<p>Cangel, my current work is hard to describe - I've kind of created a niche career for myself that defies categorization, at least not in one word - though everyone I work with understands my role and areas of responsibility. Basically I got involved starting up a business and either took on or kept functions that I was good at, and refused or later passed on tasks that I was not particularly good at. Even though that sounds odd, I don't think it is very unusual in the world of small business. </p>
<p>In fact, I think one of the first barriers I had to overcome both in changing careers and then in getting the acceptance of family members (primarily husband, who soon became ex-husband) was that my new career didn't come with a label. I mean, of course I could get business cards printed up with whatever title we agreed to assign me - it's always been "Director of Something Impressive-Sounding" -- but I couldn't be replaced by one person - you'd have to hire at least 3 to fill my different functions in different capacities. And that's just my main job - I take on independent contract work too. So I guess in a way I come under that all-encompassing title, "consultant".</p>
<p>I do have to say that my job is a LOT more secure this way. The lack of categorization means that I am valued for my individual talents and abilities - not how well I perform a role that thousands of others are trained for. I mean - I could never be the best attorney in the country (that's tough - "very good" was about the best I could hope for) - but it's easy to be the best at being me. </p>
<p>My legal training and experience helped in many ways:</p>
<p>1) Understanding of business planning & contracts: all those years of lawyering means that our new business never entered into any stupid or poorly written contracts that we would later come to regret. Also, it was easy to forestall or avoid business disputes with customers or vendors, since I knew where we stood practically and legally from the outset -- I knew when to cut our losses or change course to avoid potential lawsuits, or to speak up at an office meeting to warn that a practice or policy being considred might run afoul of regulatory laws. So in a sense, practicing law was a good way for me to learn what NOT to do when running a business. </p>
<p>2) Writing ability. This one really is probably the most significant- though I started out with this strength before I ever went to law school. The law practice was just hella good practice over many years in persuasive and analytical writing. The biggest revelation for me was when I went to a career counselor who explained the idea of a functional resume, and explained that legal writing is merely one form of technical writing. </p>
<p>3) Analytical ability -- this overlaps with the writing. I am very, very good at researching anything I want to, integrating the information, restating it, reporting it to others, making decisions based on the information. I'd say that is pretty much what law practice is all about. As a side project I wrote a book last year, in about 3 months, on a topic unrelated to law -- I was hired by a publisher with a project and a short deadline. It was hard work, but I don't think it was as hard as writing a US Supreme Court petition for cert. in a complex case. </p>
<p>4) Interpersonal skills -- probably the most important for the survival of my primary business. We started with several people from very different backgrounds and everyone spent the first few years griping & sniping. I'm the one who usually played mediator and brought everyone together, coming up with rules and procedures for getting things done and running office meetings, anticipating problems and conflicts before they got too far out of hand. Some of this came from negotiating skills that I learned as a lawyer, but I think most of it was a adverse reaction to lawyering -- I was intent on avoiding the conflict, competition and one-up-manship that characterizes the way most lawyers interact. </p>
<p>If law school was still as inexpensive as it was when I attended, I'd recommend it for anyone -- its a great education. I had one classmate whose career goal was in journalism -- as far as I know, he ended up doing what he wanted, with the law degree being a great asset. </p>
<p>The problem is that it is now a very expensive education, especially for someone who does not intend to practice law in the more financially lucrative areas or to use the law degree in a traditional way. The fees have just been raised yet again at the UC schools -- aargh! </p>
<p>Practicing law is a wonderful career as long as you are not necessarily stuck doing it for the rest of your life -- and I know far too many practicing lawyer who definitely do feel "stuck" -- stuck because they do not think that they are qualified for any other work where they could maintain their income and lifestyle, stuck because they are licensed in one state and can't afford the lost income and time necessary to qualify to practice in another state where they would rather live, stuck because somewhere along the line they have gotten burned out or sick of what they are doing and don't know how to change.</p>
<p>I still am a member of the state bar, by the way - on "inactive" status. That means that if I ever want to practice law again, all I have to do is opt to pay full fare for my annual bar dues.</p>