Loved this video, Annie. Your path resembles mine in so many ways (I am a former commercial litigator who transitioned into tech a few years ago after teaching myself how to code). It's almost like you need someone in that coaching role to give you permission to leave the legal profession without feeling like a complete failure. If you ever venture into interviewing content, I'd be happy to come on and share my journey from litigator to data scientist. Keep up the amazing and inspiring content!
I'm impressed you got work after teaching yourself to code. How did you decide what to learn? I've heard bad stories about some of these these coding "boot camps".
Almost every word of this video resonates with me. I have a good sense of tasks I like and tasks I dont like, as well as my strengths and limitations. There are things I love about my field. But I feel lost and scared. Being a lawyer was basically my plan since middle school, and for a while I really enjoyed it. But more and more I'm coming up against my limitations. I'm scared and lost though because I don't know what alternatives are out there. I want to use more of my strengths, rather than zap my energy because my days require me to do things that don't come as naturally. And if I'm honest, financial stability is important to me. I worry about taking too much of a paycut and starting a new trajectory because then I'll be stressed about my financial stability.
I hear you! It's completely okay to value financial stability, too. By getting clear on your values, strengths, and interests, you'll be able to get clarity around what type of work you truly want to be doing--and then it'll be a lot easier to target that type of job so you can land it!
This was my experience but as a legal assistant. I was a recent grad, and we know that school only scratches the surface of what you need to know. I was hired at a large international firm that handles commercial real estate, corporate law, banking, and debt recovery. They put me as a floater, which meant covering for several lawyers in several fields of law. I got a lot of praise but I was so so lost. No training, a very superficial understanding of the different fields of law with no sense of the big picture of the life of a file. I felt on the verge of failing. I left. I went to a personal injury firm as an entry level assistant. Still no guidance or training. Little praise but they’d come down hard over small things. I left the career entirely, disappointed in everything including myself. I still want to do something involving law, just not sure what. I’m looking at proofreading legal transcripts to start and eventually either training to be a real estate transaction coordinator (my own business) or real estate law clerk - but only once I’ve learned more of the real estate process. And it’s a big maybe on the law clerk thing.
Why not public sector? More security, less work, less prejudice (or at least enforced affirmative action), and often unionized. Win-win. Punch a clock, get your paycheck, retire at 55 with your full salary.
I would have loved to work in the public sector! It was (and still is) extremely difficult to get a job in government--probably for the reasons you've stated along with budget cuts. I worked at Legal Aid and had planned to work there following graduation, but they lost the funding for my position. So as much as I would have liked to work there or in the public sector, despite my best efforts I wasn't able to land a job there.
@@TheJDNation Interesting! I’m gonna need to both keep my grades up and leverage my disability status then. There’s a bit of a network of blind attorneys in the public sector so perhaps my perspective on how easy it is to get hired is biased by my own social circle.
How does your lawyer burnout show up? Share your experience in the comments!
Loved this video, Annie. Your path resembles mine in so many ways (I am a former commercial litigator who transitioned into tech a few years ago after teaching myself how to code). It's almost like you need someone in that coaching role to give you permission to leave the legal profession without feeling like a complete failure.
If you ever venture into interviewing content, I'd be happy to come on and share my journey from litigator to data scientist. Keep up the amazing and inspiring content!
I'm impressed you got work after teaching yourself to code. How did you decide what to learn? I've heard bad stories about some of these these coding "boot camps".
Almost every word of this video resonates with me. I have a good sense of tasks I like and tasks I dont like, as well as my strengths and limitations. There are things I love about my field. But I feel lost and scared. Being a lawyer was basically my plan since middle school, and for a while I really enjoyed it. But more and more I'm coming up against my limitations. I'm scared and lost though because I don't know what alternatives are out there. I want to use more of my strengths, rather than zap my energy because my days require me to do things that don't come as naturally. And if I'm honest, financial stability is important to me. I worry about taking too much of a paycut and starting a new trajectory because then I'll be stressed about my financial stability.
I hear you! It's completely okay to value financial stability, too. By getting clear on your values, strengths, and interests, you'll be able to get clarity around what type of work you truly want to be doing--and then it'll be a lot easier to target that type of job so you can land it!
This was my experience but as a legal assistant. I was a recent grad, and we know that school only scratches the surface of what you need to know. I was hired at a large international firm that handles commercial real estate, corporate law, banking, and debt recovery. They put me as a floater, which meant covering for several lawyers in several fields of law. I got a lot of praise but I was so so lost. No training, a very superficial understanding of the different fields of law with no sense of the big picture of the life of a file. I felt on the verge of failing. I left. I went to a personal injury firm as an entry level assistant. Still no guidance or training. Little praise but they’d come down hard over small things. I left the career entirely, disappointed in everything including myself. I still want to do something involving law, just not sure what. I’m looking at proofreading legal transcripts to start and eventually either training to be a real estate transaction coordinator (my own business) or real estate law clerk - but only once I’ve learned more of the real estate process. And it’s a big maybe on the law clerk thing.
Just found your channel! Thank you so much for sharing! 😌👌💭💖☀️
Im not an attorney but living through my gap yrs of undergrad contemplating on going back to get my masters or JD thank you for your videos
You're so welcome, Lucy! Let me know if there are any questions you want me to address :)
Don't waste your time in bs schools. Start a family before it's too late
I heard making partner at a big law firm is like winning a pie eating contest - where the reward is MORE pie!
💯💯💯
Yup its very accurate....you sell your soul to the firm
you 're doing really great videos.
Thanks so much!
Why not public sector? More security, less work, less prejudice (or at least enforced affirmative action), and often unionized. Win-win. Punch a clock, get your paycheck, retire at 55 with your full salary.
I would have loved to work in the public sector! It was (and still is) extremely difficult to get a job in government--probably for the reasons you've stated along with budget cuts. I worked at Legal Aid and had planned to work there following graduation, but they lost the funding for my position. So as much as I would have liked to work there or in the public sector, despite my best efforts I wasn't able to land a job there.
@@TheJDNation Interesting! I’m gonna need to both keep my grades up and leverage my disability status then. There’s a bit of a network of blind attorneys in the public sector so perhaps my perspective on how easy it is to get hired is biased by my own social circle.
You are not a "former" lawyer so long as you are in Good standing with your State bar. Don't trivialize yourself.😊
Get a husband and start a family.
What?🤣