I’m not naive or fresh out of law school, but I’m at a point where I’m saying to myself “Why can’t I have it all?” I’ve been offered a job for more pay and less hours and I keep thinking to myself, what’s the catch? I know people will say no promotion potential or that’s not how it works…but what if it could? What if you make yourself valuable by still setting your boundaries? Why would we resent someone who has that opportunity?

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Lots of people opine that that's not doable without any real basis other than their own fear that it is not doable for them. I posted somewhere that i am comfortable billing 1700 or slightly more for the year in client billables, and somebody immediately commented about how i am going to get fired without knowing a second thing about my situation, like my firm and practice group. At any rate, yes, you can set boundaries and make partner in this business. You can work like a regular human being (as opposed to someone who treats everything like a fire drill) and be respected and have a very good book of business. You don't have to be one of those people that constantly feels the need to show how willing you are to sacrifice your health, you can just make your place by adding value in other ways, for example (and i know this sounds crazy) providing much needed expertise.

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Some people do it. It’s possible, just not common.

We resent it cause we’re miserable not being that person.

likesmart

I’ve been in a new role for 10 months and am asking myself the same thing. Hoping there isn’t one 🤞🏻

You make yourself valuable by doing good work. Your boundaries don’t increase your value. The difference in competence between attorneys from similar backgrounds can be significant. So if you are really good, you can get away with boundaries that differ from the rest of your team.

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