To follow up a bit on my post from yesterday I wanted to share some perspective. I've worked two jobs most of my career. Throughout my paralegal career I've also worked nights and weekends cleaning houses, shipping at Macy's warehouse, serving customers at Chipotle and the list goes on. I hated working night shift at Macy's, hated it with a passion. I worked at the Public Defender's Office from 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri then on Thurs, Fri and Sat I worked 6pm-6am fulfilling orders for shipping at Macy's. I didn't sleep at all Thursday or Friday, then I would sleep all day Saturday after my shift and Sunday. 12 hours on my feet was brutal. The drying out of my hands and frequent paper cuts was awful. But the absolute worst part of it was knowing that no matter how hard I was working I still couldn't afford to buy the items I was packaging for other people. Heck, sometimes I couldn't even afford to buy snacks from the breakroom vending machine. I know that I'm not the only law student who has lived this experience. But honestly, I wish there were more of us. Because maybe then we would stop telling first gen students that money isn't everything. Maybe then when we realize how first gen students have already worked to get here we'll stop using hard work as a fear tactic. Hard work is money and money is freedom. Freedom doesn't look the same for everyone but for some of us it's just keeping the lights on. I don't have a single picture of me from when I worked at Macy's, (probably because we weren't allowed to have phones on the floor) but here's a picture of me from my not-so-long ago Chipotle days. #lawyers #lawstudents #firstgen
Steven Neff
9mo
I’m going to (try to) be gently candid here. You don’t need BigLaw for a reasonable living. My experience w/BigLaw, and that of many lawyers I know, is that 💰 is the only good thing about it. Not everyone, of course, but too many to dismiss. So my question is this: how does your ideal life look? B/c I think many have been sold on the idea that working insane hours for a lot of💰is the meaning of happiness. My family is the most important thing to me after faith. 💰is pretty low on the list, although I’m certainly happy to make a nice living and if someone wants to give me more, then great. But I wouldn’t trade for 💰my presence at bedtime in my home every night while my kids were growing up. I wouldn’t give up family dinner every night at the table together. I wouldn’t give up going to ball fields to coach my kids in sports for many years. I wouldn’t give up being at virtually every one of their games/recitals/programs/competitions. I wouldn’t give up time w/my wife in the evenings. I wouldn’t give up family outings/trips/vacations. There are seasons (trials, terror attacks, etc) when I’ve had to situationally miss but never consistently. BigLaw asks that of many. Is it worth it? (Btw, Long hrs is not the same as hard work).
Stephen Hoffman
9mo
I was fortunate, so I can't say I worked hard during law school. But, I can say I worked hard in the summers. Unable to get a clerkship, I was a janitor (interestingly enough, at Allstate National HQ, meaning that I could literally tell adjusters "I used to clean your office.") for 5 summers. I've worked for KFC, Arby's, mowed lawns, and was a mediocre golf caddy. Even when I had a solo practice, I was also a Spin instructor for 15 years. I am convinced that most of the people in my law school class who did the best were in the "real world" between college and ls. Hard work makes you appreciate how lucky you are to make a living as a lawyer. When I see what my injury and workers' comp clients do for a living, I realize how fortunate I am, but I also understand their plight because I've done that work myself.
It isn't just first gens...my father has a college degree, he was the first Gen...but he valued the lessons that he learned working his way through college and wanted his children to learn those lessons as well. So, he wouldn't pay for college. If we wanted it enough, we would find a way to do it...and I learned those lessons, and the value of the money I made, so never wasted it on flashy items, fancy cars etc.
Alex Belov
9mo
Lindsey, your resilience is inspiring. It's a stark reminder of the real hustle and drive behind every success story. How did these experiences shape your perspective on work-life balance today?
Miller Leonard
9mo
If you’re going into the law, you’re goi g to work hard and put in long hours.
Thomas Lord
9mo
Money creates choices - choices many didn't have at all until they achieved it. Those who never were trapped without choices because of being born into choices just don't get it.
Bonus - your post led me to a bunch of other first-gen attorneys! Thank you for helping me to find my people. I frequently feel like I’m the only first-gen. It’s nice to connect with others. 🌏🌈🦋
Beautifully written….
Justin Cousino
9mo
This post on my timeline hit me hard. Thank you for showing vulnerability and shining light on what so many of us experience(d). I am also a first gen college and law graduate (my parents did not even graduate from high school). I had no guidance on what to do in law school and no support. I will never forget my law school class/clerking/externship by day and then best buy or texas roadhouse by night and weekends routine. I had time to study in between classes and early mornings (if I was not dead tired). And yet, that mattered little at OCI time. This is why I think I succeed in house. I know the value of hard work and doing everything I can to achieve the goal, with little to no resource and needing to finds ways to be efficient. These days will pass, but similar struggles will meet you even after law school.
Director of Legal Affairs | Commercial Contracts, Risk Management, Litigation
9moThanks for sharing. You are not alone. My story was similar in that I was first generation everything. While I was finishing high school my grandparents and mother were pursuing their GED. It was an interesting dynamic which made my decision to go to law school legendary. The aspirations of getting a law degree wasn’t enough but finishing near the top was a must. I had a lot of things going against me. Married kids and working a couple jobs (selling ladies shoes, work study and clerking). Yet even with being top 20% and law review I seemingly couldn’t compete. Even with a work ethic and intelligence opportunities were difficult to come by. In the back of my mind I had two prevailing thoughts: 1) no one cares, work harder and 2) money ain’t everything but it ranks right up there next to breathing. 😂 Today, working smarter not harder and having peace of mind no matter the salary dominates my focus. More importantly, having a feeling of being enough coupled with having enough is the reward for all my professional scars. Keep pushing and you’ll get to where you want to be. When you make it don’t act brand new and remember those who dare to follow your path!