<p>cpt, I have to say that my H, a graduate of a mediocre law school, loves what he does. I mean that he absolutely loves it. I cannot imagine him doing anything else. Since he has been on his own, he has had time to spend with our kids. He was able to coach, help with school projects, and now go on college visits. </p>
<p>When my H worked for a small firm he was taught a system for keeping his timesheets. He was asked to collect from some clients, and his boss collected from other clients. This varied. They tried not to let bills get out of hand. I guess if they were they had to ask to be relieved as counsel (I believe that’s the jargon). His income did not depend on clients paying their bills timely. Now it obviously does and that is the big difference between working for someone else or for yourself. In my husband’s earlier years he worked the insane hours that cpt mentions his neighbor doing. If he was in trial I just did not see him. There were a few times that he even just rented a hotel room near his office or court if the weather was bad and he was working such long hours.</p>