The New Year....

Some people make New Year's Resolutions...  I don't anymore simply because I have never been very good about keeping them.  But I like the thought of them because when you break it down, these resolutions are made so that I can become a better person.  Mine usually had something to do with losing weight.

This year I think I want to concentrate on not myself so much on superficial parts.  This year I would like to help someone achieve something they dreamed of, give to others in unseen ways, be seen as an encouragement to those around me, remember to be grateful even when everything is falling down around me, and continue to lend a hand to all single parents I know.

Here's hoping each of us have a Happy, Safe, and Prosperous New Years.

What means most

Over the past month, I have had a few clients genuinely thank me for treating them in a compassionate and professional manner.  I am usually the second voice they ever hear when calling our office, because I screen to find out if they have an open legal issue to deal with.  At this point, most of the time the client is quite vulnerable.  Remember that they are injured, confused sometimes, frustrated with the system, perhaps scared of the employer -- there are all kinds of physical and emotional issues that they are dealing with.  And you are the person that is going to work closely with them in the coming weeks, months, and years.

I have discovered that while I do enjoy the paycheck (I mean who doesn't), what I really enjoy is a "Thank You" from a client.  When someone says that I helped them, or made something easier for them, or took a weight off their shoulders, somehow it makes all this journey okay.  I might even say it's better than coffee or chocolate, and for me that's saying a lot.

Depression, Alcoholism,, and the Profession of Law

I wrote this last night, but did not have time to post... so posting on my break.  So food for thought:

How much have you thought about depression and alcoholism, maybe even addition?  Start thinking about it now.  If you are reading my blog and attending law school, or about to—become educated.  The statistics are startling and something I had not thought about until about my 3^rd year of law school, when I began to see the effects of both on my peers, professors, and practicing attorney’s I knew.  So let’s take a look at them.

By the end of the first year of law school, 32% of students are suffering from depression.  By the end of the 3^rd year, 45%.  A year out of law school, 17% are still under a deep depressive influence.  Lawyers are 4 times more likely to suffer from depression.  There are 1 million practicing attorneys in the US, and 25% of those suffer from depression!  Only 60% of these actually are seeking help (this information was studied in a John Hopkins study in the 90’s).  Also, lawyers are 2 times more likely to commit suicide than the average population.

Alcoholism is common in this profession….  In a survey taken by the ABA 13% of those who responded said they drink 6 or more drinks a day.  Out of bar disciplines in the state of California, 25% deal with substance abuse issues.  According to several studies, alcoholism accounts for 95% of addiction problems in lawyers and judges.  And no wonder.  As a student, you learn very quickly at school sponsored events and networking opportunities that wine, beer, and hard liquor is easily available.  At my school’s events involving alumni, there was always a wine and beer bar – free to all attendees.  

In the average population, 10% of adults suffer from alcoholism.  In the legal profession 1 in 5 attorneys’, that’s 20%, have a problem with alcohol.  What is it that drives attorneys to drink?  I refuse to believe that it is because our jobs are more stressful.  I think that is a cop out.  I worked in a high stress job before…. Stress is subjective to the individual.  Someone who is a greeter at Wal-Mart could experience, to them, the same amount of stress as a defense attorney who is responsible for keeping their client off death row.

What is interesting is the same ABA survey showed that 90% of those professionals who suffered, they are high functioning alcoholics.  Meaning that they may not drink every day, but they binge.  Or if they do drink every day, they are able to function without few people realizing what a huge problem alcohol is in their lives.  They hide it and hide it well.  They may show up to hearings after a few drinks, but no one notices.  They may come to work after a drink to get them going in the morning, and then advise their clients.  They fly under the radar for many reasons.  While both those examples are possible bar discipline, many lawyers do not report each other – why?  Because how do you really know whether another person is impaired or not?  And reporting someone could have dire consequences for that person.

So how do you guard against this?  What I think it comes down to is how do you fill the void in your life?  How do you deal with the life changes that your profession forces on you?  Think about this.  You know, or soon will know, how law school changes a person.  You view the world in such a different way after law school.  Then comes the practice of law.  I would love to see if there is disparity in the percentages based on what type of law that a person practices.  I will tell you, when I worked in the DOJ, it was difficult to turn my brain off at night.  I had images of pictures of children severely abused, of autopsy reports, of psych reports, of crime scene photos, of interviews with children abused – I saw the filth of society DAILY.  Now, I hear the pain of a person whose life is being disassembled right before their eyes.  They are injured, can’t get care, and are not being paid – several of my clients rack up debt that leaves them destitute before we are able to get financial relief and time loss pay for them.  I hear their desperation.  One man, not long ago, talked about committing suicide as a way out.  This takes a toll on a person.

Why?  I have alluded to the Sacred Trust a few times, and have promised a piece on it.  I am getting there, but having problems placing into words, what it truly is.  But this is a small part of the issue.  Good lawyers empathize, care, and truly want to work towards a solution for their clients.  They see the pain, and realize that it is their duty, their responsibility, a part of the trust handed down to them, to protect those more vulnerable in society.

How to do you avoid going down the depression and addiction path?  I have to say it’s not easy.  Depression is serious.  Addiction can be deadly.  Both could cost you a career.  But you have to make some decisions now on how you will handle it.  First, learn to turn off work as soon as you leave the office.  This is critical!  I learned to do this at the DOJ after a few months.  Leave work at work.  Don’t take it home with you.  How to develop a thick skin, I don’t know.  It’s different for each person.  But do it.  Second, be willing to get help.  That’s right.  Don’t let your ego get in the way, and let’s face it, lawyers and law students have healthy egos.  Most law schools have counseling centers – use it.  It’s confidential.  If you are an attorney, be willing to go to a professional. You would not want someone to go pro se for a murder charge would you?  No that would be insane.  They need a professional.  Recognize that someday you might need one to.  And don’t be too proud to seek one out.  Third, know your limitations -- and stick to them.  Does depression and alcoholism run in your family?  Then know you are more likely to suffer from both.  Be proactive.  Seek help for depression and maybe do not drink.  As someone whose family has alcoholics on both sides, I rarely drink.  Rarely.  And when I do, I tend to stop after one.  Set limits for yourself.

Finally, find your center – that place that fills that void that we all have in life.  I think this is probably where alcoholics fall.  As humans, we each have this need, sometimes a void in our lives.  We fill it with many things.  It is where we look in times of stress; it is the well from which we pull when life gets hard.  For me, I look to my faith, to God to get through it.  I believe that those that struggle with addiction are really just searching for a way to fill the void with something, to help make them forget, to numb what they feel.  I pray.  Do I fail sometimes and lose sight?  Yeah, I do and I have.  That’s when it is important to have a strong support system who can remind you of the truth of things.  To hold you accountable.  To tell you when you are becoming jaded, cynical, hard and ugly.

My point is to raise awareness of what a problem depression and addiction is.  Be aware and make a plan on how to deal with both if it begins to hit you.

The Job Market

Positions as attorney's are few and far between right now.  The economy has taken it's toll on all sizes of firms.  The reality is that less than 10% of my classmates are employed right now.  This is a scary, scary statistic.  For my readers, I don't know where you are in your journey, but if you are a 2 or 3L, this is great cause for concern.  If you are still in undergrad or maybe a 1L, probably not so bad for you as long as the economy picks up soon.

It seems that firms are holding off from hiring, but not downsizing anymore.  A recent article by the ABA advises recent graduates to go ahead and take a legal assistant job.  That firms will understand in this economy that you did what you had to do.  This is, I believe, sound advice.  I do not regret taking a job as a legal assistant in a smaller firm.  I have learned a ton so far.  A smaller firm means that you will be given more responsibility, likely more interaction with clients, more drafting abilities, more hands on experience.  A smaller firm will rely on your ability to analyze a file. 

One other thing...... I now have a healthy respect of a law firm as a business.  I see what it costs to run an office.  I see how I might do things differently to streamline, but see what works and was developed by people who have been doing this for years.  I see the business practices of the office. 

I also see the importance of a great support staff.  The importance of a good software package designed to bill, take notes, and track documents.

The lesson I want to pass on is to make the most of the experiences you can gain by not practicing law at that moment.  Your time will come, but in the mean time, take a look at the practice of law from a different angle.

Thanksgiving.... What are you grateful for?

I love Thanksgiving.  For one, it is the holiday that remains untainted by commercialism.  But most of all, it is a time that we can reflect upon the things that make us grateful and thankful.  I have so many things to be grateful for this year.  I have my family, whom I love dearly, and whom without I would not have graduated from law school.  I am grateful that I live in this incredible country, where freedom is paramount, and prosperity is determined by the grit and the ability to dream that is inside of each of us.  I am grateful for the men and women who sacrifice to fight for and protect this great country.  I am thankful for the things I have, for the things that will be, and for the person I have become.  I am even thankful for the experiences, both good and bad, that have made me into the person I am today.

Today, as I reflected on where I am, I was grateful that for the first time in seven years, I did not have to study!  LOL.  Great feeling.  Here is wishing each of my readers a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.  Make a list today, a grateful heart list --- and enjoy time with family, friends, and/or your children.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Varying State Laws

I am on vacation in Colorado visiting my sister who is based at Fort Carson.  I love traveling to different states and seeing the different laws.... This trip has given me lots to think about because not only am I in a different state, but I am staying on a base -- which means that federal law, not state law, governs.  This was an interesting concept to me.  As you enter the gates of the base, there are many legalease wording on huge signs -- part of which is all the things that you consent to merely by entering the base.  Things like complete vehicle searches, consent to buccal, blood, or breathalizer tests for any purpose or reason without probable cause, and many others.... It's amazing to me the rights as a civilian I give up merely by visiting my sister.  Or the rights that she gives up by having a dwelling place on this base..... mind boggling really.

State laws are just as interesting to figure out.  You can still talk on a cell phone and drive in Colorado, you can still purchase sudafed without a prescription (gonna load up before going home), and U-Turns, yes they are allowed... There are more, but those are the few that come to mind.  What is most amazing is that you really can break a law without realizing it and be penalized for it...... Bonus though, speed limit is 75 mph from the Idaho border to Colorado Springs, Co!!!! 

Not If, When

One thing about going to college while your child is young -- the importance of education is instilled in your child.  They watch you learn, struggle, and place priority on education.  College becomes real to them.  My daughter does not talk about "if" she goes to college, she talks about "when."  As a seventh grader, she focuses on her grades, and she is already researching colleges.  Her current passion is dance and she says that is what she wants to do, but she is also realistic and wants a "back up" plan.

What is incredible to me is talking to her friends.  They have none of that drive or focus.  College is something they might do, and if they go, it's social and maybe some working.  After much deliberation I have come to the conclusion that while there are lots of sacrifices being made, one of the pluses or blessings is that I have not had to work at instilling the value of education in my daughter.... she knows it.  When, not if.