One of the challenges within law firms right now is that Gen Xers want a life, while the older partners want to work associates and young partners to the bone. The American Bar Association conducted a recent unscientific study in which slightly more than 84% of associates (including me) said we'd take less pay to have more time. I'd love to quote huge chunks of this article, but instead urge you to look at the article yourself if it piques your interest.
The legal frontier could be changing. And it will happen at the hands of my generation and those younger because we aren't willing to sacrifice our families on a day-in-day-out basis.
I was fortunate to find a firm that was flexible with me. I worked three days a week -- most weeks. But if a judge or key client needed to see me, I was there regardless of whether it was my day to be at work.
The kids got used to playing games on the computer or watching a video on those days while Mommy ran to court or talked to a client or partner.
There are ways to make a reduced work schedule work without hurting client service.
1 comment:
That is very interesting...
I got the link from this blog from your friend Michelle. I met her in Chicago at a Jeremy Camp concert.
After the show, we got talking about her friend, a lawyer, who has done some work for Sacred Grounds. This continued the discussion as I asked if you were a Christian.
Anyway, I am almost 23 and have only 2 years of undergrad studies to go. Then it's off to law school! Woohoo! I have taken the LSAT and got a 162, so this law school thing is not wishful thinking, God is really going to send me there! (yay!) My goal is to get into Notre Dame. I can't wait for the intellectual challenge!
I really want to do work in Constitutional law, with religious freedoms being violated across the country. I believe the fundamental right of all Americans (Jew, Muslim, atheist) is freedom of religion. But no religion should get preferential treatment; likewise, no religion should be trampled on. Once freedome of religion disappears, what do we have left?
I'm actually a computer science major, and there are also areas in law that I would love to pursue such as intellectual property/patent law. Those are demanding careers, 70/80 hours a week... but with high pay (which is why I found this post particularly interesting!). If I'm not married with a family, I feel God may lead me in that direction to start out my law career.
My goal is to open my own firm one day, and to have the funding available to do lots of First Amendment law and pro bono work for the indigent.
Anyway, before this post becomes longer than one of your blog entries, I'll get to the point! I would like to hear about law school and a law career from a fellow follower of Christ.
I have posted a (really long) testimony/purpose thing on the Jeremy Camp Message Board: http://forum.jeremycamp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1169435731
Please feel free to read it. I'm Toddrick33 there, so if you send me a Private Message, we could exchange emails and such, if you would like. If you're not interested, thank you for allowing me to take up your time! :)
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