Working in a career in law can be excessively stressful, especially if you get a job with one of the larger firms. Many people in these firms go through a lot of stress on a daily basis, and that greatly affects their health and well being.
Here are some reasons why you need to avoid working in large law firms:
• You Can Be Replaced in a Minute
Law firms can get new employees on an hourly basis. There are many lawyers who are willing to work in poor conditions and for average pay. Many lawyers would avoid asking for a raise because they could be replaced by cheaper employees. In some cases, your replacement will even start working before you clear out of the office.
• You Cannot Control Your Working Hours
Large law firms have tight schedules, meaning you have to be in your desk early in the morning. You will occasionally have to leave long past working hours. Many lawyers have even been known to take the work home when they leave the offices. The main reason for these ridiculous working hours is the crediting system of these law firms. If your task is almost complete by the deadline, you will still not get credited since it has to be fully complete. That means you will not receive a bonus for the hours spent on the job. In many cases, these assignments cannot be completed in the time allotted.
It is also worth noting that large law firms expect you to be available and highly responsive at all times of day and night. Once you get a job in these companies, you will have to drop all plans for the weekend or evening. If the firm gets an urgent assignment, they will expect you to start working on it immediately. They don’t even have to give you a day’s notice.
• No Friends
In a large law firm, all attorneys are competitors. Your workmates will enjoy seeing you fail since that gives them a better chance of rising up the ranks. Also, if you slip up, they are likely to land the best assignments. You should also note that your clients will not usually be your friends. They will mostly be angry for the high costs of the service and the possibility of you losing their cases. The court will also not be on your side. Courts are known to yell at lawyers and even sanction them. Generally, the entire industry will leave you lonely and empty.
You should not expect any positive feedback from the firm. Most firms are very harsh on new attorneys, and that can make the job excessively stressful. You may start receiving positive reviews when you become profitable to the firm, and this can take five years.
• Your Future Is Unclear
As mentioned earlier, attorneys in large legal firms are easily replaceable. Many lawyers are dismissed before they even get their first raise. You can get fired from the law firm on any day. This makes it hard to plan your future as you have no idea what your current job will lead to. In some cases, attorneys can be set to be made partners in the firm only to be fired for simple mistakes. Your entire career in law could be jeopardised by these firms as they can choose to blackball you to potential employers.
What Are the Flexible Alternatives to Working in a Large Legal Firm?
It takes a lot of effort and time to get a degree in law. You don’t have to work in a legal firm as there are many alternatives that are a lot more fulfilling. These alternatives include:
• Legal consulting- If you are sufficiently experienced in law, you can consult for companies on law-related issues. These issues can range from legal marketing to legal technology used by the company.
• Online-based legal services- You can choose to avoid the traditional model of legal firms and instead sign up with services like Passion for Law. These services allow you to focus on your work without having to deal with stressful administration and management. You will also get to decide when, where, and how you will work. The rewards for your work are better on such sites since you get to set your own fee structure.
• Dispute resolution- Many people like to settle their disputes out of court. If you have good negotiation and communication skills, you can work as a neutral arbitrator and help people reach mutually agreeable resolutions.
Conclusion
Law is one of the most respectable careers, but it can be very unfulfilling. If you work in a large law firm, you will have to sacrifice almost all your free time since urgent assignments can be sent at any time. Generally, working in such firms is very stressful. For a more flexible schedule, you should consider working in online-based legal firms or simply take up related careers like legal consultation and dispute resolution.
