Life After Lawyer?

I recently celebrated five years since I completed the bar exam. I marked the date by being called into a meeting with several of the most senior partners in my firm to take notes, despite the fact that our firm employs at least 100 actual secretaries. Between that and my recent specialization in chart-making and exhibit preparation, I'm really seeing the value of my law school education lately.

Tonight, one of my favorite restaurants (Province) had an event with the Chicago Fashion Foundation (CFF), showcasing the work of a new designer while the restaurant provided delicious appetizers and a signature cocktail. (Unfortunately, it did not involve prosecco but I guarantee that a little bit of bubbly would have added that extra lil bit of something.) I attended with the girls where we met the designer, who won a scholarship from the CFF two years ago. As it turns out, she is a reformed lawyer, who used to practice personal injury law -- which makes why she left the law entirely understandable, at least to me. She is also married to a lawyer going through rehab -- he took the last few months off being a lawyer to support his wife and get her business of the ground -- who doesn't think he'll be returning to the bottle, I mean, the practice of law.

Maybe its just that time in our careers, but lately a lot of my classmates have played the, "If I weren't a lawyer, I'd be _____" game. For some people, its "an entrepreneur," some its
"a hair stylist." And, not an insignificant number have made the game reality. Whenever I play the game, my immediate reaction is: "broke." Especially as most of the things I would like to do -- which use the same basic skills as being a lawyer -- just do not pay. And, despite my complaints, I do like being a lawyer, when I get to be one. I'll never fill in that blank with "a note-taker."

In the meantime, my fallback job is going to be MegaMillionaire -- you gotta get in it to win it, you know. Thankfully, I bought my ticket today. (And, will again on Friday!)