Perhaps I’m making inaccurate assumptions, but for my 60+ year old career biglaw / midlaw attorneys (presumably retired or nearly retired), was it worth it? The long, grueling hours, the stress, pressure, and just overall grind… was it worth it? Is your current quality of life (physically, mentally, and materially) that much better than your non-lawyer contemporaries at your current age to retrospectively justify your career choice and path? Or, is there more parity than you thought?

55 and retiring this year after 30 years as a licensed attorney. I’m happily married decent health. I’m financially comfortable and looking forward to lots of travel in the immediate future. Three law firms, partner in the last two. The last one a technically “biglaw” firm. I state the caveat because it qualifies in size but not really in management. The retrospectroscope is a difficult tool to use. Was my career everything that I hoped for? No. Was my respect for the law and my clients enough to make it worthwhile? Absolutely! Would I do it all again? Honestly, knowing what I know now, probably not. However, there is no way to know what the future holds. What I asked myself at every step along the way was whether or not the balance was in my favor. On the few occasions that it was not, I made a change. I can honestly say I don’t regret much. But constant reevaluation and self reflection are necessary in this profession, as well as probably all others.

I can give you a perspective. I am solidly into the age group you mentioned (despite what one commenter thought). I started my career as a scientist (with phd in hard sciences). About 6 years after my phd, it became clear to me that i didn’t want to be in the lab when I am 50 or 60 years old. So, i looked around and realized that there is career in law for someone like me (i am also an immigrant who learned English essentially as an adult — i couldn’t order a big Mack at McDonald when i came to the US as a graduate student in my mid to late 20 s). I went to law school and practiced law for 22 years, including a 4-year stint at BigLaw as non-equity partner. What law did for me is allow me to be part of my 3 children’s life while still able to bill your typical numbers —1800-2000 hrs — because i could do some work in the evening and weekend mornings and get free times in some late afternoons for basketball practices/games. Financially, it has been day and night. Even with delayed start, i can easily fall into the top 3-5% financially in the US. I can’t be disappointed with that given that i came to the US with

The flaw in this line of questioning is that you're asking responders to compare their life to their contemporaries. That means a similar pool of professionals, who are more likely to have similar life outcomes, rather than a comparison to a broader category like the general public.

I'm not in my 60's, but have been practicing for 15+ years. In comparison to my friends from undergrad, there are a few outliers who killed it in business and are now worth $50M+. There are a number of folks who kind of lost their way, made poor decisions, or had other priorities and are now stumbling through life.

On the whole, I'm sort of middle of the road or just above. Solid professional career, current liquid net worth in the low millions, bicoastal with a few properties, take 2-3 international vacations a year. Business class flights, high end hotels, basically do whatever I want at the destinations.

Now, if you compared me to the general public, the answer is obvious: it has been completely worth it. I live a life that 95% of the public will never get to experience.

The ones at my last firm won't even retire. They have no outside interests, and hate their wives. The worst possible thing they can do is retire. They all want to die at their desks. Pretty sure they regret nothing.

I’d be curious how many in that demographic even use/have heard of this app.

A2– Right? Like those guys can’t even enter their own time or redline in anything but wet ink.

I have been practicing for 34 years, and, if my brain and the economy hold up, I think I have no more than another 16 years before I will retire. From a material-economic point of view, the practice has been a very solid ROI but my student loans were all of $25k. As a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, I have exceeded expectations and have done better financially than I could have in any other job. But, from any other perspective, no, not so much worth it. I actively discourage people from being lawyers and, if they are already in law school, from being in my practice area.

I’m 64 and with my third firm over 34-year legal career and married to same wife 35 years. Two great adult children. I’m happy with my career choice as a lawyer following a 4-year audit career. While I wanted to go to business school after audit career, my best friend recommended law school and, given no internet back then, wrote to law schools for me requesting information. While I’ve enjoyed my legal career and am planning to transition to retirement, I wish I did not have to work so many hours over the years (ie, the years over 2,000 hours).

In my mid 60s. First generation professional. Have managed to support one kid in pursuit of medical degree. The other kid opted out of education and is entrepreneurially inspired. I was a single mom. I could not have achieved this with any other career path. Net worth is lower than many around me professionally due to my choice to help my kids. Net worth compared to my non-professional friends is much greater. Overall I would say it was worth it because I enjoyed my work and my clients and was able to be a good provider.

I think the site you are looking for is surveymonkey.com

I was talking with a friend of mine yesterday who is a good plumber in his 60s. He told me he lives paycheck to paycheck. I stopped doing the ratrace 15 years ago when I accepted my current position. I work as a judge but the lifestyle is not 12 or more hour days, the pay is a lot less, but I spend quality time with my kids and family taht I would not be able to do in big law/mid-sized law.

You have to decide what's important to you.

I’ve had this conversation with a few folks. One said:

“Well, it’s over now.” They were happy in retirement to be very financially comfortable, and felt like it worked out. They acknowledged that they missed a lot in their kids’ lives.

Two others, a married couple, both said they were very grateful to have had incredible careers. They now have very active retirements. They also seem very happy to be rich and now do whatever they want (which, for the woman, includes watching the first grand child 2 days a week, coaching a moot court team at Georgetown, supporting an array of philanthropic causes, and traveling all the time).

You should ask 60+ folks with good credentials and chill non-lawyer jobs and who have big law partner peers if they would change things. I think more regrats are likely on this side because you are locked in and can’t make a move after a certain point where as a big law lawyer, if willing to take a pay cut, can do many chill things if they don’t like the stressful lifestyle.

I’m 48, partner at T50 firm, been a partner for maybe 8 years. FWIW, in my view, there are ways to carve a path that allows a life. I bill around 2000-2100 a year, get home for dinner every night, make it to all the soccer games, etc. I enjoy the work, it’s challenging; certainly stressful at times (that’s the main thing I won’t miss)… but not all encompassing. But I won’t be a lifer that dies at his desk at 65. With a net worth just cracking 8 figs, I aim to retire in the next 2-5 years. Will there be a part of retirement that focuses on re-invigorating my health and exercise a bit? Probably. But most real jobs require a legit commitment of time / energy. I don’t really have regrets, the job has given me a comfortable life, challenging/interesting work, reasonable flexibility. Not sure how much more you need; seems silly to be wringing your hands in dissatisfaction, pining for perfection, when you’ve gotta good thing going.

F

I suspect there won’t be many, if any. But thought I’d float the question anyway, as I am genuinely curious.

It's a choice. One should not judge anothers choice. DNA is specific ro each of us. To Grind or pursue something else is a gift. Embrace the choice and reflect on the journey.

8888.8

Better to ask if it was worth missing all those special occasions with their children, or never getting those minutes every day back for the love of $$?