LEGAL INSIGHTS

Updates and advice for attorneys and law departments.

Why Career Fulfillment Matters for Attorneys

Some attorneys enter the practice of law out of a passion to change the current rules or to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with legal problems.  Others seek an intellectual challenge, job security, or a potential springboard to politics or other careers.

Whatever your reason for joining the ranks of the law, finding fulfillment in your work is one of the most important cases you’ll ever tackle.  Here’s why:

  1. Our career success affects our view of ourselves.
    Intellectually, we all know that career success and personal worth aren’t equal – but when your work is a significant part of your life, it’s easy to feel as if a lagging career points to a lack of personal value.  It’s important to address this “slump” by cultivating hobbies and relationships you enjoy outside work, but it’s also important to address it by finding work that is personally fulfilling as well as professionally meaningful. 
  1. Fulfilling work = better results.
    Attorneys who love what they do perform better, get better results, and have energy left over to stay up-to-date on the ever-changing laws and rulings that affect their clients.  They’re in a better position to be proactive, rather than reactive.  Better results, in turn, improve your standing within the firm and help you position yourself as an expert in your main practice area.
  1. Fulfillment at work leads to fulfillment in life.
    On average, an attorney working full-time will spend nearly 100,000 hours working during his or her career.  While not all of these hours will be spent practicing law, all of them will feel empty if the work performed during them offers no sense of accomplishment or fulfillment.  Attorneys who face unfulfilling careers also risk “burning out” as their brains shift into survival mode, rather than finding sources of positive, motivating challenge in their daily work.

Feeling less than fulfilled in your current job?  Talk to the experienced recruiters at Assigned Counsel. Contact us today to learn more.

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