Generation J.D.

I ran across a thought-provoking article a few weeks ago: “High-achieving women need more than a bubble bath.” By “high-achieving” women, the article means women who are accomplishment-focused and achievement-oriented— yes, that includes you, my fellow attorneys!

Actually, I found the article — as well as the book on which it was based — to be eerily accurate, as did a few friends of mine.

The article refreshingly recognized the traits of “high-achieving” women are much the same as those found in “high-achieving” men. The difference is in the assumptions that tend to underlie women’s thought processes. Assumptions such as “I have to prove myself to everyone,” “I can’t relax until I finish what I have to do,” and “I should be able to manage it all and accomplish it all without feeling stressed or tired.”

Now, I’m not sure that I would agree that these assumptions are uniquely held by women. I think the assumptions are fairly commonplace in the legal field where, as one article states, “My boss wants innovation as long as it’s done perfectly the first time.”

But I do agree the stress invoked by operating under these assumptions cannot be solved — at least not in the long-term — with bubble baths or vacations.

It makes sense that it isn’t as much about getting rid of the stress; it is about building “stress resilience.” Don’t try to make everything balance perfectly — it is more of a constant give and take, a juggling act, if you will.

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Back in November, my fellow blogger Cara wrote about how young lawyers tackle the decision of going to work when they are knocked over with a cold or the flu.

She, like many of us, showed up to work due to the guilt and stress of leaving work on your desk or placing the burden on someone else in the office to pick up your slack. At the same time, I cannot count the number of times a co-worker has shown up to the office sick and BAM, I was sick just a few days later.

I, myself, fell victim to the flu last week and, for the first time since starting my job in November 2009, had to spend an entire week home sick. Despite the raging fever and having only the ability to either sleep or shuffle slowly from the sofa to my bedroom, the guilt from not being in the office invaded my dreams and turned them into nightmares. (Tossing and turning from nightmares of being fired is not a great way to try and recover from the flu.)

My office does not assign a set number of sick days, personal days or vacation days. They are granted through the discretion of our supervisors and our own judgment based on our hours. While the policy’s flexibility sounds great, it is simultaneously maddening because, as a junior associate, you frequently do not know what to do. I find myself stuck in an involuntary competition with other junior associates as to how few days I am away from the office.

What are your thoughts? Does your office provide you with a set number of sick days, personal days and vacation days? If so, how do they distinguish between the types of “days off” and how many are you allotted? Do you subscribe to the philosophy of “presenteeism,” or do you shield your co-workers from your germs by staying at home? With the advent of teleworking and technology, shouldn’t people just work remotely to protect their peers?

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The American Bar Association made news last week when its president, William Robinson, said in an interview:

When I was going to law school . . . I sold my Corvair to make first-semester tuition and books for $330.

Back in the 1960s, a brand-new Corvair sold for between $2,000 to $2,800. Robinson graduated from law school in 1971.

Above the Law picked this up and ripped Robinson apart. They assumed Robinson’s message was the struggling law student might have to “sell your luxury automobile to pay for law school.” Clearly, Robinson leans a little closer to the 1 percent. (Above the Law’s picture of Robinson, decked out in his three-piece suit and cufflinks, doesn’t help his image in this regard.)

If that wasn’t enough, Robinson also said:

It’s inconceivable to me that someone with a college education, or a graduate-level education, would not know before deciding to go to law school that the economy has declined over the last several years and that the job market out there is not as opportune as it might have been five, six, seven, eight years ago.

This is a big image problem for the ABA. The media basically blame the ABA for failure to regulate the law schools and blame law schools because they have (allegedly) padded their employment statistics in an effort to convince prospective law students the law is a good career move. The impression from news reports of the ABA is it simply doesn’t care.

If Robinson is wrong, and the continuing influx of law students and lawyers is partially the fault of the law schools and the ABA, then it is not just the recent law students and law grads who suffer.

If law schools are acting dishonestly, and if that dishonesty convinces higher numbers of people to attempt to attend law school, then the job market becomes more saturated, which hurts existing lawyers who need new employment. So, a lawyer looking to make a lateral move, a lawyer whose firm has let him go because of the economy and a lawyer wh0 just can’t stand his current area of practice all will have a harder time finding that next job.

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It’s that time of year again. You’ve made your personal New Year’s resolutions. But now, it is time to set some professional resolutions.

I’m talking about career development goals. You may be required to develop or update a career development plan as part of your firm’s evaluation process. Some are part of a formal program, while others are less structured. If you are not required to do so, you should take the time to do it yourself.

What is a career development plan? In simple terms, it’s a collection of your own goals that you can use to keep yourself on track. It is something concrete you can look back at over the course of the year to make sure you are moving in the right direction. It will let you evaluate each new opportunity that comes your way and will help you determine whether taking the opportunity will move you toward your goals or will infringe on the time and energy that you need to achieve your goals.

For example, your career development plan should “address what you want to accomplish, what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it.”  Your goals should be realistic and include a plan for addressing your current circumstances, including any deficiencies or limitations that you face. Your plan for reaching those goals should include a specific time frame in which you want to achieve your goal and each step toward your goal. It should include both short-term (today through the next five years) and long-term (five to ten-or-more years out) goals.

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I am in a nontraditional legal position. Recruiting is law related, but it’s non-practicing and you don’t even need to have a law degree to become a legal recruiter.

However, I am happy I have a J.D.  and came into my position with an understanding of the market and connections that recruiters without a legal background don’t have. I like the law, keeping up on court rulings and legislation and being involved in the legal community.

There are many nontraditional legal careers for J.D.’s who find out that practicing is not for them; recruiting is just one example. Many people go to law school in order to pursue careers in policy, legislation, contracts and grants or academics, positions that are non-practicing but require a J.D.

The decision to leave the practice of law or to take a non-attorney job as a barred attorney is not one to be taken lightly. Besides having to deal with all the questions from your family and friends, once you leave the practice of law it can be difficult to go back. Plus, time spent as a non-practicing attorney is time you’re losing ground. You’re not building your skills and are, in fact, losing your sharpness.

Additionally, nontraditional legal careers shouldn’t be treated as a temporary employment option for J.D.’s who really want to be a practicing attorney. Taking such a position will only set you back in your search for an attorney position.

I am happy in my role as a recruiter. I’m not going to say that I’ve never daydreamed about asking the University of Maryland’s law school one day for a refund, but all in all I wouldn’t give my law degree back. While I wouldn’t recommend going to law school without a plan or solid direction, nontraditional legal careers are a great way to put your law degree to use if practicing law isn’t for you.

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As a Baltimore-based recruiter, I see people all the time who want to make the transition here from Washington. They’re either tired of the commute or want a different quality of life.

And while both cities offer great opportunities for legal professionals, there are definite differences between the two legal markets.

For some people, Baltimore just isn’t going to cut it.  When I was a tour guide at the University of Maryland School of Law, there was more than one prospective student who said that they applied thinking the school was in College Park. These students weren’t sold on the idea of going to school in Baltimore.

Despite my love of Charm City, I do see their point. Washington has more large firms to offer, and D.C. is often viewed as more metropolitan; there’s more to do, you can rely completely on public transportation and the city draws transplants from all over the county.

But the transition from D.C. to Baltimore can be really difficult to make. Washington has thriving practice areas Baltimore really doesn’t have: immigration, intellectual property and defense contracting. There are also more opportunities to work with the government and nonprofits in the D.C. area. Not to mention salaries in Washington can be up to 20 percent higher than in Baltimore, although the cost of living in Baltimore is much lower. Baltimore law firms could be hesitant to hire someone if they think they are really set on D.C.

For new law school graduates, it’s important to think about where you want to live, what you want to practice and how those two things are going to meld together. Law schools offer lots of opportunities to work in different cities and practice areas while in still in school through internships, externships and law clerk positions. This is a great way to figure out what you want to do without the commitment.

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