If you ever walked away from law, what would you do instead? I’ve daydreamed about it more than I’d like to admit. Teaching, starting a small business, maybe even writing... anything that doesn’t involve billables and midnight emails. The golden handcuffs are real though: loans, lifestyle creep, etc. Part of me wonders if I’d even recognize myself outside this profession.

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Being a librarian seems like it would be nice.

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My husband is a teacher and he works longer hours than I do for half the pay. He does love his job, though.

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He does get summers off but does freelance work to make up for it, so I should clarify he works longer hours than I do during the school year. He works from 6:30 am to about 4:30-5 pm. He teaches three different classes and has one 50-minute prep period to plan lessons, set up labs, grade, call parents, and provide extra help for students - since that obviously isn’t enough time to do all those things, he stays late every day. Teachers work hard. I work pretty consistently 9-5 save for the rare occasion we’re in trial or something.

When I went to law school, I always thought that after I paid off my loans I could be a writer and own a coffee shop. Super flawed but common thought process. I think I could have just worked at a coffee shop instead of going to law school and be closer to my dream.

Almost 40 years old and can’t purchase a home because my DTI with my student loans makes it not feasible, and honestly can’t afford my current EHCOL city. Federal loans will be gone soon though thanks to PSLF, but I would not choose to do law school again even though I love my job and the friends I have made in my career.

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I accepted an appointed position in local government that was related to my practice area, and then kept going in my new line of work. I’d probably make more money back in private practice, but my salary is acceptable for the lower-stress lifestyle. So yes it’s possible to get away from billables and still make decent money if you get a “real job”. I didn’t go from attorney to freelance artist

Sounds like a dream - congratulations!

I know the feeling. Still in law, but simultaneously building tech that makes legal professionals’ lives easier.

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