5 Things Every Lawyer Can Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is almost here, and it's time to reflect upon the things we should all be thankful for. But as an overworked lawyer, so you may be having trouble coming up with even one thing to be thankful for this holiday season.
In the legal profession, it's natural to become jaded. With long hours, cranky clients, and sometimes seemingly pointless work, who can blame you?
So as a reminder, here are five things every lawyer can be thankful for this Thanksgiving:
- You Have a Job. If you work at a BigLaw firm (or really any law firm), just be thankful that you have a job. While starting pay for some firms may have "fallen" to only $145,000, it is somehow still possible to eek out an existence on this sum.
- You Can Tell People You're a Lawyer. Despite the media's negative portrayal of lawyers and the flack lawyers receive for their pay and billing methods, the truth is that many members of the public still look up to (and aspire to be) lawyers. Just look at the number of people who still apply to law school despite the fact that many of them won't get a job after accruing hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt.
- You Can IRAC. Seriously. Ask a layperson to analyze any legal issue. Even ask your doctor or accountant friend. With two minutes of listening to your friend discuss a legal topic or case, you will want to slam your head against a wall with their inconsistent and rambling logic. After three years in law school, you do learn to think like a lawyer. And that's not always a bad thing.
- You Are Layoff-Proof. Well, OK that's not necessarily true. Yes, you can be laid off. But the great thing about a law degree is that you can always hang out your own shingle. No employer or partner can take away your law license.
- You Are Healthy Enough to Read This. In the grand scheme of things, be thankful for your health, your family, and your loved ones. Everything else is just gravy.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Related Resources:
- 5 Law Firm Partner Types and How to Deal With Them (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Five of the Worst Law Partners We Know (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- The 10 Worst Cities for Young Attorneys (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
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