Bad news travels at the speed of light; good news travels like molasses. Tracy Morgan
As I have discussed before, Law360 often releases Surveys that focus on the legal profession. Law360 is pretty reliable because of the number of subscribers and customers to which it has access and the methodology it typically uses.
A recent one, entitled the Law360 Pulse Lawyer Satisfaction Survey, was eye-catching. The Survey was interesting mainly because it suggests that, despite all the negative talk about lawyers’ dissatisfaction with the profession, the opposite may be true. It’s sort of like good news: you don’t hear much about it. Indeed, the Survey got little press, as best I can tell.
The Survey was conducted this year between February and April. There were 1,247 responses from U.S. attorneys. Among the respondents, there were:
- 429 associate responses
- 166 non equity partner responses
- 427 equity partner responses
The Good News
The headline: approximately two-thirds of those responding like their jobs or are at least “satisfied” or very satisfied with them. More than half of the respondents like their pay, opportunities for advancement, their firm’s collegiality (77% say they are happy with the firm collegiality), and surprisingly, their firms’ billable hour requirements. Indeed, one can view the glass as half full and conclude that almost half of the practicing lawyers are dissatisfied. But when you consider that the Survey shows many lawyers are stressed and believe they are overworked, for half to say they essentially are satisfied with their jobs is encouraging.
And that remote work controversy? 87% of those surveyed said their firms were flexible with remote work. And almost half said their firms were very flexible with remote work, with only a few limitations. 67% say it’s unlikely or very unlikely they will look for a job at another firm within the next year.
Beneath all the bitching and making about the profession, it is still one that brings a great deal of satisfaction
In a profession not known for being particularly touchy-feely, the fact that some 77% of those surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their firm’s collegial atmosphere is also surprising. And here is an impressive number: a whopping 73% of lawyers surveyed say they would choose the same career path if they had it to do over again. That suggests that beneath all the bitching and making about the profession, it is still one that brings a great deal of satisfaction.
Women and People of Color
To be fair, satisfaction levels increase the more senior a lawyer is. But that’s to be expected in almost any profession. And even some 72% of associates say they would still become lawyers if they had a do-over. Also, to be fair, the Survey shows gaps between white males, women, and people of color when it comes to many measures of job satisfaction. Women are more stressed than men and feel less certain about their firms’ commitment to diversity and inclusion. However, some 73% of women remain happy about being a lawyer as a career choice. People of color reported the same level of job satisfaction as white males.
Lawyers Like Being Lawyers
All too often, we hear all the bad things about being a lawyer. How it’s not satisfying, Its not rewarding. It’s too hard. All too often, we hear those who leave the profession proudly proclaiming that they are a “recovering lawyer.”
But the Survey suggests that despite all the minutia, stress, and often long hours, people still like being lawyers. I, for one, was proud to be a lawyer and found it highly rewarding. There is nothing like sorting through a complex problem and finding an elegant solution. There is nothing like pouring over documents and testimony and having that aha moment when everything comes together. Those moments you get an insight that helps your client. There is nothing like doing a concise cross-examination that you know hits home. Or delivering an effective opening or closing argument and seeing it resonate. There is nothing like creating the story of your case and using demonstrative and technological aids to enhance that story.
I wouldn’t trade my time as a full time lawyer for anything.
Yes, there were and are days when the tedium gets to you. There are days you have to spend too much time doing things for which you are overqualified. The days you go home late and frustrated. (But as a partner of mine used to say, “That’s why they call it work’). Maybe the new AI and Gen AI aids will reduce some of this frustration and tedium. I hope so.
But despite everything, like some 73% of the current lawyers surveyed, I wouldn’t trade my time as a full time lawyer for anything.
And that’s the good news.
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash