Feeling Let Down by the Legal Profession?

If you're one of the lawyers who feels let down by the legal profession, you are not alone. You've invested in your education and career but it's not what you thought it would be. Or, your priorities have changed as life unfolded.

So many of us in the professions have put in time, money, and endless reputation building. We've sacrificed so much but it never feels like enough. We feel trapped by our investment and the expectations others have for us as well as our own expectations of what we thought our lives would look like.?

I remember when I was investigating a path beyond practicing, my dad (who had helped pay my law school tuition) said,?"I feel like I wasted my money."?A total shitty thing to say but that comment represents the pressure many of us face.

This message is to remind you that it's okay to live as you wish. Everyone zig zags in one way or another; that's one way to grow. I practiced estate planning for 15 years, including owning my own firm. I'd been there done that. So for me, the next step was diving into the business of law firms in all practice areas for exponential impact. I could either help 100 clients a year or I could help 100 lawyers help 100 clients a year.?

What's change would make you happier and help you to feel freer?

Here are a few examples of what I see lawyers doing when they decide to make a change:

1. Switch Practice Areas.?Switching practices areas to learn something new or to practice in an area that's non-combative is common.

2. Restructure Practice. Restructuring your firm so that it gives you the life you want is an option. Want to be a hippie, practice out of your VW van at the beach. Want to own a coffee shoppe, launch Jill's Legal Grind and practice from the back table. Want to "job share" with another attorney, there's someone else who wants that too. Want to do more of the work you love, build out your A-Team, contract for other attorneys, or "specialize" in a specific kind of case. There's definitely a way to do what you want.

3. CEO Role.?Stepping away from practicing into the business owner/CEO role for your firm is common as well. Hire someone else to practice, service clients, and handle operations while you provide vision and build relationships - or whatever it is you want to do.?

4. Judge.?Set your firm up so it has value and sell it so you can be a judge and improve the profession from the bench.?

5. Launch.?I do have some attorneys still working for others who will read this, so I'll mention that there's nothing like doing your own thing and that's likely why you're here. The most important part of making this transition is thinking through what you really want and not just diving in to produce, produce, produce. You now have the opportunity to truly live the life you love so design that first, then build your law firm to give you that.?

6. Leave Law.?Even though you've invested money and years of work, it's okay to do something else. Your legal education and experience will always have value in your career and everyday life. There are experts I refer to who guide lawyers through leaving the law and finding their next step. There's a lawyer here in Pittsburgh who left big law to open a popular biscotti shop. He loves it! I'll wager there are as many lawyers who decided to leave law as those who've stayed.

The first step to making any big decision is to give yourself time and space to think and to play "what if." You are not trapped even if it feels like you are. Thinking can be restructured. Perspective can be expanded, knocking out past patterns and blocks.

Put aside the fear of losing professional status if you zig or zag along your path. In fact, you'll likely inspire others to take the next step that's right for them.?Your path is your path. If you're not fulfilled and feel trapped by your own investment, there's a whole lot of awesomesauce out there waiting for you to take that first step.?

Everything is figureoutable.?

I see you happy, relaxed, and fulfilled!!?

Wendy

Wendy Witt, JD serves as a Law Firm Business Strategist and Mentor to the owners of solo and small law firms.

Her mission is to tilt the legal universe toward wellness by helping lawyers build the law firm that gives them the life they love. Find out more at MillionDollarAttorney.com; be sure to check out the Friday Focus Club while you're there!