The Shingle

So a lawyer friend of mine, who's had some difficulties finding an employer where there is mutual appreciation, has finally decided to hang out her own shingle. She actually won't be going at it alone, she has two other attorney friends that are joining her. Each of the three has their own specialty and contacts, so they may just do ok. I'm rooting for her. I know it hasn't been easy for her, although there have been some times I thought she brought some problems on herself. Still, I can totally sympathize with the difficulties in finding an employer you like and that appreciates the work you do, both in terms of verbal and monetary appreciation.

Especially in the legal field, it seems that the vast majority of lawyers are very super-type A people, very egocentric, very aggressive. I suppose that's probably why there are times when I'm too aggressive, though there are also many times I think I'm not aggressive enough in my work. Part of that is because of who I end up representing, I have felt more empathy for the plaintiffs than I do the defendants (or at least their insurance carrier). Still, its my job to defend them, so I do the best I can, which when I'm writing briefs is usually pretty good. I just need to do a better job in communicating verbally.

But back to my friend. Her new firm is planning to open in October. She'll possibly be renting space from a small firm for which we both used to work. Definitely small world. She ended up taking this move because her latest attempts to find a new position indicated that her prior employer problems may be biting a bit. A place she interviewed at (passing four rounds) found out that she used to work with an attorney (whom I also worked for - see Karma), who she believes may have passed along some not so nice remarks. Obviously the guy didn't admit it when she confronted him, but he didn't deny it either, so she has her suspicions, which may be valid. He wasn't her boss, but apparently he has enough contacts that he can still make a difference, and its sad that three years removed he can have that kind of sway and a desire to use it against her. So I hope her new firm is very successful and that someday, she beats him in court.

Part of me is pretty jealous of my friend, I admit. I would love to be my own boss, help real people, enjoy the rewards of being able to some work quickly on the computer, not have to worry about filling in a stupid billing sheet (although I suppose if I'm working for clients more directly, I'd have to record my time somehow, at least if I'm doing hourly work as opposed to flat billing). But until my family's financial situation is stable and supportive without me having to bring in a regular paycheck, its unlikely to happen. My friend doesn't have children and while she does have family and expenses (yeah, those dreadful student loans), she can get by on less.

I do have some hopes that in my current firm, I may eventually take over my boss' clients when he retires (which could be anywhere from 3-10 years depending on how his memory holds up). As my kids get older, I'll be able to focus a little more time for work and can hopefully get into more of the client-side of the business. This current firm is probably the best shot I have, so I hope everything continues to go well. So far, so good.