song...</p>
<p>"I'd rather be happy and poor than have it all and still want more."</p>
<p>I want to be a lawyer, and by no means poor, but the "have it all and want more" attitude scares me. It seems that is when money really changes people.</p>
<p>Lawyers have many choices and a wide range of lifestyles. Choose what matters to you (family, money, ideals) and make some balances.
All these are real people that I know who now practice law:
one works for a huge corporation in NYC and makes lots of money now, but it was a terrible grind for the first l0 years out of law school (70 hour weeks, no social life...)
one moved to a small town, became a sole practitioner and sometimes takes his work fishing with him<br>
one worked as legal counsel to a nonprofit organization the matched his beliefs and values
one does business and contract law in a medium-sized firm and finds the projects interesting; when he can, he takes cases for free to help kids with disabilities; he also keeps up his music
one practiced law for a long time but got tired of it, so taught Political Science at a not-very-fancy college until he retired, with some sideline volunteer work (parole board, radio show, ran for local political office and won)
all of them made time for family life</p>
<p>
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The happy medium between poverty and extreme wealth is what we should strive for.
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</p>
<p>I basically agree. In my humble opinion, money is simply a means to an end. If you have enough money to pay your bills, you are in pretty good shape. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, at different times in your life, money will take on more or less importance. You don't want to be a waiter making $25,000 per year when you decide that you want to buy a basic 3 bedroom house in the suburbs which happens to cost $500k. You do want to be able to spontaneously go out to dinner with your significant other. The point is that money can be and should be a valid concern when choosing a career.</p>
<p>I'm contemplating a career in law as well. I'm also contemplating which is more important: financial security and a comfortable life with lots of work, or less money with more family time. its hard. my brother works in corp. law and leaves at 8 am and gets home about 7.some times he has to stay till 9 or later and he usually goes in for a few hours on the weekend. of course, he's making over $100k a year. I've asked him about his career, but he always seems to try and avoid answering. i cant tell if its beacuse he doesnt want to brag, or if he just doesnt want me to pursue the career. my other career choices (prof. or curator) only pay about a 1/3 of what a lawyer w/ 10 yrs. makes, and i'm from a low income single parent family; needless to say, money is very important to me. I'm not greedy, but i do want my family to not have to worry about finances.</p>