Regarding Rory’s point of what is so depressing about working in the big law firm, I will share my experience which may be different to other’s.

I worked one year as a paralegal and returned after the bar for another year and a half, when I decided to take an offer outside the firm.

What bothered me the most was to feel that I had lost all my freedom. I had no control of my time at all. Whatever plans I had (a dinner, a trip during the weekend, or even to celebrate my own birthday) at the end depended on what the lawyers above my said in the very last minute. I missed a lot of things that where really important for me and for other people and I still regret it.

I remember one Friday afternoon with my wife sick and asking me if I could get home early (at 8:00 pm). Of course something came up in the office and I was asked to stay. When I mentioned the situation all that I got by answer was: is she very sick? Otherwise you should stay.

Another example: there was a lawyer whose grandmother had died. As he went to the funeral and missed a meeting, the partner asked: but was he so close with his grandmother that he is not here?

There are many examples like these. At the end I felt constantly treated as an object and the only thing that mattered were the clients and the hours billed. I felt so disrespected the whole time and apparently no one really cared about me or the others at all. I completely understand Gil Cornblum’s story posted here.

Another thing that I hated is related with Eben’s story last Thursday (the partner who told the associate that it was going to be his last time in the partner’s bathroom). The argument that many of these lawyers gave to treat associates like crap was that “in their times they were treated much worst”.

Lawyers within these firms are so used to fight every day their way trough become a partner that they think it is natural to make other people suffer and attack their insecurities. I believe that only really insecure people make others feel bad without any legitimate purpose.

I do not know if there are big firms that are nice places to work, I have only worked in one. In any case, stories like the one posted here confirm that there is a common pattern in our profession.

One final thought, I really like being a lawyer and I enjoy a lot being back to law school. There are opportunities out there, but the problem is to find the one that fulfills your needs, I am still searching for mine.

-- FranciscoGuzman - 21 Feb 2010