Lawyers Are The Most Laughed Off Professionals
A 2013 survey by CareerCast.com, in which they asked people to rank jobs based on their stress levels, showed that lawyers ranked at the very top of the list. Some 64% of surveyed individuals said that lawyers were full-on crazy-making for them. The truth is: it's hard to find one good thing about being a lawyer. You spend too much time away from family and friends, you can be made a general laughingstock on TV, and you may even have to take up smoking as an addiction to get through your day (as I'm doing right now).
You could argue that lawyers are some of the most stressed humans on earth. It's a sad state of affairs when the best thing about being a lawyer is that you're able to afford good wine. But what is it about being a lawyer that makes it such an outcast profession? Can anything be done to improve the situation? More importantly, why are lawyers so hated by their own peers and people in general? Here are some common reasons why being a lawyer is downright hellish:
1. You spend more time with paperwork than with human beings (or even your cats).
Judging by the amount of paper I have in my office, everyone seems to be writing a book. It's all about documenting your every move and having a mess of filing cabinets to store all that documentation. Of course, running a law office is not exactly like running an office, so things can get a bit out of control. You'll never run out of ways to keep yourself busy, that's for sure.
2. There are no creative boundaries with regards to the activities you do at work or the hours you put in.
You could spend a whole weekend on researching vs. drafting a retainer agreement, only to find out that things don't exactly go your way. So you're back at it again, only that you've had no sleep and are working on five cups of coffee. It's hard to differentiate a work week from a weekend when you're an attorney.
3. You have to deal with the stress of making "the right" decision every single time – and if the outcome isn't what you wanted, you have to start over again.
Imagine spending hours researching, writing and delivering a closing argument during trial. You put in so much effort, only to find out that the jury is not on your side. You now have to start the process all over again. This can be frustrating enough without having to deal with other people's crap (like clients who think they're right).
4. People don't see you as a life coach or a counselor – they just see you as a lawyer (so it's only natural they look at you like a cross between Sigmund Freud and Machiavelli.)
Having said that, I have to admit I've seen some ego-driven lawyers who spend way too much time thinking about their own reputation instead of concentrating on the needs of others. Let's just say it can seriously get on your nerves after a while.
5. You have to deal with people who are under the impression they know everything, while they know very little (or nothing) at all.
If you're not careful, you'll find yourself being manipulated by your clients; and when you're done with them, someone else will use the same skills of manipulation on you. It's a never-ending cycle of stress. The only way out of this predicament is to actively work on self-improvement and surround yourself with people who will help heal the scars from your past (and current) dealings with the public at large.
6. Lawyers are not exactly on the A-list of the "most respected" list, even though they once were.
Once upon a time, lawyers were very highly regarded – so much so that people would clamor to have them as neighbors and associates. Nowadays people think of lawyers as either sharks or pitbulls. In fact, lawyers get the number one spot in a lot of "least trusted and least respected" surveys year after year. Certainly there are good people who choose this career path, but it's quite difficult to rise above all the hatred that's out there.
7. You spend too much time with people who are not exactly your friends (or even enemies).
You spend many hours of every single day at work with people you never have anything in common with. If you're even slightly popular, you'll find that most people don't like you. Worse still, they're all too happy to talk behind your back, distort the facts and do whatever they can to make life miserable for you if they feel like it (which happens quite often). It's really no surprise that the majority of lawyers don't get along with others very well.
8. You have to deal with clients who are rarely punctual, tend to overbook themselves, and lie all the time.
It's hard enough to get clients on your side (which is a good thing) without having the client not show up at all. It's not unusual for clients to forget their appointment times (and then wonder why they're being billed exorbitant amounts of money). They tend to overbook themselves – which is fine if you don't mind having them as your only client, but it can be expensive when you need multiple client appointments. And they lie every chance they get – with every new attorney they work with, because most people don't know any better.
9. People are always super-busy and hard to reach nowadays.
All it takes is one missed call from a prospective client and your whole day becomes undone. If you want clients but don't want this kind of stress, you'd better be prepared to work with people who have a lot of free time on their hands. But here's the catch: they usually have too much time on their hands, so they don't need you after all – which means you'll find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time all the time.
10. You end up working long hours even when you don't want to, because there's so much paperwork involved with running a business and keeping clients happy (not to mention keeping yourself happy).
You can't just say "no" to clients because you're not feeling well. If you don't have a lot of money, you'll end up paying for your own health insurance (or at least some portion of it). If you're not able to find the time to do things you enjoy, you'll have no life whatsoever. You just have to be on top of everything – even when it's not in your best interest.
There are many attorneys who do make great life coaches and counselors. Life is certainly more interesting with people who understand your needs and are good friends with your clients.
Conclusion
Not all attorneys are bad, but there are a lot of them out there who deserve the reputation they've earned. The best way to steer clear of the "bad" lawyers is to find one who has a good reputation and is willing to work with you.
If you already work with someone like this, great! But if your current attorney isn't working out and you're not sure what to do next, don't worry – there's a way out. You can contact me for more information about how it's done at: [email protected]
This article was contributed by Attorney A. Eileen Dannemann.