From Sathnam Sanghera of the Times, the single best explanation of lawyer dissatisfaction I’ve ever read. Why are so many lawyers so damned miserable? Gist:
- the dehumanising hours
- the yawning gap between their intelligence and the mind-numbing nature of their work
- the yawning gap between the ideals of those entering the profession and the reality
- the cumulatively lowering nature of the work
- the vortex of hatred that envelops them entirely
- the self-inflicted nature of their suffering
The piece is well worth the read, not least for Sanghera’s deft pen.
I couldn’t begin to count the number of lawyers I’ve met since I began practice who were utterly miserable in their work. For many, Sanghera’s piece would no doubt resonate. More coverage at the WSJ Law Blog.