New York Lawyer
October 24, 2002

Q:
I am a first-year associate in a medium-sized general practice litigation firm about two hours north of New York City. The pay scale here is significantly less than standards of New York City. The hours are manageable compared to, say, a top-tier firm. But be assured, I still work long and intense hours.

As an associate on the low end of the totem pole, I find myself working with little direction or guidance, often in a "sink or swim" basis. This concerns me. I am also lacking clerical personnel, and I often play dual if not triple roles without clerical or support staff, although I have requested the same.

Lastly, I have a family and as a woman, I find myself torn between obligations of motherhood and my love of the law. However, make no mistake, my family comes first.

The job is stressful! Lately, I have questioned my happiness in the profession, and I have contemplated "running from the law". Any advice?

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A:

You�ve identified lots of issues: long hours; "sink or swim" training; not enough support; work/life clash; and a wavering commitment to law as your chosen profession. Let�s take them in turn. Long hours are an unfortunate feature of many if not most legal jobs, especially in private practice. While long hours often are associated with large firms, many people in smaller firms find that they put in a lot of time as well, minus the big bucks. So it�s not unusual, even if you�re not in a law firm that gets all the headlines and attention, to find yourself drowning in work. This of course is driven in part by the billable hour business model, as well as by traditional ideas that "real lawyers" work tirelessly out of dedication to their calling.

The "sink or swim" model of training unfortunately is the norm. Very few law firms offer meaningful, comprehensive training; usually people ask others (who are too busy to help) and basically figure it out for themselves. If you are hesitant to ask for advice on a regular basis within the firm, one approach is to build relationships with people outside your firm (through bar association meetings, for instance). Mentors who are outside the workplace can provide invaluable advice without any of the awkwardness or political considerations that you find within. Firms and other workplaces often grouse about losing people after having "trained" them. But they might consider that it�s precisely because people feel they�ve had to do everything on their own that they flee elsewhere, feeling that no one really cares what they learn or how they do things as long as it comes out right.

Lack of support staff is another issue. I�d look around and ask whether people comparable to you in seniority have any more support. If you are being treated inequitably, you can marshal facts and figures to illustrate the problem. And rather than couching it in terms of inequity, point out how much more you could get done if you weren�t doing all the secretarial stuff too. Aligning your personal interests with those of the firm is a much more powerful tactic than complaining that you�re mistreated.

Work/life clashes often can challenge one�s enthusiasm about the law. Eventually you may decide that you want to try an alternative employment arrangement, like part time, flextime, telecommuting, etc. Be aware that these arrangements often, and perhaps usually, founder. It�s easier to make them work if you have attained the respect of one or two important, powerful partners who have work and who count on you. It�s even easier if you have your own business, unlikely at this level of practice. If you decide you want to try an alternative arrangement, you will need to devise a detailed business plan and a clear idea of how you will make it work. You will also need to be ready and prepared to answer all concerns about your availability and flexibility. If you decide it�s the best thing to do, get your thoughts clear on how it would work, and approach it as a business alternative that will work, not as a half-baked plan that you feel guilty even proposing. Your attitude about such a solution will set the stage for whether the plan has a chance of working, or whether it will quickly die on the vine.

Be careful about concluding that difficulties in your present workplace, especially your first job, mean that the profession is the culprit. It could be that you are not in the right law firm, in terms of culture, personalities or practice area. It�s also possible that another type of workplace -- government, not for profit, inhouse, which often have more predictable and manageable work conditions -- is more appropriate. So don�t give up on the law altogether based on this experience.

Sincerely,
Holly English
Principal Consultant, Values at Work